Share Market Timings India

05^th Dec 2025...

Published By : Team 811

Share Market Timings Key Takeaways

These are the Stock Market Timings in India

Pre-opening 9.00 AM-9.15 AM: Order collection and opening price discovery
Regular trading 9.15 AM-3.30 PM: Main trading with continuous order matching
Closing calculation 3.30 PM-3.40 PM: Closing prices get determined
After-market orders 3.40 PM-4.00 PM: Orders at closing price for next day

Trading in Indian stock markets operates within fixed hours on weekdays. Retail investors must work with registered brokerage firms to buy or sell securities. Stock trading in India happens between 9.15 AM to 3.30 PM.

The timings for both, the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and the National Stock Exchange (NSE), are same. This makes it easier for investors who want to trade stocks listed on either platform.

Three Main Trading Sessions in Indian Stock Market

The trading day is made up of three segments, each with its own purpose. Here's how the timings work:

Pre-opening Session (9.00 AM to 9.15 AM)

This 15-minute window happens before actual trading starts. The exchanges have this session to control price swings when the markets open. It also keeps the opening prices are fair. There are three parts to this:

9.00 AM to 9.08 AM.

During the first 8 minutes of stock market opening time in India, investors can place orders for buying or selling shares. You can also change or cancel orders during this time if you change your mind about a trade.

Orders placed in this window get priority when trading starts at 9.15 AM since they're processed first. This can be beneficial if you want to get in early based on overnight news or analysis.

9.08 AM to 9.12 AM.

These 4 minutes are for price matching. The exchange looks at all the buy and sell orders that came in and calculates opening prices using a complex matching process. That is, the system compares demand with supply to figure out at what price the most trades can happen.

You cannot place new orders or change existing ones during this period. The focus is on working out the opening prices.

9.12 AM to 9.15 AM.

This acts as a buffer period between pre-opening and the regular session. Nothing can be added or changed during these 3 minutes. The system is preparing everything for trading to begin.

Normal Trading Session (9.15 AM to 3.30 PM)

This is the main Indian share market timing where most activity happens. The window runs for 6 hours and 15 minutes, and investors are free to buy or sell without the restrictions from pre-opening time.

Trading follows a bilateral order-matching system during regular hours. The system matches someone wants to buy shares at a certain price, and another person wants to sell at that same price. Then the transaction is completed.

Stock prices keep moving based on this demand and supply. If more buyers show up for a stock, the price goes up. If sellers dominate, price drops. This movement carries on throughout the session and creates the volatility you see in markets.

The reason exchanges have that structured pre-opening session is precisely to avoid chaos right at 9.15 AM when everyone rushes in.

Post-closing Session (3.30 PM to 4.00 PM)

Regular trading stops at 3.30 PM, but there's still some activity afterward that impacts the next day's prices.

3.30 PM to 3.40 PM.

During this 10-minute stretch, exchanges calculate closing prices. They take a weighted average of all trades that happened between 3.00 PM and 3.30 PM to arrive at the closing price for each stock.

For indices like Sensex and Nifty 50, the closing level comes from the weighted average of the closing prices of their stocks. These numbers matter because they serve as reference points for the next day.

3.40 PM to 4.00 PM.

This is when After Market Orders (AMO) can be placed. If you missed regular trading hours, you can still put in orders during this 20-minute window. These orders execute at the day's closing price, assuming there are enough buyers and sellers.

One thing to note-if you place an AMO and prices move in your favor by next morning, you can make gains. But if things go the other way, you still have a chance to cancel orders between 9.00 AM to 9.08 AM the following day.

Other Market Segments and Their Timings

Currency Trading

The currency derivatives segment operates from 9.00 AM to 5.00 PM on weekdays. Unlike equities, there's no pre-opening or post-closing session here. It's a straight 8-hour window.

RBI rules say you need to have actual foreign currency exposure to trade in this segment. You can't speculate without any underlying business needs.

