when stock market close in india: trading hours

When does the stock market close in India?

The question when stock market close in India is about the official end of daily trading on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) and Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), the windows that surround that close, and how the closing price used for indexing and settlement is determined. This article tells you the standard closing time for the major Indian exchanges, the session structure (pre-open, continuous, post-close), how closing prices are computed, segment-specific timings and common exceptions traders and investors should know. Read on to understand practical implications, how to place after-market orders (AMO), and where to confirm any schedule changes.

Note: the phrase "when stock market close in india" is used throughout to match common search intent and help you quickly find the exact scheduling details.

As of 16 January 2026, according to exchange schedules and industry support documentation, the normal equity trading day on NSE and BSE runs with the continuous session closing at 15:30 IST and related pre-open and post-close windows surrounding that time.

Overview of Indian stock exchanges

India’s two primary equity exchanges are the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and the National Stock Exchange (NSE). Both exchanges generally follow the same standard equity trading schedule for normal market days, which makes it straightforward to answer the basic query of when stock market close in India for most retail and institutional equity activity. Exchanges may publish segment-specific or exceptional-session timings separately, so always confirm for non-equity segments.

Daily trading schedule — sessions and times

Below is the standard daily schedule for the equity segment used by most market participants. The schedule answers when stock market close in India for the continuous equity session and explains the supporting windows.

Pre-opening session (09:00–09:15 IST)

Purpose

• The pre-open session exists to allow order entry, price discovery and to create an opening price that fairly reflects supply and demand before continuous trading starts.

Sub-phases and participant actions

• Order entry phase (typically 09:00–09:08): participants can enter, modify or cancel orders. These orders are not executed immediately; they are staged for price discovery.
• Order matching/price discovery phase (typically 09:08–09:12): the exchange runs the matching algorithm to find an equilibrium opening price based on accumulated orders. During this phase, the system indicates a tentative opening price and executable quantity as order book updates occur.
• Buffer/transition phase (typically 09:12–09:15): residual checks, final matching and transition to continuous trading. After this phase, the official opening price is published and continuous trading begins.

What you can and cannot do

• You can place limit and market orders during pre-open as allowed by your broker.
• Orders placed in the pre-open help determine the official opening price; however, execution only occurs at the opening price when the market opens, not continuously.

Normal/continuous trading session (09:15–15:30 IST)

Core characteristics

• Continuous trading runs from 09:15 to 15:30 IST on normal trading days. During this period, trades execute continuously through an electronic limit order book and price-time priority matching.
• This is when most liquidity, intra-day volatility and largest price discovery occur.

Order matching mechanism

• Orders are matched continuously by price and time priority. Market and limit orders interact in real time: market orders match the best available opposite-side limit orders, while limit orders rest until matched or cancelled.

Liquidity and volatility patterns

• Liquidity tends to be highest near the market open and close. Institutional activity, index rebalancing, and program trades often concentrate near the close, which is why understanding when stock market close in India matters for execution strategy.

Post-closing session and closing-price window (15:30–16:00 IST)

Official market close vs. closing-price calculation

• The official end of continuous trading is 15:30 IST. However, the method exchanges use to calculate the official closing price uses a defined closing-price window and related post-close processes.

How the closing price is determined

• Exchanges compute a closing price using trades or a volume-weighted mechanism over a designated window (often the last 30 minutes or a specific closing auction period). The resulting price is used for index calculations, marking-to-market and settlement references.

Typical post-close workflow

• 15:30: continuous trading ends. Orders no longer match on the regular continuous screen.
• 15:30–15:40: exchange computes the official closing price(s). Some exchange systems then publish the official closing price, disseminate index values (e.g., Sensex, Nifty), and run clearing and settlement processes.
• 15:40–16:00: post-close order handling and administrative windows. Certain post-close order types or procedures (like order book adjustments, cancellations for unfilled auction orders, and processing of after-market orders) may be handled by brokers and exchanges in this time.

How this answers when stock market close in India

• For practical trading and retail purposes, continuous trading stops at 15:30 IST. But because the closing price and certain administrative windows extend beyond 15:30, traders should be aware that the simple answer to when stock market close in India (continuous trading) is 15:30 IST while the processes that produce the final closing price continue for a defined short period after.

