If you want to start investing in the Share market, you must first understand share market timing. Buying and selling stocks happens in a specific, set period in the Share market.
Share market timings for retail customers can be conducted at the BSE and NSE between 9:15 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. during the week.
The Indian Share market timings and their business hours are given below.
Share Market Timings
| Time (IST) | Session | Functions |
| 9:00 a.m. – 9:15 a.m. | Pre-Opening Session | entry, modification, matching, and cancellation of the orders |
| 9:15 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. | Normal Trading Session | Stock trading starts, bilateral matching (selling and purchasing price is equalized) |
| 3:30 p.m. – 3:40 p.m. | Closing Session | closing of trade, the closing price is calculated |
| 3:40 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. | Post-Closing Session | bid for the next day, closing price determined shutdown of the market |
Share Market Pre-opening Time
The pre-opening session is the period before the actual time stock trading starts.
The pre-opening session has two sessions:-
- Order Entry period
In the Order Entry period, the entry, modification, and cancellation of the orders are done.
Market orders and limit orders are received during the order entry period. Order entry period only lasts up to 8 minutes; from 09:00 a.m. to 09:08 a.m.
- Order Matching period
The Order Matching period starts after the order entry period. In the order matching period, no entry, modification, and cancellation of the orders are allowed. The trade orders are confirmed.
Order matching period lasts only 7 minutes; from 09:08 a.m. to 09:15 a.m.
The pre-opening time starts from 09:00 a.m. to 09:15 a.m.
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Share Market Normal Trading Session
The Normal Trading session is the actual period where all the trading is done.
During the normal trading session, the stocks are bought or sold only when the buying and selling prices are matched. This system is known as the bilateral matching system.
The normal session is held from 09:15 a.m. to 03:30 p.m.
Share Market Closing Session
The closing session begins after the normal session. In the closing session, the closing of trade takes place. No sale or purchase of the stock is allowed. It lasts 10 minutes; from 03:30 p.m. to 03:40 p.m.
During the closing session, the closing price is calculated.
Share Market Post-closing Session
The post-closing session starts after the completion of the closing session. In the post-closing session, traders can bid for the next day at the closing price. After the end of this session, the Share market shuts.
On the next day, if the opening price is more than the closing price, the trader makes a profit and if the odds do not go well, they can cancel the order during the order entry period.
The post-closing session starts at 03:40 p.m. and ends at 04:00 p.m.
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Share Market Block Trading Session
A block trade is like buying or selling a large number of stocks without anyone else getting involved.
This type of trade happens between two parties that have agreed to trade stock at a mutually determined price.
Block trading includes transactions that are more than 5 lakh shares or at least Rs. 5 crores of worth.
It has two sessions:-
Share Market Morning Window
The morning window (first session) operates between 08:45 a.m. and 09:00 a.m.
Share Market Afternoon Window
The afternoon window (second session) operates between 02:05 p.m. and 2:20 p.m.
Share Market Working Days
The Indian Share market operates only on weekdays; Monday to Friday. It operates from 9:15 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. for trading.
The market does not operate on weekends and public holidays. Such a holiday list is shared below.
