The trading day, end to end
A standard NSE / BSE trading day runs from 08:45 to ~15:50 IST, with discrete windows for different activities. Both exchanges operate identical hours.
| Window | Time (IST) | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Block deal window | 08:45–09:00 | Pre-arranged large trades (≥₹10 crore) |
| Pre-open session | 09:00–09:08 | Order entry and matching for opening prices |
| Pre-open auction | 09:08–09:15 | Order matching auction |
| Normal trading | 09:15–15:30 | Continuous trading on the order book |
| Closing session | 15:30–15:40 | Last 10 minutes of continuous trading (closing prices fix here) |
| Post-close session | 15:40–16:00 | Closing-price-only orders (limited use) |
The block-deal window (08:45–09:00)
Pre-arranged trades between two parties for ₹10 crore minimum each, executed at a price within ±1% of the previous close. These don't impact the regular market price because they happen on a separate trading window.
Block deals are reported same-day by both exchanges with buyer and seller identities disclosed. The Deals page surfaces them. See bulk and block deals.
Pre-open session (09:00–09:15)
Orders accumulate without immediate execution. At 09:08, the system computes a single opening price for each stock that maximises matched volume. Trading commences at 09:15 from this opening price.
This is why opening prices can gap significantly from the previous close — they're the result of accumulated overnight demand and supply, not continuous trading.
Normal trading (09:15–15:30)
Continuous order-book trading. This is when:
- The Live mode screener polls
- Most signals fire
- The conviction engine's intraday flow factor updates
- Push alerts for triggered conditions deliver
The closing window (15:30–16:00)
Last 10 minutes (15:30–15:40) of regular trading determine the official closing price for each stock — usually computed as a volume-weighted average of trades in this window.
From 15:40 to 16:00, only orders at the closing price can be placed (this window is technical and rarely useful for retail).
After hours
16:00 onward is technically post-market. A few things happen automatically:
- Provisional FII/DII data publishes around 18:30 IST
- End-of-day bhavcopy publishes around 18:00–19:00 IST. This includes delivery percentages.
- aftermarkets data updates — our systems process end-of-day data as exchanges publish it, typically complete by 20:00 IST. Conviction scores, delivery analysis, and technical indicators all refresh during this window.
- Filings continue — companies often file after market hours. The filing feed and push notifications remain active.
Weekly schedule
- Monday to Friday — standard trading days
- Saturday and Sunday — markets closed
- Holidays — NSE and BSE publish an annual list; typical holidays include national and major religious holidays (~15 per year)
- Muhurat trading — a special 1-hour session on Diwali evening, traditional rather than commercially significant
Special sessions
Occasionally, NSE and BSE conduct special sessions:
- Special trading sessions — pre-announced extended hours, rare
- Mock sessions — testing, not for actual trading
- Settlement-day procedures — affect when trades clear and shares reach demat
For practical use, ignore these unless the exchange explicitly notifies you.
What aftermarkets shows when markets are closed
The platform doesn't dim or hide market data outside trading hours. Instead:
- Stock pages show last close price with a clear "closed" indicator
- Live mode in the screener falls back to EOD snapshot
- Conviction scores show the latest computed values (updated each evening after market data is finalised)
- The market dashboard shows the previous trading day's snapshot
Filing feeds and push notifications continue around the clock.
Open the market dashboard