BSE, NSE closed for Dussehra 2026; MCX partial trading on Tuesday
Synopsis
BSE and NSE are fully shut for Dussehra on 20 October 2026, but commodity traders get a partial window — MCX reopens at 5 pm for gold, silver, crude oil and base metals. With Sensex already down 850 points from Monday's sell-off in banking and IT, all eyes will be on Wednesday's resumption.
Key Takeaways
BSE and NSE are closed all day on 20 October 2026 for Dussehra — equities, derivatives, SLB, currency and interest rate segments all suspended.
MCX suspends morning trading ( 9 am–5 pm IST ) but reopens for an evening session from 5 pm IST , covering gold, silver, crude oil and base metals.
NCDEX remains closed for both sessions on the Dussehra holiday.
Normal trading on NSE and BSE resumes on Wednesday, 21 October 2026 .
Three regular holidays remain in 2026 : 10 November (Diwali-Balipratipada), 24 November (Prakash Gurpurb), and 25 December (Christmas).
A special Muhurat Trading session is scheduled for 8 November 2026 on Diwali Laxmi Pujan; timings to be announced.
Indian stock markets are closed on Tuesday, 20 October 2026, on account of Dussehra, with trading suspended across all major segments on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and the National Stock Exchange (NSE). The holiday covers equities, equity derivatives, securities lending and borrowing (SLB), currency derivatives, and interest rate derivatives on both bourses.
What Is Closed and What Stays Open
The complete shutdown applies to all equity and derivative segments on BSE and NSE for the full trading day. However, the commodity derivatives segment follows a split schedule: trading will remain suspended during the morning session from 9 am to 5 pm IST before reopening in the evening.
The evening session will continue till 11:30 pm or 11:55 pm IST depending on the contract. Investors will be able to trade commodities including gold, silver, crude oil, and base metals during that window.
Exchange-Wise Schedule
The Multi Commodity Exchange of India (MCX) will not remain closed for the entire day. It will suspend trading during the morning session from 9 am to 5 pm IST and reopen for the evening session from 5 pm IST onwards.
The National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX), however, will remain closed for both sessions on account of Dussehra. Normal trading on NSE and BSE will resume on Wednesday, 21 October 2026.
Remaining Market Holidays in 2026
Following the Dussehra closure, three more regular trading holidays are scheduled on the NSE and BSE calendar for the rest of 2026:
10 November 2026 (Tuesday) — Diwali-Balipratipada; 24 November 2026 (Tuesday) — Prakash Gurpurb Sri Guru Nanak Dev; and 25 December 2026 (Friday) — Christmas.
In addition, exchanges have scheduled a special Muhurat Trading session on 8 November 2026 on the occasion of Diwali Laxmi Pujan. Timings for the special session are yet to be announced separately.
Markets Ended Weak Before the Holiday
The closure comes after a sharp decline in the last trading session. The Sensex fell over 850 points, or 1%, to settle at 73,852.90 on Monday, while the Nifty50 closed 257.20 points, or 1.11%, lower at 22,888.95. Selling pressure in banking and IT sector stocks drove the decline, adding an element of caution as markets prepare to reopen on Wednesday.
Point of View
But the timing matters this year. Sensex shed over 850 points in the last session on banking and IT weakness, and a day's gap before resumption gives neither bulls nor bears a chance to react. The partial MCX window for commodities — gold in particular — will be watched closely given global risk-off sentiment; commodity prices often move sharply when equity markets are absent. Investors should also note that with four more closures before year-end, including Muhurat Trading, the effective trading calendar for Q3 is tighter than it looks.
NationPress
20 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Are BSE and NSE open on 20 October 2026?
No. BSE and NSE are fully closed on 20 October 2026 on account of Dussehra. Trading in equities, equity derivatives, SLB, currency derivatives, and interest rate derivatives is suspended for the entire day. Normal trading resumes on Wednesday, 21 October 2026.
Is MCX open on Dussehra 2026?
MCX is partially open. It will remain shut during the morning session from 9 am to 5 pm IST but will reopen for an evening session from 5 pm IST, allowing trading in gold, silver, crude oil, and base metals until 11:30 pm or 11:55 pm IST depending on the contract.
Is NCDEX open on Dussehra 2026?
No. NCDEX will remain closed for both the morning and evening sessions on 20 October 2026 on account of Dussehra.
What are the remaining stock market holidays in 2026 after Dussehra?
Three regular holidays remain: 10 November 2026 (Diwali-Balipratipada), 24 November 2026 (Prakash Gurpurb Sri Guru Nanak Dev), and 25 December 2026 (Christmas). A special Muhurat Trading session is also scheduled for 8 November 2026 on Diwali Laxmi Pujan, with timings to be announced separately.
How did Indian markets close before the Dussehra holiday?
Markets ended sharply lower in the last session before the holiday. Sensex fell over 850 points, or 1%, to settle at 73,852.90, while Nifty50 closed 257.20 points, or 1.11%, lower at 22,888.95, weighed down by selling in banking and IT stocks.
