What is Muhurat
Trading?
“Muhurat” in Sanskrit means an auspicious moment. In the context of the Indian stock market, Muhurat Trading is a special one-hour trading session held on the day of Diwali (or closely around it) when the main stock exchanges —
National Stock Exchange of India (NSE) and Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) — open
the market for a short time, as a symbolic gesture to mark the beginning of the
new Hindu financial year.
In India Diwali or Deepavali is celebrated all
round the corner as a festival of lights traditionally. In Indian investing
culture it has much more significance to observe the holy occasion.
Over time, this has become part of financial
ritual, as a symbol of tradition. Many brokers and investors use the auspicious
hour to place trades, as a way to invite prosperity and good fortune for
the year ahead in their investment business. Many investors symbolically
initiate or refresh their stock portfolios during the hour hoping the festival
carries forward into the new Samvat.
When is Muhurat
Trading 2025
Here are the key
dates and timings for this year:
The market will observe a holiday on Tuesday,
21 October 2025, on account of Diwali (Lakshmi Puja).
Also a holiday on Wednesday, 22 October
2025, for Diwali / Balipratipada.
The special Muhurat Trading session will be held
on Tuesday, 21 October 2025.
Timing for the Session: The official circular by
the exchanges states the one-hour window from 1:45 pm to 2:45 pm (afternoon).
Some older or unofficial sources mention evening
slots like 6:15 pm–7:15 pm, but the exchange timing for 2025 is confirmed at
1:45 pm–2:45 pm).
So effectively, on 21 October the usual trading
is not in normal full-day mode; the special session is the
highlight. On 22 October the market is closed. Also weekends (Saturday &
Sunday) will be closed as usual.
What this Means for
the Week
During the week next week the schedule will be
different than regular trading weeks:
Monday (20 October) – regular trading hours will
apply (unless announced otherwise).
Tuesday (21 October) – instead of full trading,
there is only the one-hour Muhurat session (1:45–2:45 pm).
Wednesday (22 October) – market will be closed for
the holiday (Balipratipada).
Thursday and Friday – normal trading (assuming no
additional holiday).
Saturday (25 October) and Sunday (26 October) –
market will be closed anyway (weekend).
So yes — because of the Diwali holidays and this
special session, the market will be open for fewer full trading days than
a usual week and for fewer full trading days than a usual week
and for Tuesday only a short window.
Why do People Care
about Muhurat Trading
It has symbolic value: starting the new year of the
Hindu calendar (this year Samvat 2082) with optimism in the markets. It’s
tradition: brokers do “Chopda Puja” (worship their books of accounts) and then
trade.
Psychologically, markets tend to display positive
sentiment around this session (though this is more a mood indicator than
guarantee of profits).
It’s a chance for investors (new & old) to mark
the occasion: some use it as a symbolic “first investment” of the year.
Important tips /
things to keep in Mind
The one-hour session still results in settlement
obligations just like regular trades. You can’t treat it as a purely
symbolic margin-free event.
Liquidity (volumes) may be lower and market
behaviour may be more volatile because of the short session — it’s not the same
as a full trading day.
This session should not replace
your broader investment strategy. If you’re thinking of long-term investing,
pick companies with strong fundamentals rather than just chasing the “muhurat
hour”.
Check with your broker for the exact trading
segment details (equities, derivatives, currencies) as each may have slightly
different participation rules in the special session.
Final Thoughts
In short:
The Indian stock market will have its special Muhurat Trading session on Tuesday, 21 October 2025, from 1:45 pm to 2:45 pm. That day and the next (22 October) are holidays or special session days because of Diwali. Investors often treat this as an auspicious opportunity to invest or trade but should remember that it’s symbolic in nature, not a magic bullet for returns.
