Indian equity and commodity traders will enjoy a relatively uninterrupted start to the year 2026, with just a single trading holiday scheduled for the month of January. The nation's premier stock exchanges, the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and the National Stock Exchange (NSE), will suspend all trading activities on Monday, January 26, 2026, in observance of Republic Day celebrations.
Complete 2026 Stock Market Holiday Calendar
According to the official holiday calendar released by the National Stock Exchange, Indian equity markets will remain closed for a total of fifteen days throughout the year 2026. A notable pattern in the schedule is the absence of any trading holidays in the months of February, July, and August, offering investors extended periods of continuous trading.
The distribution of holidays is uneven across the year. While January, June, September, and December will each see only one market holiday, March will have the maximum number of breaks at three. The months of April, May, October, and November will each observe two holidays. It is crucial to note that trading in the commodity derivatives segment will also remain suspended on all these days, aligning with the equity market schedule.
Official List of Market Closures for 2026
Here is the full, official list of days when the BSE and NSE will be closed for trading in 2026:
- January 26 - Republic Day
- March 3 - Holi
- March 26 - Shri Ram Navami
- March 31 - Shri Mahavir Jayanti
- April 3 - Good Friday
- April 14 - Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar Jayanti
- May 1 - Maharashtra Day
- May 28 - Bakri Id
- June 26 - Muharram
- September 14 - Ganesh Chaturthi
- October 2 - Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti
- October 20 - Dussehra
- November 10 - Diwali / Balipratipada
- November 26 - Prakash Gurpurb Sri Guru Nanak Dev
- December 25 - Christmas
Market Kicks Off 2026 on a Robust Note
In related market news, Indian equities began the new calendar year on a strong footing. On Friday, January 2, 2026, the market posted solid gains driven by widespread buying across sectors and growing optimism ahead of the third-quarter earnings season.
The benchmark Sensex surged 573 points, or 0.67%, to settle at 85,762.01. The Nifty 50 index scaled a fresh all-time intraday high of 26,340 before paring some gains to end at a record closing level of 26,328.55, marking an advance of 182 points or 0.70%. The bullish sentiment permeated the broader market as well, with the BSE Midcap index gaining 0.97% and the Smallcap index rising 0.79%.
Commenting on the market performance, Ajit Mishra, SVP of Research at Religare Broking Ltd., stated, "Markets extended their gains on Friday and reclaimed record-high levels, marking a strong start to the New Year. The Nifty maintained a positive bias throughout the session... Sectoral participation was broad-based, with all sectors except FMCG contributing to the advance. Energy, realty and metal stocks emerged as the top performers."
This combination of a clear holiday calendar and a positive market trajectory provides investors with a structured framework to plan their trading and investment strategies for the year ahead effectively.
