Key Highlights

  • Equity closed: NSE and BSE are shut today for Dussehra, with trading to resume on Wednesday, October 21.
  • MCX evening trade: Commodity trading on MCX is suspended from 9 am to 5 pm, then reopens for the evening session.
  • NCDEX shut: NCDEX remains closed for both sessions.
  • Holidays left: November 10, November 24 and December 25 are the remaining 2026 trading holidays.
  • Muhurat Trading: A special Diwali session is scheduled for November 8, 2026.

Indian stock markets are closed on Tuesday, October 20, on account of Dussehra. Trading has been suspended on both the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and the National Stock Exchange (NSE), and normal trading will resume on Wednesday.

What Remains Closed

On both exchanges, there will be no trading today in:

  • Equities
  • Equity derivatives
  • Securities lending and borrowing (SLB)
  • Currency derivatives
  • Interest rate derivatives

Commodities: Open in the Evening

The commodity market is following a different schedule. The Multi Commodity Exchange of India (MCX) is not closed for the full day. Trading is suspended in the morning session from 9 am to 5 pm and resumes in the evening session from 5 pm, continuing till 11:30 pm or 11:55 pm depending on the contract.

This means investors can trade gold, silver, crude oil and base metals this evening. The National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX), however, will remain closed for both sessions.

A Break After a Weak Monday

The holiday comes right after a sharp fall. On Monday, the Sensex dropped over 850 points, or 1 per cent, to settle at 73,852.90, while the Nifty fell 257.20 points, or 1.11 per cent, to close at 22,888.95. Selling in banking and IT stocks dragged the indices down.

Notably, the Nifty slipped below the 22,950–23,000 support zone that market experts had flagged on Monday morning, after a flat opening. High crude oil prices linked to tensions around the Strait of Hormuz have also been weighing on sentiment.

Why It Matters for Investors

A mid-week holiday after a sell-off gives traders time to reassess. With global cues and crude prices still uncertain, Wednesday’s session could see sharp moves as markets react to two days of global developments. Commodity traders, meanwhile, get a window this evening to respond to overseas price changes.

Remaining Market Holidays in 2026

After Dussehra, three regular trading holidays remain on the NSE and BSE calendars this year:

  • November 10 (Tuesday): Diwali-Balipratipada
  • November 24 (Tuesday): Prakash Gurpurb Sri Guru Nanak Dev
  • December 25 (Friday): Christmas

Muhurat Trading on November 8

The exchanges have also scheduled the special Muhurat Trading session on November 8, 2026, for Diwali Laxmi Pujan. Many investors see this one-hour session as an auspicious time to make fresh investments for the new Samvat year. Timings will be announced separately.

What Comes Next

Trading resumes on Wednesday, October 21. Investors will keep a close watch on Q2 results, crude oil prices and foreign investor flows as the festive season moves towards Diwali.