NSE Extends Equity F&O Segment Trading Hours to 3:40 PM Starting August

The National Stock Exchange (NSE) has announced an extension to the trading hours for its equity derivatives segment, effective from August 3, 2026. The revised closing time will now be 3:40 PM, extending the session by an additional 10 minutes. This alteration aligns with the NSE’s strategy to enhance market efficiency and accommodate traders’ needs. Notably, the pre-open session timings and the standard opening time of 9:15 AM will remain unchanged, thereby maintaining a structured trading environment for participants.

Importantly, the methodology for computing closing prices will not undergo any modifications. The volume-weighted average price (VWAP), which is utilized to calculate closing prices, will still be based on trades executed in the final half-hour of trading, specifically from 3:10 PM to 3:40 PM. Additionally, the trade modification window will continue as it has, remaining open until 4:15 PM. NSE has committed to ensuring transparency and reliability in these changes, with further functional adjustments being available for testing in forthcoming mock trading sessions, the details of which will be communicated via an official circular.

The exchange also highlighted several operational updates concerning the Closing Auction Session (CAS) for stock futures, where any orders outside the revised price range will be cancelled. This will include a broadcast message on NEAT trading terminals, informing participants about the reset of the operating price range. Furthermore, a security is deemed ineligible for the CAS only if it is excluded from both exchanges in the equity derivatives segment; otherwise, it retains its eligibility. These changes reflect NSE’s ongoing commitment to enhancing trading conditions and maintaining robust market operations for its participants.

Source: The Economic Times

(Expert Note: This report was prepared by the Wealthova team.)