Diwali Muhurat Trading 2026: Time, History and What Happened in Past Sessions
Muhurat trading is on Sunday 8 Nov 2026, 2:20 to 3:30 pm. See the timings and what the Nifty did in all 19 sessions since 2007.
Diwali Muhurat trading 2026 is on Sunday, 8 November, and the live session runs from 2:20 pm to 3:30 pm. It is the special session when Indian stock exchanges open on a Sunday to mark the start of Samvat 2083. Whether you trade or invest, here is the schedule, the history and what the Nifty did in each of the last 19 sessions.
Muhurat trading time on 8 November 2026
| Muhurat session, Sun 8 Nov 2026 | Time (IST) |
|---|---|
| Pre-open | 2:05 pm to 2:20 pm |
| Normal trading | 2:20 pm to 3:30 pm |
| Closing auction (selected stocks) | 3:20 pm to 3:35 pm |
Source: NSE and BSE schedule as reported on 19 Oct 2026. Stocks in the closing auction stop normal trading at 3:15 pm.
Every trade in the session creates a settlement obligation, so these are live trades. Regular trading resumes on Monday 9 November, and both exchanges are closed on Tuesday 10 November for Diwali-Balipratipada.
What is Muhurat trading?
Muhurat means an auspicious time. The BSE began the practice in 1957. Business families open new account books on Diwali and place a first symbolic trade, a wish for prosperity in the new Samvat year. The hour is traditionally in the evening. The 2025 session ran from 1:45 pm to 2:45 pm and this year's is in the afternoon again. Six of the 19 sessions since 2007 fell on a Saturday or Sunday.
What happened in past Muhurat trading sessions
The Nifty ended higher in 14 of the 19 sessions since 2007, and in each of the last eight (2018 to 2025). The median move is +0.37%, and 18 of the 19 moves were smaller than 1%.
| Year | Session | Nifty close | Nifty | Sensex | Nifty 1 week later |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Tue 21 Oct | 25,868.60 | +0.10% | +0.07% | +0.72% |
| 2024 | Fri 1 Nov | 24,304.35 | +0.40% | +0.42% | -0.64% |
| 2023 | Sun 12 Nov | 19,525.55 | +0.51% | +0.54% | +0.86% |
| 2022 | Mon 24 Oct | 17,730.75 | +0.87% | +0.87% | +2.34% |
| 2021 | Thu 4 Nov | 17,916.80 | +0.49% | +0.49% | +1.04% |
| 2020 | Sat 14 Nov | 12,780.25 | +0.47% | +0.45% | +1.14% |
| 2019 | Sun 27 Oct | 11,627.15 | +0.37% | +0.49% | +2.70% |
| 2018 | Wed 7 Nov | 10,598.40 | +0.65% | +0.70% | +0.17% |
| 2017 | Thu 19 Oct | 10,146.55 | -0.63% | -0.59% | +1.74% |
| 2016 | Sun 30 Oct | 8,625.70 | -0.14% | -0.04% | -1.49% |
Source: published session data cross-checked with NSE and BSE prices via Yahoo Finance; Investock analysis. The one-week column is the close 5 trading days after the session.
The biggest session was 2008. The Nifty rose 6.35% on 28 October 2008, one day after its lowest close of the 2008-09 bear market (2,524.20), and was 11.6% higher a week later. In the last 10 years the Nifty was higher one week after the session in 8 of 10 years, with the best follow-through in 2019 (+2.7%) and 2022 (+2.3%).
How Samvat years turned out
Measured from one Muhurat close to the next, the Nifty rose in 14 of 19 Samvat years, with a median gain of 9.9%. The standout years were 2008 to 2009 (+91.5%) and 2020 to 2021 (+40.2%). Diwali is the day many investors set the plan for the new year, and the plan matters more than the one-hour move.
Where the stock market stands this Diwali
The Nifty closed at 24,536.60 on Thursday 5 November, up 6.4% in four sessions from 23,053.10 on 30 October, and 10.4% above its 8 October closing low of 22,231.80. The Sensex closed at 79,310.01 (+2.6%), led by auto and financial stocks. The Nifty is still 6.8% below its 2 January closing high of 26,328.55 and 5.1% below the 25,868.60 it closed at on last year's Muhurat session.
How stock traders prepare for the Muhurat session
- Decide before 2:20 pm,stock, quantity and exit are set in advance, because the session is only 70 minutes.
- Use limit orders,in the pre-open window only limit orders are accepted after 2:10 pm.
- Keep a stop-loss,defined risk matters on a short session.
- Plan for Monday,regular trading resumes on 9 November, and the market is shut on 10 November.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the Muhurat trading time in 2026?
Sunday 8 November 2026, with pre-open at 2:05 pm and normal trading from 2:20 pm to 3:30 pm.
Is the stock market open on Diwali 2026?
Diwali Laxmi Pujan falls on Sunday 8 November, when markets are normally closed. Only the Muhurat session is open. Regular trading resumes on Monday 9 November and both exchanges are closed on Tuesday 10 November.
How has the Nifty done in past Muhurat sessions?
The Nifty rose in 14 of 19 sessions since 2007, and in all of the last eight. The median move was +0.37%.
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Sources
- 2026 date and timings: NSE and BSE Muhurat trading announcement of 19 Oct 2026 as reported by Business Today (19 Oct 2026), Outlook Money (NSE notice, normal market 14:20 to 15:30) and Angel One (Diwali week schedule, 6 Nov 2026).
- Trading holidays: Angel One, 'Stock market NSE BSE holidays November 2026'; Tuesday 10 Nov Diwali-Balipratipada.
- Muhurat session dates, Nifty closes and moves 2006-2025: Finnovate '20 years of Muhurat trading'; Anand Rathi 'Muhurat trading last 10 years' (Nifty and Sensex closes 2016-2025); HDFC SKY. Cross-checked with NSE and BSE daily closes via Yahoo Finance (^NSEI, ^BSESN).
- History and 2025 timing: Business Today, 'Muhurat trading 2025: why the auspicious hour falls at 1:45 pm' (21 Oct 2025); Hans India; Groww.
- Market levels 30 Oct to 5 Nov 2026: Business Standard and Kotak Neo market wraps (5 Nov 2026); Yahoo Finance; Investock analysis.