 "Stock market holiday: BSE, NSE shut today for Ram Navami, trading to resume Friday. File image")
Indian equity markets remained closed on Thursday, on account of Ram Navami, halting all trading activity across segments on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and the National Stock Exchange (NSE).
Trading and settlement operations in equities, derivatives, and the Securities Lending and Borrowing (SLB) segments have been suspended for the day. Regular market activity is set to resume on Friday.
Markets will next shut on March 31 for Mahavir Jayanti, followed by another holiday on April 3 for Good Friday.
Commodity markets see partial activity
In the commodities segment, the National Commodity & Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX) remains closed for the entire day.
However, the Multi Commodity Exchange of India (MCX) is operating in a split session. While the morning session has been cancelled, trading will resume in the evening window from 5 pm to 11:55 pm.
Standard trading hours
Under normal circumstances, Indian stock markets operate Monday through Friday, with a pre-open session beginning at 9 am, followed by continuous trading from 9:15 am to 3:30 pm.
Global cues remain mixed
Global markets offered a mixed backdrop on Thursday as geopolitical tensions in West Asia continued to weigh on investor sentiment. Asian equities traded unevenly , with modest gains in Japan and China offset by declines in Hong Kong and South Korea.
Overnight, US equities ended higher, supported by optimism that diplomatic efforts could ease tensions. The S&P 500 rose 0.54 per cent, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.77 per cent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 0.66 per cent.
However, US stock futures edged lower in early Asian trade, indicating caution among investors.
Indian markets extend gains ahead of holiday
Domestic benchmark indices had ended higher in the previous session, extending gains for a second straight day on easing crude oil prices and hopes of de-escalation in West Asia tensions.
The Nifty 50 climbed 1.72 per cent to close at 23,306.45, while the BSE Sensex rose 1.63 per cent to settle at 75,273.45.
Broader markets outperformed the benchmarks, with midcap and smallcap indices registering gains of over 2 per cent each, reflecting improved investor sentiment in riskier segments.