Stock markets to stay shut on Dussehra, October 20; trading on October 19 as usual

The week beginning Monday, October 18, is important for the Indian stock market. The historic IPO of Jio Platforms is due this week. The Dussehra holiday also falls in the same week, which left investors confused over whether the market would be shut on October 19 or October 20.

According to information from the BSE and NSE, the stock market will be open for trading on only four days between October 19 and October 25. It will be closed on the remaining days. A holiday affects more than trading: settlement of equity, debt and commodities is also delayed. Those planning to trade next week should plan accordingly. Trading will not be permitted on either the BSE or the NSE on the holiday.

So is the holiday on October 19 or October 20? The BSE and NSE have announced that the stock market will be closed on October 20 for Dussehra. Trading will be possible on Monday, but there will be no trading on either exchange on Tuesday, October 20. According to the exchanges, all trading in equities, the SLB segment, derivatives, commodities, bonds and forex will remain shut that day.

Will the MCX also be closed? According to the exchange, the MCX will not be closed for the whole of the day on October 20. Trading on the MCX takes place in two sessions on every working day. For gold, silver, crude oil, copper, zinc and lead, the first session runs from 9 am to 5 pm. The second session runs from 5 pm to 11:30 pm. On Dussehra there will be no trading in the morning session, but the second session from 5 pm to 11:30 pm will be on.

Banks, too, will be closed on October 20, not just the stock market. It would therefore be better to finish banking work a day earlier, on October 19. The RBI has issued its list of holidays for October, which shows a holiday on October 20 for Dussehra in most states across the country.