The National Stock Exchange of India (NSE) holiday calendar is an important reference for investors, traders, and other market participants planning their trading activities throughout the year. The NSE trading holidays indicate when regular market activity is suspended across different segments (equities and derivatives).

Knowing the NSE holidays 2026 now allows investors to work out trades, portfolio adjustments, fund transfers and other market-related activities more efficiently. Holidays can impact settlement cycles and derivative expiry schedules, particularly when a market closure comes close to an important trading or settlement day.
The NSE trading calendar will also have a number of holidays from 2026 for major Indian festivals, national events and public holidays. The exchange will be closed on Saturdays and Sundays as well.
NSE Trading Holidays 2026
| Date | Day | Holiday |
|---|---|---|
| 26-Jan-2026 | Monday | Republic Day |
| 04-Mar-2026 | Wednesday | Holi |
| 02-Apr-2026 | Thursday | Mahavir Jayanti |
| 03-Apr-2026 | Friday | Good Friday |
| 14-Apr-2026 | Tuesday | Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Jayanti |
| 01-May-2026 | Friday | Maharashtra Day |
| 17-Sep-2026 | Thursday | Ganesh Chaturthi |
| 02-Oct-2026 | Friday | Gandhi Jayanti / Dussehra |
| 09-Nov-2026 | Monday | Diwali Laxmi Pujan |
| 20-Nov-2026 | Friday | Guru Nanak Jayanti |
| 25-Dec-2026 | Friday | Christmas |
A holiday falling on a Saturday or Sunday does not generally lead to an additional weekday market closure.
NSE Weekend Holidays in 2026
Apart from the exchange's designated trading holidays, the NSE is closed on Saturdays and Sundays.
| Weekly Holiday | Market Status |
|---|---|
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed |
Therefore, traders should consider the actual NSE holiday calendar and weekend closures in planning for their trading schedule.
Muhurat Trading on Diwali 2026
Diwali is very important for the Indian stock market due to the traditional Muhurat Trading session. The NSE usually conducts this special session on Diwali in the evening, and investors and traders participate in a symbolic trading window associated with the beginning of the Hindu financial year.
Though regular trading is closed for the Diwali Laxmi Pujan holiday, Muhurat Trading is held separately. The exact date and session timings for 2026 should be confirmed via NSE's official notification closer to the occasion.
So investors should be reluctant to assume that the regular market schedule applies to Muhurat Trading.
Which Market Segments Are Affected?
NSE holidays affect multiple markets. In general, they can be:
- Equity market
- Equity derivatives
- Securities Lending and Borrowing (SLB)
- Currency derivatives
- Commodity derivatives, subject to applicable trading-session notifications
Trading hours and holiday treatment can vary between different market segments. Commodity derivatives, in particular, may have different rules for their evening markets. Investors should read the exchange’s latest circulars and segment-specific notifications before booking around a holiday.
Why NSE Holidays Matter for Investors
We also find the NSE holiday list 2026 useful not only for short-term traders at the time, but also the long-term investors.
1. Portfolio Planning
Market holidays allow investors to plan purchases, sales, and portfolio rebalancing around periods when trading is unavailable. This is particularly useful when a holiday creates a long weekend.
2. Settlement Considerations
A trading holiday can influence settlement times. Investors dealing with shares, funds, or other market transactions should keep in mind the non-trading days when estimating when a transaction will be completed.
3. Derivatives Expiry
Trading holidays can have consequences for derivatives contracts and expiry schedules. If an exchange holiday coincides with or falls close to a scheduled expiry, the applicable settlement or expiry date may be adjusted according to exchange rules.
4. Managing Market Risk
Long weekends and market shutdowns can expose traders to overnight news in global markets, economic news, or geopolitical developments. Knowing the holiday calendar allows traders to assess open positions and risk exposure before the market closes.
5. Planning trading strategies
The annual holiday calendar of active traders can be used to identify weeks with fewer trading sessions to plan strategy, liquidity expectations and market analysis schedule.
NSE Holidays vs BSE Holidays
NSE and Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) have many of the same major Indian market holidays. Investors should not simply assume that every segment or special trading session will be run on the same schedule.
Those trading on both exchanges are advised to check the official holiday calendars and circulars on their official websites for the latest information. Special sessions, settlement schedules and segment-specific trading arrangements are particularly important for this purpose.
Important Points to Remember
The NSE holiday calendar for 2026 includes such major dates as Republic Day, Holi, Mahavir Jayanti, Good Friday, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Jayanti, Maharashtra Day, Ganesh Chaturthi, Gandhi Jayanti, Dussehra, Diwali, Guru Nanak Jayanti and Christmas.
Besides these holidays, the NSE is closed on Saturdays and Sundays. Investors should also pay particular attention to Diwali because Muhurat Trading follows a special schedule instead of the normal trading timetable.
The exchange may send updates, revisions, or other notifications throughout the year. In this case, traders should verify the latest NSE circulars before making decisions based on a holiday or trading schedule.
Key Takeaways
The NSE Holidays 2026 calendar provides investors with a good roadmap for planning their market activities. Normal NSE trading will be suspended on selected exchange holidays and Saturdays and Sundays.
Investors must consider market holidays when they are planning portfolio transactions, derivatives positions, settlement expectations, and trading strategies. Special occasions like Diwali could also entail a separate Muhurat Trading session with timings announced by the exchange.
For the most accurate information, market participants should refer to the latest official NSE notifications, particularly when planning trades around long weekends, derivative expiries or special trading sessions.
The trading calendars and the session timings can be changed by the exchange. The latest official NSE announcement should be taken into account before any holiday or session schedule is taken into account based on the trading decisions for investors.
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