NSE, BSE to Host Diwali Muhurat Trading in the Afternoon for the First Time as Samvat 2082 Begins

Breaking away from its long-held tradition, India’s top stock exchanges — NSE and BSE — will conduct the Diwali Muhurat Trading session this year in the afternoon (1:45 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.), marking the beginning of Samvat 2082, the new Hindu financial year.The symbolic one-hour trading session, usually held in the evening, is considered highly auspicious by traders and investors, who believe it brings prosperity, luck, and new financial beginnings.According to the exchanges, a pre-open session will start at 1:30 p.m., followed by the Muhurat trading between 1:45 p.m. and 2:45 p.m.. All trades made during this time will be settled as per regular rules.

The commodity markets — including MCX and NCDEX — will also join the festive trading. The MCX will open its pre-session from 1:30 p.m. to 1:44 p.m., with trading until 2:45 p.m.. Similar timings will apply to the NCDEX as well.On October 22 (Wednesday), MCX will stay closed during the morning hours and reopen from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., while NCDEX will remain shut for the day. Normal market operations will resume on October 23 (Thursday).The Muhurat Trading ritual, which started at BSE in 1957 and was later adopted by NSE in 1992, has deep cultural roots. Traditionally, brokers performed Chopda Pujan — worshipping their account books — to invoke wealth and success for the coming year.

Market experts predict a positive and festive mood this Diwali, expecting benchmark indices to stay in the green as investors celebrate faith, finance, and fortune together.