Commodity Market Trading Timings in India: Opening and Closing Hours

Planning to trade gold, silver or crude oil? Knowing when the commodity market opens and closes is just as important as understanding the contract you want to trade.

Unlike the stock market, commodity trading on the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) has different closing times for different commodity groups. Some contracts can be traded until late at night, while others close much earlier.

So, what time does commodity trading start? Does it remain open until midnight? And why do trading hours change during the year?

Let’s understand the MCX trading schedule, seasonal changes, holidays and a few important things to check before placing an order.

MCX Trading Hours by Commodity Group

Not all commodities follow the same trading schedule. For instance, gold and crude oil contracts generally remain open until late at night, while agricultural commodities have earlier closing times.

To make things easier, here’s a breakdown of the MCX opening and closing hours for different commodity groups.

MCX Trading Schedule: 2 November 2026 to 12 March 2027

All timings are in Indian Standard Time (IST).

Product group	Opening time	Closing time
Non-agricultural commodities	9:00 a.m.	11:55 p.m.
Select agricultural commodities – Cotton, Cotton Seed Wash Oil and Kapas	9:00 a.m.	9:00 p.m.
All other agricultural commodities	9:00 a.m.	5:00 p.m.

Source: MCX Circular MCX/TRD/550/2026, issued on 29 September 2026. Source checked on 2 November 2026. Holiday and special-session notices may override the regular schedule.

Which Commodities Can You Trade Until 11:55 p.m.?

If you’re wondering which commodities fall under the non-agricultural category, the list includes commonly traded MCX contracts such as gold, silver, crude oil, natural gas and base metals.

These contracts generally follow the non-agricultural trading session and remain open until 11:55 p.m. during the notified period. However, applicable exchange notices and contract-specific conditions should always be considered.

Is There a Trading Session Before 9:00 a.m.?

Yes! Before regular trading begins, MCX conducts an order-cancellation session from 8:45 a.m. for a period of 15 minutes.

But what happens during these 15 minutes?

Trading members can cancel pending Good Till Cancelled (GTC) and Good Till Date (GTD) orders, as permitted by the exchange. However, fresh orders and order modifications are not allowed during this session.

For more details, refer to the MCX Market Operations FAQ.

Why MCX Closing Times Can Change

You might have noticed that the MCX closing time is sometimes 11:30 p.m. and sometimes 11:55 p.m. Why does this happen?

The reason is seasonal changes in US daylight-saving time. MCX revises its trading hours in line with these changes, particularly for non-agricultural commodities.

Here’s how the general schedule works:

• During the US daylight-saving period: Non-agricultural commodities generally close at 11:30 p.m.
• After the US daylight-saving period ends: The closing time generally extends to 11:55 p.m.

However, these changes do not happen randomly. MCX issues official circulars specifying the exact period during which the revised trading hours become applicable.

Therefore, rather than relying only on the month or season, check the latest MCX circulars to know which trading schedule applies to your planned trading activities.

Weekends and Trading Holidays

Knowing the regular trading hours is useful, but what if you want to trade on a holiday or weekend?

Regular MCX trading is generally conducted from Monday to Friday. However, exchange holidays can affect the morning session, evening session or both, depending on the official holiday calendar.

Also, a trading holiday does not always mean that the entire day remains closed. Here are three possibilities:

• Full-day holiday: Both morning and evening trading sessions remain closed.
• Partial holiday: One session may remain open while the other is closed.
• Special trading session: The exchange may announce separate trading hours (like the one usually conducted as Muhurat Trading Session on Diwali), including on weekends or holidays that are otherwise non-trading days.

For example, the exchange may announce a special trading session with specific opening and closing times. This is why checking the applicable exchange notice is important before planning your trades.

You can refer to the official MCX Trading Holiday Calendar for the latest holiday-related information.

MCX and Other Exchange Schedules

Are commodity trading timings the same across all exchanges in India? Not necessarily!

The trading schedule discussed above applies specifically to MCX. It should not be treated as a common timetable for every commodity exchange.

If you trade commodity derivatives on NSE, BSE or NCDEX, you need to check the respective exchange’s current product-specific trading schedule, holiday calendar and subsequent notices.

Opening times, closing times and special-session arrangements of other exchanges may differ from those followed by MCX.

So, before placing an order, make sure the exchange and contract displayed on your trading platform match the schedule you are referring to. A general statement such as “the commodity market closes at 11:55 p.m.” may not apply to every exchange or contract.

How to Check Today’s Trading Session

Now that you know the regular trading hours, how do you confirm whether the market is following the same schedule on a particular day?

Before placing an order, go through these four checks:

1. Identify your exchange and contract: Confirm the commodity, contract month and exchange displayed on your trading platform.
2. Check the holiday calendar: Find out whether the relevant date has normal trading, a partial closure or a full-day holiday.
3. Review the latest exchange notices: Look for seasonal timing revisions, special sessions or subsequent changes that may affect the regular schedule.
4. Check your broker’s instructions: Review applicable order restrictions and intraday square-off cut-off timings.

Following these steps can help you stay updated about the applicable trading session and avoid confusion while planning your trades.

Practical Order and Expiry Checks

Knowing the exchange’s closing time is important, but there’s additional detail you shouldn’t overlook: your broker’s trading rules.

Broker intra-day square-off timings may differ from the exchange’s trading hours. This means you should not automatically assume that you can place, modify or cancel orders until the exchange’s official closing time.

Check Share India’s applicable policy for your contract and order type to understand the relevant restrictions and intra-day square-off timings.

If you’re learning how to trade commodities, make sure you include the following checks in your trading process:

• Confirm the trading session: Check the applicable trading hours before placing an order.
• Check intraday square-off timings: Understand by when your broker requires open intraday positions to be squared off.
• Review the contract expiry date: Every commodity contract has a specific expiry date, which you should keep track of.
• Understand tender-periods and delivery schedules: Some contracts have specific tender-period, delivery and settlement schedules. Be aware of these specifications before holding a position close to expiry.
• Monitor exchange and broker notices: Stay informed about updates that may affect trading hours, open positions or settlement requirements.

Remember, knowing the correct trading hours can help you avoid operational mistakes, but it does not eliminate market risk. It is equally important to understand appropriate commodity trading risk-management practices.

Reviewed by: Vikas Aggarwal, Company Secretary

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