Markets to remain open on Budget Day, no T0 session due to settlement holiday

Indian stock exchanges will remain open for trading on Saturday, February 1, 2025, the day finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Union Budget in Parliament for FY 2025-26. The special trading session is aimed at providing investors an opportunity to immediately react to budget announcements that are expected to have sector-wide and company-specific implications.

"On account of the presentation of the Union Budget, Exchange shall be conducting live trading session on Saturday, February 01, 2025, as per the standard market timings...," the National Stock Exchange said in a release.

The Bombay Stock Exchange issued a similar circular.

The exchanges will operate as per regular market timings, with the pre-open session from 9:00 am to 9:08 am and normal trading hours from 9:15 am to 3:30 pm. Other sessions include block deal session-1 from 8:45 am to 9:00 am and a special pre-open session for IPOs and relisted securities from 9:00 am to 9:45 am. However, the “T0” session will not be conducted due to a settlement holiday.

This is not the first time Indian stock markets will open for trading on a Saturday for budget announcements. Similar sessions were held on February 1, 2020, and February 28, 2015.

Sitharaman’s eighth Union Budget will outline the government’s planned expenditures and revenue projections for the upcoming fiscal year, starting April 1, 2025, and ending March 31, 2026.