Indian stock exchanges will open for a special 70-minute Muhurat trading session this Sunday to celebrate Diwali and the beginning of the Samvat financial year, continuing a long-standing cultural tradition of investing for prosperity despite it being a market holiday.

Indian stock exchanges will open for a special 70-minute Muhurat trading session this Sunday to celebrate Diwali and the beginning of the Samvat financial year, continuing a long-standing cultural tradition of investing for prosperity despite it being a market holiday.

Indian stock exchanges will open for a special 70-minute Muhurat trading session this Sunday to celebrate Diwali and the beginning of the Samvat financial year, continuing a long-standing cultural tradition of investing for prosperity despite it being a market holiday.

The Indian stock indices will make an exception and open for over one hour this Sunday. The session is an annual tradition, known as Muhurat trading, allowing investors to buy and sell shares during the auspicious time of Diwali. 

Both the National Stock Exchange and the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) will conduct the session from 2:20pm to 3:30pm on November 8, despite Sunday being a regular market holiday. The pre-opening session will be held from 2:05 pm to 2:20 pm, and the closing session will be held from 3:30pm to 3:50pm. 

Traditionally, investors make small purchases during the Muhurrat session to pay respect to Goddess Lakshmi, the Hindu deity associated with wealth and prosperity. The time marks the start of the traditional Hindu financial year, known as Samvat and reflects the belief upheld by India’s major business communities that financial investments should begin with blessings and positive intentions. 

The duration and timing can vary each year and may not strictly follow a one-hour trading session. This year, the trading session has been extended to a 70-minute window. 

Historically, Muhurat trading sessions have always ended on a green note. According to Kotak Neo, the 2025 Muhurat session closed marginally higher, with the Nifty 50 gaining 0.1 per cent to finish at 25,868.60, and the Sensex rising 0.07 per cent to close at 84,426.34. This marked the continuation of a trend of the indices closing in positive territory in eight out of the last 10 Muhurat sessions. 

However, Muhurat trading does not guarantee a positive outcome. Share prices are still subject to market demand, company performance, global economic cues and investor sentiment, as in the case of regular trading sessions. 

The market closed on a high note this week, holding gains for seven consecutive sessions, boosted by renewed interest from foreign institutional buyers, a strong Q2 earnings season, and an AI-linked sell-off on Wall Street. 

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