India Stock Market Opening & Closing Timings Explained

1. Pre-Open Session (9:00 AM – 9:15 AM)

• First 8 minutes: Investors can place, modify, or cancel orders
• Next 4 minutes: Price matching and order confirmation
• Last 3 minutes: Buffer time (no actions)

Why It Matters: This session helps in reducing volatility by matching demand and supply before regular trading starts.

2. Regular Market Session (9:15 AM – 3:30 PM)

This is when real-time trading takes place. Market participants can buy/sell shares using live market prices.

Tips for Traders:

• The first hour is volatile – best for experienced traders
• Midday (12 PM to 2 PM) is often more stable
• Final hour (2:30 PM to 3:30 PM) can be volatile again

3. Post-Close Session (3:40 PM – 4:00 PM)

During this session:

• You can place buy/sell orders at the closing price of the day
• These orders are executed the next trading day at the same price

NSE vs BSE – Timings Comparison

While both the NSE and BSE follow the same trading hours, it’s helpful to compare them side-by-side:

After-Market Orders & Extended Timings

Even though regular trading ends at 3:30 PM, traders can still place orders using After-Market Orders (AMOs).

AMO Timings (NSE):

• Equity Segment: 3:45 PM to 8:57 AM (next day)
• F&O Segment: 3:45 PM to 9:10 AM (next day)

Note: AMOs are only executed when the regular market opens next day.

Best Time to Trade in Indian Stock Market