Trade fair holiday? NSE will remain open during the civic polls in Maharashtra on January 15

India’s stock exchange NSE will remain open for regular trading on January 15 even as Maharashtra has declared a public holiday for civic polls in several major cities in the state. NSE said in a circular that January 15 will be a settlement holiday on this date. This means that there will be no settlement for the T+0 settlement on January 15. Although trading activity may continue according to the exchange schedule, the clearing and settlement obligations for that specific T+0 cycle will not be processed on that day.

Due to the settlement holiday, the settlement schedule for T+1 transactions has also been adjusted. As per the revised schedule, transactions made on January 14 will now be settled on January 16. For transactions executed on January 15, settlement will also take place on January 16.Settlement holidays are typically declared during elections or major public events where banking and clearing operations are affected. Since January 15 is a state holiday, most banks would remain closed on that date.

For retail investors, the key takeaway is that trading will not be affected, but crediting of shares or funds may be delayed by a day around January 15 due to the settlement holiday.

Trade fair holidays in 2026

The Indian stock exchanges will remain closed for fifteen days in 2026. The festive calendar starts with Republic Day on January 26 and includes a mix of major national and religious occasions. Major closures in the first half of the year are Holi on March 3, Ram Navami on March 26, Mahavir Jayanti on March 31 and Good Friday on April 3. The markets will also remain closed on Ambedkar Jayanti on April 14, Maharashtra Day on May 1 and Bakri Id on May 28.

In the second half of the year, trading will be suspended on Muharram on June 26, Ganesh Chaturthi on September 14 and Gandhi Jayanti on October 2. This will be followed by Dussehra on October 20, Diwali Balipratipada on November 10 and Guru Nanak Jayanti on November 24. The last market holiday of 2026 is Christmas on December 25.

Indian Stock Market Outlook

Indian stocks had a tough start to 2026 as investors approached the first full week of the year with caution, reflecting corrective undertones.

The week started on a muted note as expectations of higher government borrowing pushed bond yields higher, although strong VAT collections and healthy bank credit growth provided some support. However, market sentiment weakened due to global headwinds, including the Venezuela-US standoff, concerns over Russian oil imports, China’s restrictions on rare earth exports and continued FII outflows.

The week ended on a cautious note ahead of the US Supreme Court’s rulings on tariffs, with fears of additional duties under Russian sanctions overshadowing optimism about the earnings recovery.

Looking ahead, analysts say clarity on global trade dynamics and third-quarter earnings will determine the direction of the market.

“Volatility is likely to persist in the near term, especially in US-exposed companies and sectors such as metals and oil & gas. However, strong domestic fundamentals, resilient GDP growth and robust credit trends could support selective buying where earnings prospects remain favorable,” said Vinod Nair, head of research at Geojit Investments.