Diwali Trading: India Markets Open Sunday

India's stock markets are set for a special, abbreviated trading session on Sunday, November 8, 2026, coinciding with the Diwali festival. This unique event, called Muhurat trading, is a long-standing tradition marking the commencement of the new Hindu calendar year, Samvat, for many Indian trading communities. The ceremonial session is intended to initiate transactions that foster prosperity.

Despite recent market rebounds, Indian equity benchmarks have experienced their worst annual performance in over a decade, ending Samvat 2082 down more than 3%. The tradition's roots lie in merchant families' customs of reconciling accounts and opening new ledgers during Diwali, often involving the worship of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. This practice, known as Chopda Pujan in Gujarat and similar traditions among Marwari families, operates on a traditional business year separate from India's official financial year.

The stock exchange has observed Muhurat trading since 1957, with investors making token purchases. Historically, the Diwali trading day involved brokers and families gathering on the bustling BSE trading floor in Mumbai. With the shift to screen-based trading in the late 1990s, the tradition adapted, moving from crowded floors to individual screens and smartphones, yet its ceremonial significance endures.