Indian stock exchanges NSE and BSE will remain closed for 10 days in August 2026, with all closures falling on weekends. According to the NSE holiday calendar, the markets will be closed on August 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 (Saturdays) and August 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 (Sundays). While Independence Day is observed on August 15, there will be no additional trading holiday as it falls on a Saturday. Trading in equity derivatives, securities lending and borrowing (SLB), currency derivatives, and electronic gold receipts (EGR) will remain suspended on all holidays. As per the latest reports, these closures ensure that major observances such as Independence Day coincide with regular market closures, with no additional trading holidays scheduled for August.
In addition to weekend closures, the BSE and NSE have scheduled six additional weekday-based market holidays for the remaining year. As per the NSE calendar, these include September 14 (Monday) - Ganesh Chaturthi, October 2 (Friday) - Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti, October 20 (Tuesday) - Dussehra, November 10 (Tuesday) - Diwali-Balipratipada, November 24 (Tuesday) - Prakash Gurpurb Sri Guru Nanak Dev, and December 25 (Friday) - Christmas. Stock markets will remain open for a special session on November 8 (Sunday) for 'Muhurat Trading' due to Diwali Laxmi Pujan. These pre-scheduled holidays are announced in advance and apply to trading across various segments, allowing investors and market participants to plan their trading activities accordingly.
Trading on the equities segment operates on all weekdays except Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays declared in advance. The regular trading session runs from 9:15 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with the closing session held between 3:40 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.. The pre-open session allows order entry from 9:00 a.m. to 9:08 a.m., while block deal sessions operate in the morning (8:45 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.) and afternoon (2:20 p.m. to 2:40 p.m.). Order entry and modification is open from 9:00 a.m. to 9:08 a.m. with random closure in the last minute, and normal/limited physical market operates between 9:15 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.
The Nifty 50 closed at 24,343.65, up 28 points, while the Sensex ended at 77,970.95, gaining 49.91 points in early trading on July 31. According to latest reports, Bajaj Finance emerged as the top performer, jumping over 6% after reporting a 28% year-on-year rise in consolidated profit after tax to ₹6,081 crore for the June quarter of FY27, driven by growth in core income and improvement in asset quality. Other notable gainers included Bajaj Finserv, Mahindra & Mahindra, Bharat Electronics, Maruti, InterGlobe Aviation, Adani Ports, and Sun Pharma. However, profit-taking in IT stocks restricted the market rally, with Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, HCL Tech, Tech Mahindra, ITC, and HDFC Bank among the major laggards. The positive momentum was supported by a sharp rally in Bajaj Finance, foreign fund inflows, and a decline in crude oil prices.
