Diwali Muhurat Trading 2025: Date, time and significance of special trading session – News Air Insight

As India prepares to celebrate Diwali, the country’s stock markets are set for one of their most symbolic sessions of the year—Muhurat Trading. This one-hour special trading window, marking the start of Samvat 2082, will be held on Tuesday, October 21, from 1:45 pm to 2:45 pm, symbolising prosperity, renewal, and optimism for investors entering the new Hindu financial year.

Auspicious start to Samvat 2082

The National Stock Exchange (NSE) and BSE will open their trading floors for this special one-hour session, while remaining closed for regular trading on October 21 in observance of Diwali Laxmi Pujan.

Markets will also remain closed on October 22 for Balipratipada, while October 18 (Dhanteras) falls on a Saturday, when markets are normally closed. The benchmarks will trade on a regular schedule on Monday, October 20.

This year, in a break from recent tradition, the Muhurat Trading session will take place in the afternoon rather than in the evening. Trade modifications will be permitted until 2:55 pm, with transactions available across equities, futures and options, commodity derivatives, currency derivatives, and securities lending and borrowing (SLB).

What makes Muhurat trading special?

Muhurat Trading, literally meaning “auspicious hour”, is deeply rooted in Indian market culture. The session marks the start of the Hindu New Year (Samvat 2082) and is considered an auspicious time to initiate new investments or business ventures.

Beyond profit-making, the session symbolizes optimism and faith in prosperity, with the belief that investments made during this period bring financial success and good fortune in the year ahead.

A tradition backed by history

Muhurat Trading has been observed on Dalal Street for decades, often yielding positive outcomes for investors. Historical data show that the BSE Sensex has closed higher in 14 of the last 18 Muhurat sessions. Notably, in 2008, amid the global financial crisis, the index rose 5.86%, highlighting the market’s resilience even during turbulent times.

In 2024, the Sensex gained 335 points (0.42%) during the Muhurat session, continuing its positive streak.

Volatility amid festive cheer

While the trading window lasts only one hour, analysts caution that volatility tends to be elevated due to thin volumes and concentrated activity. However, most investors view the session less as a profit-making opportunity and more as a ritual steeped in optimism.

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