Diwali Week Trading Calendar 2026: Muhurat Timings, Nifty Expiry Shift and Holidays

By the LevelPilot team. Last updated: November 2026.

Diwali week looks different for traders this year. The market opens for a special session on Sunday, Nifty's weekly expiry moves to Monday, and the market closes on Tuesday.

If you only check the Muhurat time, you could miss the changes that affect your open positions. This guide puts the key dates in one place, explains what changes, and gives you a simple checklist. It does not recommend any stock or trade.

Quick answer

• Muhurat trading: Sunday, 8 November 2026
• Main stock session: starts at 2:20 PM IST
• F&O session: 2:20 PM to 3:40 PM IST
• Nifty weekly expiry: moved from Tuesday, 10 November to Monday, 9 November
• Market holiday: Tuesday, 10 November
• NSE monthly expiry: moved from Tuesday, 24 November to Monday, 23 November

November 2026 trading calendar

Commodity traders should check separately. MCX is closed in the morning but open in the evening on both holidays.

Muhurat trading timings on 8 November

Don't assume every stock trades normally until 3:30 PM. This is the first Muhurat session since the Closing Auction Session (CAS) was introduced. Stocks in the F&O segment leave continuous trading at 3:15 PM and move to the auction. In the final part of the order window, from 3:25 PM, only limit orders are accepted.

Muhurat trading is symbolic, but your trades are real

Many investors treat the session as an auspicious start to Samvat 2083. Even so, the exchanges say all trades in the session create settlement obligations. Your funds, margins and charges still matter, and so does your position size.

A good Muhurat session also doesn't tell you how the year will go. In 2025, Nifty closed the session 25 points higher at 25,869. By 1 October 2026, it was at 22,422, about 13.3% lower.

What the moved expiry changes

When an expiry day falls on a holiday, the contract expires on the previous trading day. Here is what that means this month.

1. The Nifty weekly has less calendar time. The contract running from 3 November to 9 November has six calendar days instead of seven. It still has five sessions, but one of them is the short Sunday session.
2. Sunday comes right before expiry. Anyone holding the 9 November Nifty contract has a live session on Sunday and expiry on Monday. There is little time to rethink a position if the market moves against it.
3. Tuesday's closure can catch you out. After Monday's close, NSE and BSE equity markets stay shut until Wednesday. Non-expiring positions carried past Monday can't be adjusted on those exchanges during Tuesday, even if news breaks.
4. Expiry-day margin arrives earlier. Option sellers face an extra 2% extreme loss margin on short positions expiring that day, and calendar spreads lose their margin benefit. For the moved contracts, those rules apply on Monday, so keep funds ready.
5. Bank Nifty has no weekly expiry. Bank Nifty contracts are monthly, and this month's expiry is on 23 November. Stock F&O expires on the same day and can settle through physical delivery if held to expiry.

Option prices may already reflect some of these calendar effects, so don't assume that a shorter week automatically makes one side of a trade better. The aim is to avoid being surprised, not to find a shortcut.

The settlement method for expiring contracts is also changing from 7 December 2026. Expiring contracts will then settle on the volume-weighted average price of the last 30 minutes. If you trade around expiry, review this before December.

Pre-session checklist

Before you place a Muhurat trade, or carry a position into this week, check these points:

• ☐ Timings: Confirm the session for your exact segment in your broker's app.
• ☐ Open positions: List every contract with its expiry date, using the dates above.
• ☐ Funds: Keep enough money for full option premiums, and for margin if you sell options.
• ☐ Order type: Understand how limit and market orders work in the pre-open and closing auction.
• ☐ Exit plan: Decide before you enter where your trade idea is proved wrong.
• ☐ Holiday risk: Decide whether you're comfortable holding through Tuesday's closure.
• ☐ Costs: Include brokerage, taxes and other charges, especially if you plan several small trades.
• ☐ Skip option: Remember that not trading is a valid choice.

A simple position-size example

This example is only to explain the calculation. It is not a trade suggestion.

Imagine you have ₹2,00,000 in trading capital and decide you won't risk more than 1% on one idea. That limit is ₹2,000.

A Nifty lot is currently 65 units. If the distance between your entry and exit level in an option is ₹30, the risk per lot is:

₹30 × 65 = ₹1,950, before charges

That fits within a ₹2,000 limit for one lot, but two lots would not. If the distance were ₹50, one lot would risk ₹3,250, which is above your limit. You could then reduce risk, look for another setup, or skip the trade.

An exit level also isn't guaranteed, because prices can jump past it. That risk matters more around short sessions, holidays and expiry.

Mistakes to avoid

• Trading only because the day feels auspicious. The occasion doesn't remove market risk.
• Taking the biggest position of the year. A short session is no reason to increase your size.
• Using an old expiry routine. Check the date on every contract.
• Assuming the session will be calm. Past sessions have often been quiet, but that isn't a guarantee.
• Following "Muhurat picks" blindly. Check who is giving the view, whether they are SEBI-registered, and what risk you would be taking.

This caution matters. SEBI's study of FY25 found that about 91% of individual equity derivatives traders made net losses. Their combined net loss was ₹1,05,603 crore.

Frequently asked questions

Is the stock market open on Sunday, 8 November 2026?

Yes, but only for the special Muhurat session. Regular trading hours don't apply that day.

Is there F&O trading during Muhurat?

Yes. NSE and BSE equity derivatives are scheduled to trade from 2:20 PM to 3:40 PM IST.

When is the Nifty expiry in Diwali week?

The Nifty weekly contract expires on Monday, 9 November, because Tuesday, 10 November is a market holiday.

When is the Bank Nifty expiry in November 2026?

Bank Nifty has a monthly expiry on Monday, 23 November 2026.

Does a positive Muhurat session mean the year will be good?

No. It is one short session, and it can't tell you what the market will do over the following months.

Do I have to trade during Muhurat?

No. It is optional, and missing it doesn't put you at a disadvantage for the year ahead.

The takeaway

Diwali week doesn't need a special prediction. It needs a clear calendar, enough margin and a plan you decided on before the session began. Check your contract dates and keep your size sensible, and if a trade doesn't fit your plan, it's fine to sit out.

Happy Diwali from the LevelPilot team, and wishing you a disciplined Samvat 2083. 🪔

Sources: Business Today: Muhurat schedule · Angel One: NSE and BSE timings · Tickertape: session timings · Quantsapp: F&O expiry calendar · PL Capital: November holidays

Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only. It isn't investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold any security. Trading involves risk, including the loss of capital. Exchange schedules can change, so confirm the details with NSE, BSE or your broker before trading.