How the closing price is determined

Methodology

• Exchanges typically use a dedicated closing auction or a defined volume-weighted average price (VWAP) over a closing window to compute the official closing price for each security. The exact algorithm can differ by exchange and segment, but the goal is to minimize price manipulation and reflect aggregated supply and demand near close.

Why the closing price matters

• Index calculations: benchmark indices such as the headline indices use closing prices to publish daily index levels.
• Mark-to-market and settlement: derivatives settlement, margin calculations and portfolio marking often reference the official closing price.
• Performance measurement: fund managers, custodians and investors commonly use closing prices to calculate daily returns and portfolio valuations.

Timing for index and settlement reference

• Index providers and exchanges generally use the exchange-determined official closing price for the final index level of the day. For India, the closing auction/window that feeds into Nifty and Sensex calculations is tied to the exchange’s closing mechanism.

As of 16 January 2026, exchange documentation and major broker support pages confirm that the closing price used by Indian indices is derived from the exchange’s closing auction/window conducted around market close.

Segment-specific timings and exceptions

Equity segment

Standard equity times

• For most cash equity instruments listed on NSE and BSE, the standard intraday times are pre-open 09:00–09:15, continuous trading 09:15–15:30, and a post-close/closing-price process until about 16:00.

After-hours features

• Brokers support after-market order placement (AMO) for limit and market orders to be executed at the next session open. Post-close matching and administrative windows are handled by the exchange according to their rules.

Derivatives (index & stock F&O) and other segments

Derivatives differences

• Derivative instruments (index and stock futures & options) may have slightly different intraday cutoffs for last trade times, block trade windows and settlement reference calculation windows. Some derivative contracts also have specific expiry day procedures that adjust normal session timings.

Advice

• Because derivatives timing can differ from cash equities, always verify the segment-specific schedule with the exchange or your broker if you trade F&O products.

Currency and commodity segments

Typical currency timings

• Currency segments on regulated Indian exchanges often run with hours that overlap equity hours but may extend beyond, for example into later afternoon or early evening depending on the exchange and product.

Commodity timings and variability

• Commodity contracts and agricultural products are traded on commodity exchanges and can have different start/close windows. Some commodity products also have evening sessions or extended hours. Daylight saving time changes in overseas markets indirectly affect global commodity liquidity and timing.

Because timings vary by segment and product, this affects the simple answer to when stock market close in India only for those non-equity segments; for equities, 15:30 IST is the standard continuous close.

Special sessions and exceptions

Occasional special sessions change when stock market close in India. Examples include:

• Muhurat trading (Diwali): a short, symbolic trading session held on Diwali evening with significantly reduced hours and special settlement rules. Exact timing and rules are announced by the exchange each year.
• Budget-day sessions: on days of major national fiscal announcements, exchanges may alter session timings or announce special windows in advance.
• Shortened trading days: exchanges sometimes declare reduced hours for certain days (e.g., half-day trading ahead of a holiday).
• Block-deal windows: designated windows (often in the morning and afternoon on many exchanges) allow negotiated block trades that are reported to the exchange; these are scheduled and announced by exchanges.
• Exchange-declared special sessions: exchanges announce any other special sessions or schedule changes via circulars and notices ahead of time.

Because these sessions change the answer to when stock market close in India for affected days, always verify exchange notices in advance.

Market holidays and non-trading days

Standard closures

• Indian capital markets are closed on Saturdays and Sundays. In addition, exchanges publish an annual holiday calendar listing public holidays when markets are closed (e.g., Independence Day, Republic Day, Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti).

Impact on settlement and clearing

• Holiday closures affect settlement cycles. If a clearing holiday falls on a weekday, settlement and clearing timelines are adjusted per exchange rules.

Where to find the holiday calendar

• Exchanges publish an official annual holiday list and any mid-year updates. Your broker may also provide the list but the definitive source is the exchange circulars.

After-market orders (AMO) and order placement outside hours

Definition and purpose

• After-market orders (AMO) refer to orders accepted by brokers outside regular market hours (before pre-open or after close) which get queued for execution at the next available session (often the next market open).

Typical broker acceptance windows

• Many brokers accept AMOs from late evening through pre-open; acceptance windows vary by platform and broker. Execution occurs per exchange rules when market sessions open.

Execution risks and notes

• AMOs do not guarantee execution at a favorable price; overnight or pre-open news can substantially change the opening price.
• Placing limit orders as AMOs can control execution price but may lead to missed fills if the opening price moves past the limit.

