Union Budget 2026: The Indian stock market will remain open for trading on Sunday, February 1, as the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will be presenting the Union Budget for the financial year 2026-27 in the parliament today.
Despite a non-working day, trading will remain open in the equity and commodity markets. Indian investors have been closely tracking cues around the about the key documents that sets out the country’s economic direction and offers clarity on the government’s fiscal strategy.
Both the NSE and BSE will hold a full trading session in line with their normal weekday timetable, making February 1 a rare instance of live trading on a Sunday in the Indian markets.
Last year, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Budget on a Saturday, a day when stock markets were open for trading.
Stock market timings today
The Indian stock market will be working as per normal hours. The pre-open session will run from 9:00 am to 9:08 am to facilitate price discovery ahead of the main session. Regular trading is underway from 9:15 am to 3:30 pm, after which the trade modification window will stay open until 4:15 pm.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to begin her budget speech at 11:00 am. This will mark her ninth straight Union Budget presentation and the third full Budget of the Modi 3.0 government.
Will MCX also remain open for trading today?
Yes, the Multi Commodity Exchange of India (MCX) will also remain open for trading for a special session on Sunday, February 1.
MCX will trade according to its regular schedule, with the pre-open session held from 8:45 am to 8:59 am, followed by normal trading hours from 9 am to 5 pm. Client code modifications will be allowed up to 5:15 pm.
However, in a circular, MCX informed the investors that there will be no pay-in or pay out transactions on February 1. The funds Pay-in and Pay-out for trades of January 30 and February 1 will take place on Monday, February 2.
Stock market update
The Indian stock market is heading into Budget Day on a weak note, with the Nifty slipping over 2% so far in January and falling about 1.5% in the two weeks ahead of the Budget.
The Indian benchmark indices traded on a positive note and managed to hold above the previous week’s low. On Friday, the Nifty 50 gained nearly 1% or 272 points to settle at 25,320.65, while the BSE Sensex advanced 0.90% to close the week at 82,269.
“ Nifty ended the week on a strong note, gaining 1.09% after the previous week’s decline, as the index found support near its 55-day EMA. The 24900–24,30 zone has emerged as a crucial support area, where the market is currently consolidating and has shown a bounce, indicating underlying buying interest,” said Ravi Singh, Chief Research Officer from Master Capital Services Ltd.
Singh further added that volatility in the Indian stock market is expected to remain elevated ahead of the upcoming Union Budget.
Disclaimer: This story is for educational purposes only. Please consult with an investment advisor before making any investment decisions.
