- Indian stock exchanges to close Friday for Maharashtra Day.
- MCX commodity trading to have split schedule Friday.
- More market holidays planned for May, June, and beyond.
Share Market Holiday: Investors will get a brief pause in trading activity this week as Indian stock exchanges remain shut for a key public holiday. While markets continue to navigate global volatility and domestic cues, the upcoming holiday offers a momentary break in an otherwise eventful trading calendar.
Markets to Remain Closed on May 1
The NSE and the BSE will remain closed on Friday, May 1, on account of Maharashtra Day.
Trading across segments, including equity, derivatives and securities lending and borrowing (SLB), will remain suspended for the day.
MCX Trading Hours Adjusted
Commodity traders should note that the Multi-Commodity Exchange (MCX) will follow a split schedule. The exchange will remain closed during the morning session (9:00 AM to 5:00 PM), but trading will resume in the evening session from 5:00 PM to 11:55 PM.
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More Holidays Lined Up in May and Beyond
The May calendar will see another trading holiday later in the month, with markets closed on May 28 for Bakri Id.
Overall, around nine more market holidays are scheduled for 2026, including:
- May 1: Maharashtra Day
- May 28: Bakri Id
- June 26: Muharram
- September 14: Ganesh Chaturthi
- October 2: Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti
- October 20: Dussehra
- November 10: Diwali-Balipratipada
- November 24: Prakash Gurpurb Sri Guru Nanak Dev
- December 25: Christmas
There are no scheduled market holidays in July and August, while October and November will each see two trading breaks.
Markets Enter Holiday Week on a Cautious Note
The holiday comes at a time when market sentiment remains fragile.
Benchmark indices opened lower on Tuesday, with the BSE Sensex declining 208.84 points to 77,094.79 and the NSE Nifty slipping 42.8 points to 24,049.90 in early trade.
Among Sensex stocks, State Bank of India, Eternal, UltraTech Cement, InterGlobe Aviation, Trent and Axis Bank were among the major laggards, while Tata Steel, Bajaj Finance, Kotak Mahindra Bank and Bharat Electronics were among the gainers.
Oil Prices and FII Outflows Weigh on Sentiment
Elevated crude oil prices continue to be a key concern for markets, with Brent crude trading around $109.3 per barrel. The global benchmark has been hovering in the $106-110 range, adding to inflationary pressures.
Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) also remained net sellers, offloading equities worth Rs 1,151.48 crore in the previous session, according to exchange data.
Market experts say sentiment is largely being driven by external factors, including geopolitical developments and global risk appetite.
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A Brief Pause, But Volatility Persists
While the upcoming holiday offers a temporary breather for traders, underlying market concerns remain intact.
With oil prices elevated, foreign flows under pressure and geopolitical risks still in play, investors are likely to remain cautious even as domestic institutional flows provide some support to the markets.