Asking when stock market close in India is less relevant to AMO timing because AMOs concern placing orders outside normal sessions for future execution rather than on-the-day closing behavior.

Practical implications for traders and investors

Liquidity and volatility around open and close

• Price movement and liquidity intensify near the open and close. Programs, index funds and institutional rebalancing often concentrate activity near the close, influencing spreads and price impact.

Importance of the closing price

• The exchange-determined closing price is often used for daily portfolio valuations, index levels, margin calculations and settlement references. Understanding when stock market close in India is therefore important for end-of-day risk and performance metrics.

How global cues affect pre-open pricing

• Global markets that are open when Indian markets are closed can influence pre-open order flows once the pre-open window opens. News released outside Indian market hours feeds into pre-open price discovery.

Practical tips

• Use limit orders to control execution price in volatile open/close periods.
• Be mindful of AMO risks: news between order placement and market open can lead to significant differences between expected and actual execution prices.
• Monitor official exchange circulars on days of corporate actions, holidays or special sessions that could change when stock market close in India.

How to verify current market close times and schedule changes

Authoritative sources

• The definitive schedule and any intraday changes are published by the exchanges (NSE and BSE) via official circulars and holiday calendars.
• Broker support pages and exchange notices provide practical guidance about pre-open, AMO and post-close handling.

Practical verification steps

• Check exchange circulars for special sessions or holiday adjustments.
• Confirm with your broker for platform-specific AMO windows and trade cutoffs.

As of 16 January 2026, broker support references and exchange schedules consistently list the standard equity continuous close as 15:30 IST and pre-open from 09:00–09:15 IST, but always confirm on the day of trading.

Frequently asked questions (short Q&A)

Q: Is trading stopped exactly at 15:30 IST?

• Short answer: Continuous trading stops at 15:30 IST, but the exchange runs closing-price calculations and related post-close processes for a short window after 15:30. So while active continuous matching ends at 15:30, settlement and official price publication steps continue.

Q: Can I place orders after the market closes?

• Short answer: You can place AMOs with brokers outside regular hours for execution at the next relevant session. Post-close administrative windows are handled by the exchange; regular continuous trading orders cannot be placed for immediate execution after 15:30.

Q: Do derivatives close at the same time as equities?

• Short answer: Many derivatives align close times with the cash equity session, but some derivative products, expiry procedures or special windows may differ. Always check the segment-specific schedule with the exchange or your broker.

Notes and caveats

• Exchanges may change session timings, add windows, or run special sessions. The schedule above reflects standard practice for the equity segment but not all segments or special-event days.
• The simple answer to when stock market close in India for regular equity continuous trading is 15:30 IST, but exchange processes for closing-price calculation and settlement typically extend for a short period after that time.
• This article is informational and not investment advice. Always consult official exchange circulars and broker notices for precise execution rules and timing.

References and further reading

As of 16 January 2026, the following industry sources and broker support pages provide detailed schedules and explanatory notes about intraday sessions and closing-price procedures:

• Share market timings in India — Bajaj Finserv (industry reference)
• Stock Market Timings in India | BSE & NSE — Groww support
• Stock Market Timings: Opening & Closing Time of BSE & NSE — Zerodha support documentation
• Stock Market Timings in India — Sharekhan knowledge articles
• Share Market Timings in India — ClearTax educational guides
• Stock Market Timings – NSE & BSE Timings — ClearTax reference
• Share Market Timings — Angel One knowledge center
• Stock Market Timings India: NSE & BSE Trading Hours — NiftyTrader guidance
• Stock Market Timings in India: A Complete Guide — 5paisa guide
• Stock Market Timings In India — Forbes India explainer

For definitive and up-to-date schedules, always consult the official exchange circulars and holiday calendars published by the NSE and BSE on their official platforms.

More practical support and next steps

If you trade around the close or use AMO functionality, check with your broker about platform-specific cutoffs and order types. For traders who want a modern interface and round-the-clock crypto derivatives alongside access to markets, Bitget provides trading tools, educational resources and a wallet solution to help manage assets across sessions. Explore Bitget’s features and wallet options to better coordinate trading activity with Indian market hours.

Further exploration: save or bookmark your exchange’s holiday calendar, set alerts for market open/close, and review your broker’s AMO policy so you know exactly when stock market close in India will affect your orders and positions.