Commodity Markets

Commodity timings vary depending on what you're trading. Agricultural commodities generally trade from 9.00 AM to 5.00 PM. Some internationally-linked agri commodities like cotton go till 9.00 PM.

For non-agri commodities such as gold, silver, crude oil, and base metals, trading extends much longer-from 9.00 AM to 11.30 PM. During certain months when international markets follow daylight saving, this gets extended to 11.55 PM.

They trade for longer hours because commodity prices are affected by global markets across different time zones.

Block Deals

There are separate windows for executing large institutional trades. Morning session runs from 8.45 AM to 9.00 AM, and the afternoon session runs from 2.05 PM to 2.20 PM. These dedicated slots help big orders get filled without disrupting regular market activity too much.

Special Trading Events

Muhurat Trading on Diwali

Stock markets remain closed on Diwali like other public holidays. But there's a special one-hour trading session in the evening called Muhurat trading. The exact timing changes each year but usually falls around 5.30 PM to 6.30 PM.

A lot of investors see this as an auspicious time to start fresh investments or to do some token trading for good luck. It's become a tradition that mixes cultural beliefs with market participation.

IPO Listings

When companies list after their IPOs, trading in those stocks begins at 10.00 AM instead of the usual 9.15 AM. This delay gives some extra time for backend processes to complete before the new stock enters live trading.

Market Holidays

Stock exchanges release a yearly calendar listing all holidays when markets stay closed. These include major festivals like Holi, Eid, Christmas, Republic Day, Independence Day and others. The markets are also closed every Saturday and Sunday.

It's good to check this calendar at the start of each year so you don't plan trades on days when exchanges won't be operating.

Also Read: Share Market Holidays 2026: List of Trading Holidays

How to Actually Trade

You can't directly trade on stock exchanges as a retail investor. You need to go through a registered stockbroker who has access to the exchange systems. Most brokers now offer online platforms where you can place orders, and they handle the execution.

Settlement happens on a T+2 basis, meaning if you buy shares today, they get credited to your demat account two working days later. Same goes for funds if you're selling.

Stock markets are volatile by nature, so it makes sense to do proper research on companies before investing. Look for platforms that give you access to financial data, charts, and analysis tools alongside the ability to place orders.

Even though regular trading ends at 3.30 PM, you can place after-market orders for certain stocks. The calculation for Mutual fund NAV (net asset value) also happens after markets close. They are based on the closing prices of underlying securities.

Some Practical Points

If you're an intraday trader or do F&O trading, these timings matter a lot. Your positions need to be squared off before 3.30 PM or they get carried forward with different implications.
Using the pre-opening session from 9.00 to 9.08 AM can give you an edge. Orders placed here get processed first when trading starts.
The first 30-45 minutes after 9.15 AM often see higher volatility as overnight orders get executed and traders react to morning news. Similarly, the last 30 minutes before 3.30 PM can be active as traders close positions.

Frequently Asked Questions on Share Market Timings

1. When does stock market open in India?

Pre-opening starts at 9.00 AM and regular trading begins at 9.15 AM on weekdays.

2. Do BSE and NSE have the same timings?

Yes, both exchanges follow identical schedules throughout the day.

3. Can I place orders after 3.30 PM?

Yes, after-market orders can be placed between 3.40 PM and 4.00 PM for execution at the closing price.

4. Is the market open on weekends?

No, Indian stock exchanges remain closed on Saturdays and Sundays.

5. What happens between 9.08 AM and 9.12 AM?

This is when opening prices are calculated by matching orders. You cannot modify or cancel orders during this time.

6. How is closing price calculated?

It's the weighted average of all trades between 3.00 PM and 3.30 PM for that stock.

7. Can I trade currencies and commodities at the same time as stocks?

Yes, but they have different timings. Currency closes at 5.00 PM, while commodities can trade much later, depending on the product.