Stock markets shut on Jan 15 as BSE, NSE revise trading schedule for Maharashtra polls

Indian stock markets will remain closed on January 15 after the country’s two leading exchanges revised their trading schedules in view of municipal corporation elections in Maharashtra.

Both the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and the National Stock Exchange (NSE) have now confirmed a complete trading holiday for the day, replacing an earlier announcement that had classified it only as a settlement holiday.

In a circular issued on Tuesday, the BSE said trading will not take place across key segments, including equities, equity derivatives, commodity derivatives, and electronic gold receipts on January 15.

The exchange also clarified that equity derivatives contracts originally scheduled to expire on that date will now mature a day earlier, on January 14. These changes, it added, will be reflected in the end-of-day contract master files.

The NSE, too, amended its earlier communication, declaring January 15 a full trading holiday for both the capital market and futures and options (F&O) segments.

The revision marks a shift from last week’s stance, when both exchanges had indicated that trading would continue despite settlement restrictions. Settlement holidays are typically declared during elections or major public events when banking and clearing operations are disrupted.

Since January 15 is a public holiday in Maharashtra, most banks are expected to remain closed, prompting the exchanges to suspend trading entirely.

With January 15 now added to the calendar, Indian stock exchanges will observe 16 trading holidays in 2026, excluding weekends. January 26 will be the second market holiday of the month.

In the first half of the year, markets will remain shut on Holi (March 3), Ram Navami (March 26), Mahavir Jayanti (March 31), Good Friday (April 3), Ambedkar Jayanti (April 14), Maharashtra Day (May 1), and Bakri Id (May 28).

During the second half, trading will be suspended on Muharram (June 26), Ganesh Chaturthi (September 14), Gandhi Jayanti (October 2), Dussehra (October 20), Diwali Balipratipada (November 10), and Guru Nanak Jayanti (November 24).

The final market holiday of 2026 will be Christmas on December 25. Independence Day on August 15 falls on a weekend and will not lead to an additional closure.

Separately, markets may open on February 1 despite it being a Sunday, if the government decides to present the Union Budget that day. An official confirmation is still awaited, as per an Economic Times report.