The Union Budget will be presented on February 1st. This will be a Sunday. This has raised a question among investors: will the stock market be open or closed on that day? The NSE and BSE have now provided clarification on this.

The BSE and NSE announced on January 16th that the stock markets will remain open for trading on February 1st for Budget 2026. This year, February 1st falls on a Sunday.

Trading on NSE-BSE on Sunday, February 1st
The NSE, in its circular, stated that due to the presentation of the Union Budget, members are requested to note that the exchange will conduct a live trading session on February 1st, 2026, as per standard market timings.

Sunday, February 1st, 2026    Market Opening Time    Market Closing Time
Pre-Open    9:00 AM    9:08 AM
Normal Market    9:15 AM    3:30 PM
Trade Modification End Time    4:15 PM
The Lok Sabha Speaker confirmed on January 12th that the 2026 Union Budget will be presented on February 1st, a Sunday, at 11 AM.

Since 2017, the Union Budget has been presented on February 1st every year, regardless of the day of the week, although Parliament has been convened on Sundays in the past under special circumstances.

Finance Minister to present budget for the 9th time
The 2026 budget will be Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's ninth consecutive Union Budget, making it a record for the longest uninterrupted budget presentation by a Finance Minister.

Before the budget, the Finance Ministry will release the Economic Survey, followed by a press briefing by Chief Economic Advisor (CEA) V. Anantha Nageswaran and senior officials.

As Budget 2026 approaches, investors and tax experts are demanding reforms in India's capital gains tax system. Key demands include a reduction in the Long-Term Capital Gains (LTCG) rate, lower STT, higher exemption limits, a uniform holding period across all asset classes, and the reintroduction of indexation benefits. Brokers, investors, AMCs, and other market participants have expressed dismay over the higher taxes, stating that they discourage long-term investments. Furthermore, in a volatile financial year, market experts lamented the increased taxes, which were eroding even the modest profits.

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