The trading day starts early. NSE has locked in the schedule for the special Diwali Muhurat session on Sunday, November 8, 2026. Normal continuous trading kicks off at 2:20 PM and wraps up at 3:30 PM for non-CAS securities. For Closing Auction Session (CAS) stocks, the cutoff is earlier—3:15 PM. It is a tight, specific window for traders looking to participate in the traditional opening of the new Vikram Samvat (2083).
But the day doesn't just start at 2:20. The pre-open order entry begins at 2:05 PM, with matching and confirmation by 2:17 PM. Block deals run from 1:50 PM to 2:05 PM. If you are tracking IPOs or relistings, the special pre-open session runs from 2:05 PM to 2:50 PM. The call auction illiquid session sits between 2:25 PM and 3:10 PM. Every trade executed here carries full settlement obligations. No exceptions. The system will drive a random closure in the last two minutes of order-entry periods, so timing your limit orders matters.
Why the afternoon slot? Brokers pushed hard for this. Through the Brokers’ Industry Standards Forum, they argued for a 2 PM to 3 PM session, citing the auspicious window of 1:47 PM to 3:12 PM. Last year, exchanges already shifted away from the traditional evening slot, holding Muhurat trading from 1:45 PM to 2:45 PM. This year, the 2:20 PM start fits neatly within that preferred daytime window. It’s a pragmatic move, balancing tradition with trading liquidity.
The broader market context is stark. Indian equities have been under pressure. As of October 19, the BSE Sensex has dropped 11,335.70 points, or 13.31%, year-to-date to 73,852.90. The NSE Nifty 50 is down 3,257.60 points, or 12.46%, to 22,888.95. On October 19 alone, the Sensex fell 876 points (1.2%) to 73,853. The Nifty Bank index shed 356 points to 55,488, and the Nifty Midcap index dropped 642 points to 58,488. The Muhurat session offers a symbolic fresh start, but the YTD numbers tell a different story.
What’s next? Traders should mark their calendars for November 8. Note the CAS transition period from 3:15 PM to 3:20 PM, and the post-close session from 3:50 PM to 4:00 PM. Trade modification cut-off is 4:15 PM. With the market down sharply YTD, the Muhurat session may see heightened retail participation as investors seek auspicious entries for Samvat 2083.