Muhurat trading 2026 is today, Sunday 8 November, and it isn’t in the evening this year. NSE and BSE have set the main session for 2:20 PM to 3:30 PM IST, so if you planned to place a token trade after Lakshmi puja, you’ll be too late.
Below are the full timings, the steps on your trading app, and four mistakes first-timers make. The one that costs real money is number 2, and it has to do with what “symbolic” trades actually mean for your bank balance.
⚡ Key takeaways
- Date: Sunday, 8 November 2026, the start of Samvat 2083.
- Main equity session: 2:20 PM to 3:30 PM IST. Pre-open order entry starts at 2:05 PM.
- F&O runs till 3:40 PM; commodity derivatives till 3:30 PM, per Groww’s schedule.
- Every trade is real and has to settle. There’s nothing “ceremonial” about the money.
- Markets are shut again on Tuesday, 10 November, for Diwali Balipratipada.
- This is information, not investment advice. If you’re unsure, watching the session costs nothing.
Why Muhurat Trading 2026 Is in the Afternoon
Muhurat trading is a one-hour special session the exchanges run on Diwali to mark the Hindu new year for traders. Plenty of families treat it like buying gold on Dhanteras: a small, auspicious first purchase for the year, often a share they plan to hold for a long time.
What changed this year is the clock. Outlook Money reported that the 2026 session breaks from 69 years of evening sessions. The normal market opens at 14:20 and closes at 15:30.
So the usual routine of puja first, trade after, won’t work in most homes. Want to take part? Plan the trade for lunch-time and keep the puja for the evening. The exchanges announced the timings on 19 October, according to New Kerala, so this isn’t a last-minute change.
Muhurat Trading 2026 Full Timings (IST)
Here’s the equity schedule as GoodReturns listed it from the NSE and BSE announcements. Some windows overlap; that’s normal.
| Window | Time (IST) | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Block deal window | 1:50 PM to 2:05 PM | Big institutional trades. Not for retail. |
| Pre-open session | 2:05 PM to 2:20 PM | You can place orders; prices get discovered |
| Continuous trading | 2:20 PM to 3:30 PM | The main session. Normal buying and selling |
| Closing auction | 3:15 PM to 3:35 PM | Closing price is set for some stocks |
| Post-closing session | 3:50 PM to 4:00 PM | Orders at the closing price |
For derivatives, Groww’s schedule gives the F&O normal market as 2:20 PM to 3:40 PM, and commodity derivatives as 2:20 PM to 3:30 PM. Currency derivatives and securities lending are open too, per GoodReturns.
💡 Pro tip
Your broker’s app may stop taking certain orders a few minutes before the exchange does. Open the app by 2 PM and check its own Muhurat notice, which is usually pinned on the home screen or in the notifications tab.
Also readDigital Gold vs Gold Coins This Dhanteras: The Costs Nobody Shows How to Place a Muhurat Trade on Your App
The steps are the same as any normal trading day. Never bought a share before? Then today is a crowded and fast day to learn.
- Log in early. Do it before 2 PM so a forgotten password or a new-device OTP doesn’t eat your window.
- Check your funds. Add money to the trading account in advance. Bank transfers on a Sunday can be slow to show up.
- Search the stock or ETF you’ve already decided on. Decide before the session, not during it.
- Choose Delivery (CNC), not Intraday, if you plan to hold it.
- Use a Limit order and type the price you’re willing to pay. More on why in the next section.
- Place it from 2:05 PM (pre-open) or after 2:20 PM, then check the order book to confirm it went through.
Got a gold ETF in mind instead of a coin? It trades on the exchange like a share, so the same steps apply. Our guide to digital gold vs gold coins explains how the costs differ.
4 Mistakes First-Timers Make on Muhurat Day
⚠️ Watch out
Muhurat trades aren’t pretend trades. NSE has said every trade in the session results in settlement obligations, exactly like a normal day (New Kerala, Outlook Money).
1. Using a market order. The session is short, and lots of people pile in at the open. A market order buys at whatever price is available in that second, which may be well above what you saw a moment ago. A limit order caps what you pay.
2. Treating it as “symbolic”. This is the one I mentioned up top. Buy ₹5,000 of shares and ₹5,000 leaves your account. Leave an intraday or F&O position open, and Groww’s notice is clear that it becomes a settlement obligation.
So buy only what you’d be happy to own on a normal Monday.
