Muhurat Trading 2025: Why the auspicious market hour falls at 1:45 pm this year

Muhurat Trading, the special one-hour trading window held on Diwali (Laxmi Pujan), marks an auspicious start to the Hindu financial new year and coincides with the onset of the Vikram Samvat calendar. Stock exchanges such as the NSE and BSE remained closed for regular trading on Diwali but open briefly for this ceremonial session.
While trades made during this session carry full settlement obligations, volumes are typically lower and participation more symbolic than speculative.

This year’s Muhurat trading, marking the beginning of Samvat 2082, stands out for an unusual reason — the session will begin at 1:45 pm, instead of the traditional evening slot around 6:00–7:00 pm. Analysts noted that this early-afternoon timing is unprecedented in recent decades.

Samco Securities outlined several possible reasons behind the shift. The first is operational and regulatory convenience. Holding the session in the afternoon could ease logistical and staffing demands for exchanges, brokers, and clearing operations. It would also lead to investor convenience. Samco Securities in a recent blog noted that the change may help participants avoid clashes with evening festive rituals, allowing for smoother participation without disrupting Diwali celebrations.

An earlier session may better accommodate Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and foreign investors by aligning trading hours with overseas markets, it noted

Samco Securities also pointed out that the timing could be based on auspicious astrological considerations, with the “Shubh Muhurat” for Diwali falling earlier in the day this year.

The brokerage added that the shift could have several implications. Afternoon trading might alter liquidity patterns and volatility dynamics, while investors accustomed to evening sessions will need to adjust their systems and participation schedules. On the positive side, it could broaden participation from global investors and signal a modernisation of how Indian markets balance tradition with contemporary operations.

Overall, Samco Securities described the move as a bold experiment that will be closely watched by traders and investors alike — one that could redefine how Muhurat Trading is observed in the years to come.

The Muhurat trading practice, analysts noted, has deep cultural and financial roots. Historically, business families performed Chopda Pujan (worship of account books) and made their first symbolic trades during this hour, believing it would usher in prosperity and good fortune for the year ahead.