Domestic financial markets will pause operations on Tuesday, October 20, as the nation observes the festival of Dussehra, also known as Vijayadashami. Investors and active market participants planning buy or sell transactions will need to halt their activities for the day. Both the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and the National Stock Exchange (NSE) will remain completely shut, making it vital for market participants to structure their positions around this scheduled trading break.
Equities and Derivatives Face Complete Trading Suspension
According to the official holiday schedule outlined by the exchanges for 2026, all major market operations will stay suspended for Dussehra on Tuesday. The shutdown covers the cash equity market, equity derivatives, and the Securities Lending and Borrowing (SLB) segment. Alongside live trading, clearing and settlement activities will also observe a pause during this period. This marks the second official stock market closure in October, following the earlier trading break observed on October 2 in celebration of Gandhi Jayanti.
Regular Market Operations to Restart on Wednesday, October 21
Following the festival break, normal market sessions will resume on Wednesday, October 21. Standard trading hours will run as usual from 9:15 AM to 3:30 PM. Investors looking to enter fresh positions, adjust portfolios, or manage existing contracts will have to wait for normal market mechanisms to open on Wednesday morning.
Commodity Trading Hours Across MCX and NCDEX
Participants trading in commodities will see divergent session timings on the festive holiday. The Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) will suspend operations during the morning session on October 20, while trading is scheduled to reopen for the evening session. On the other hand, the National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX) will remain closed for both the morning and evening sessions on Dussehra. Commodity market traders should examine the formal notices issued by their respective platforms to plan contractual obligations accordingly.
Upcoming Exchange Closures on the 2026 Calendar
Following Dussehra, three additional trading holidays are scheduled for the remainder of 2026. These scheduled closures include Diwali Balipratipada on November 10, the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev on November 24, and Christmas on December 25. Meanwhile, Diwali Laxmi Pujan falls on Sunday, November 8, this year. On this occasion, BSE and NSE are expected to conduct the traditional special one-hour Muhurat trading session. Official notifications specifying the exact timing for Muhurat trading will be published by the exchanges in due course.
