Stock markets in India, including the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and the National Stock Exchange (NSE), will remain open for trading on Saturday, February 1, 2025, to accommodate the presentation of the Union Budget for the 2025-26 financial year.
This decision was confirmed by the bourses in separate circulars issued earlier this week.
Traditionally, stock markets are closed on Saturdays and Sundays, except for special occasions.
The Union Budget presentation is one such special event. The BSE and NSE clarified that on February 1, trading would be conducted during normal hours, from 9:15 am to 3:30 pm, allowing investors to react to the Budget’s proposals promptly.
This move aligns with past instances when stock markets remained open on a Saturday for Budget presentations. For example, the markets were open on February 1, 2020, and February 28, 2015, when the Union Budgets were presented on Saturdays.
Since the Budget presentation time was moved from 5 pm to 11 am in 2001, the markets have continued to remain open during the usual trading hours on Budget days.
The decision to open the markets on February 1, 2025, highlights the significance of the Union Budget for the economy and financial markets. The Budget usually has a major impact on investor sentiment and stock market activity, with traders closely monitoring any policy changes or fiscal announcements.
By keeping the markets open, traders can react immediately to the Budget, making it easier to assess how new policies might affect various sectors of the economy.
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