Diwali Muhurat trading 2024: NSE announces timings for Samvat 2081

The National Stock Exchange ( NSE ) has officially announced the schedule for its annual Diwali Muhurat trading session, set to take place on Friday, November 1, 2024. The session will run from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM, marking the beginning of the Hindu calendar year, Samvat 2081.

While regular trading will be closed in observance of Diwali, the special one-hour Muhurat trading session offers investors a unique opportunity to make new financial commitments under the festive atmosphere. A pre-opening session is scheduled from 5:45 PM to 6:00 PM, allowing traders to prepare for the main trading window.

The Muhurat trading session is steeped in tradition and is considered an auspicious time for investors, aligned with favourable planetary positions. Historically, this session has often yielded positive returns; notably, the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) Sensex has closed higher in 13 of the last 17 Muhurat sessions.

Despite the typically lower trading volumes during this period, certain years have defied expectations. For example, during the turbulent year of 2008, the Sensex surged by 5.86 per cent in the Muhurat trading session, even amidst a global financial crisis. In more recent history, the session on November 12, 2023, resulted in a gain of 355 points, or 0.55 per cent.

Muhurat trading holds significant importance in India’s financial landscape, symbolising the financial new year. Many investors believe that participating in this session brings prosperity and growth for the year ahead. It also serves as an opportunity to diversify portfolios and initiate new settlement accounts, reflecting optimism and renewed confidence in the market.

For participants, it's crucial to keep in mind the session's short duration and potential volatility. Intraday positions will automatically be squared off 15 minutes before the market closes, necessitating careful strategy and timing. Long-term investors can utilise this session to kickstart new investments or adjust their portfolios, adding a layer of excitement to this traditional stock market event.