BSE to Remain Open for Trade on Budget Day; Here Are The Timings

Decision has been taken following requests by market participants as Budget contains market-moving announcements.

File Photo: People look at a screen displaying the Sensex on the facade of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) building on 1 February 2017 in Mumbai, India. 

(Photo Courtesy: Reuters)

Stock markets will be open for normal trading on Saturday, 1 February, when the Union Budget will be presented, according to a circular.

The stock markets are generally closed on Saturdays and Sundays, except for special circumstances.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is to present the Budget on 1 February.

In a circular, BSE said the stock markets would open for trading on Saturday, 1 February on account of Union Budget for the financial year 2020-21.

Decision Has Been Taken Following Requests by Market Participants

Trading would be conducted during normal hours from 9 am to 3:30 pm.

According to markets sources, the decision has been taken following requests made in this regard by market participants as Budget contains several market-moving announcements.

In 2015, stock exchanges were open for trading on Saturday, 28 February, when then Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had presented the Budget.

Stock markets have always been open on normal timings since budget presentation timings were changed from 5 pm to 11 am in 2001.