Union Budget 2026: A Working Sunday For Markets, NSE, BSE To Remain Open On February 1, 2026

India's stock market exchanges BSE and NSE will remain open for trading on February 1, when the Union Budget 2026 is set to tabled on Sunday.

The stock exchanges announced that the schedule for this day will be in accordance with standard timings.

"On account of the presentation of the Union Budget, members are requested to note that Exchange shall be conducting live trading session on February 01, 2026, as per the standard market timings (9:15 am-3:30 pm)," as per a NSE circular.

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The Union Budget for 2026 will be presented at 11 am on February 1, Sunday, which the Lok Sabha Speaker confirmed on January 12.

February 1 has become the standard date for the annual Budget exercise in recent years. The Union Budget for 2025 was also presented on February 1.

The 2026 Budget will mark Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s ninth consecutive Union Budget presentation, making this one of the longest Union Budget presentation.

Ahead of Budget 2026, the Ministry of Finance (MoF) is slated to release the Economic Survey, followed by a press briefing by Chief Economic Advisor (CEA) V. Anantha Nageswaran alongside top officials.

The Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), Ministry of Finance (MoF) will carry out the exercise of preparing these documents. The Union Budget, which is an annual exercise, is an indicator of the government's finances in terms of estimated expenditures and earnings. It is also considered as a document that brings to life fresh financial schemes and plans that the centre wishes to introduce in the upcoming fiscal year.

It may be recalled that markets were kept open on Saturday, February 1, 2025, Saturday, February 1, 2020 for Budget announcements and also on February 28, Saturday, 2015. 

Earlier, markets were kept open on Saturday, February 1, 2025 February 1, 2020, and on February 28, Saturday, 2015 for union budget announcements.