3. Chasing tips forwarded on WhatsApp. Every Diwali, groups fill up with “Muhurat picks”. You can’t tell who’s behind them, or whether they already own the stock they’re pushing. If someone guarantees returns, block them.
4. Forgetting the holiday. Markets are closed on Tuesday, 10 November, for Diwali Balipratipada, according to Angel One’s November holiday list. Some older calendars online say 9 November; most current lists say the 10th.
What You Can and Can’t Do in the Session
The session covers more than just shares. According to GoodReturns, these segments are open:
- Equity (cash market): shares and exchange-traded funds, including gold and silver ETFs
- Equity futures and options
- Commodity derivatives
- Currency derivatives
- Securities lending and borrowing
What about mutual funds? None of the session schedules we read cover them.
Mutual fund units aren’t bought at a live price during the hour; your fund house processes the order under its usual rules. Want a fund purchase dated today for luck? Check the order screen in your app for when it will be processed.
And IPO listings? NSE also runs a special pre-open for IPOs and relisted stocks from 2:05 PM to 2:50 PM, with these stocks entering the normal market at 3:05 PM, per New Kerala.
Also readJio IPO Allotment Status: How to Check by PAN on 26 October A 10-Minute Prep Checklist Before 2 PM
Do this while the sweets are still on the table. It takes about ten minutes.
- Update your trading app and log in once to clear any OTP or PIN prompts.
- Check the funds in your trading account. Add money well before 2 PM.
- Write down the one stock or ETF you’re buying, the quantity and the most you’ll pay.
- Put your phone on charge and switch to good Wi-Fi. Jio or Airtel data can slow down in crowded homes, especially when everybody’s on video calls with relatives.
- Turn off notifications from Telegram and WhatsApp stock groups for the hour.
- After the trade, take a screenshot of the order confirmation and check your contract note by email later.
💡 Pro tip
Diwali messages bring fake “broker” links too. Only open your trading app from the icon on your phone, never from a link in a message. Our Diwali greeting scam guide shows what those links look like.
Should You Trade at All on Muhurat Day?
✅ Our verdict
If you already invest and have a stock or ETF you planned to buy anyway, Muhurat day is a fine, festive time to do it, with a limit order. If you’ve never traded, there’s no rule that says you must start today. Watch the session, learn how the order book moves, and make your first buy on a quiet weekday instead.
Nothing about the date changes how a company performs. Groww’s own notice says investing in the window doesn’t guarantee returns, and it suggests new traders observe the session or paper trade first. I agree with that.
The part of the tradition that does make sense is the habit: starting the year with a small, planned investment rather than a rushed one. That works on any day of the year. Still in doubt about a specific purchase? Speak to a SEBI-registered adviser.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the time of Muhurat trading 2026?
The main equity session runs from 2:20 PM to 3:30 PM IST on Sunday, 8 November 2026. The pre-open session starts at 2:05 PM, and F&O runs till 3:40 PM per Groww.
Is Muhurat trading real trading?
Yes. Every trade results in settlement obligations, just like a normal day. Money leaves your account for what you buy, and shares you sell must be in your demat account.
Is the stock market open on 9 and 10 November 2026?
Most current holiday lists, including Angel One’s November update, show the market closed on Tuesday, 10 November, for Diwali Balipratipada. Monday, 9 November, isn’t on that holiday list.
Can I buy gold ETFs during Muhurat trading?
Yes. Gold and silver ETFs trade in the equity cash market, which is open during the session. You buy them the same way as a share.
Why is Muhurat trading in the afternoon this year?
The exchanges set a 2:20 PM to 3:30 PM slot for 2026. Outlook Money noted it’s the first break from evening sessions in 69 years. No official reason was given in the reports we read.
The Bottom Line
Muhurat trading 2026 is a short, real session from 2:20 PM to 3:30 PM today. Decide what you’re buying before 2 PM, use a limit order, and buy only what you’d hold on any ordinary day. Then go back to the puja; the market reopens on Monday.
Keep reading
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Read nextCheck Credit Score Free: 4 Reports RBI Says You’re Owed YearlySources
- Outlook Money: NSE schedules rare afternoon Muhurat session on 8 November (20 October 2026)
- GoodReturns: NSE, BSE announce Muhurat trading 2026 timings (19 October 2026)
- New Kerala: NSE, BSE announce Muhurat trading timings
- Groww: Muhurat Trading 2026 timings for equity, F&O and commodity (4 November 2026)
- Angel One: NSE and BSE holidays in November 2026