Sunday Trading as India Prepares for Sitharaman’s Ninth Budget
India's stock markets are set for a historic Sunday session as Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presents her ninth Union Budget on February 1, 2026. In a rare move, the BSE (Bombay Stock Exchange) and NSE (National Stock Exchange) will conduct a full trading day, allowing investors to react immediately to key announcements on taxes, government spending, reforms, and long-term economic vision.
Why Markets Open on Sunday for Union Budget 2026
Traditionally, the Union Budget is presented on February 1, but this year it falls on a Sunday. To enable real-time market response to the Finance Minister's speech, exchanges have declared a special trading session. This marks only the second time since India's independence that equity markets operate on a Sunday for a Budget presentation.
- Pre-open session: Starts at 9:00 AM IST (with order entry from 9:00 AM to 9:08 AM).
- Normal trading hours: 9:15 AM to 3:30 PM IST.
- Special settlement rules apply: Trades executed on Sunday will settle on Monday, February 2, 2026, as it's treated as a settlement holiday despite the trading day.
Traders should note potential volatility, especially in indices like Nifty 50 and Bank Nifty, driven by announcements in tax policies, fiscal measures, and sector-specific incentives.
Key Expectations from Nirmala Sitharaman's Budget Speech
The Budget 2026-27 comes amid optimistic signals from the Economic Survey 2025-26, which projects steady GDP growth in the range of 6.8%–7.2% for FY27, supported by infrastructure push, productivity gains, and resilient domestic demand.
Sitharaman's address, starting around 11:00 AM IST, is expected to break from tradition with a deeper dive into:
- Tax measures — Potential relief for middle-class taxpayers, including higher standard deductions, rationalized slabs, simplified capital gains, and TDS rules.
- Fiscal discipline — Balancing prudence with growth, targeting a fiscal deficit below 4.5% of GDP.
- Capital expenditure (capex) — Continued emphasis on infrastructure, defense spending, and manufacturing to boost jobs and competitiveness.
- Long-term vision — Priorities like AI skilling, green energy, defense indigenization, renewable energy incentives, and reforms in education, insurance, and digital economy.
- Sector focus — Boosts for agriculture, MSMEs, employment generation, urban infrastructure, and global economic positioning.
The speech will likely outline both immediate priorities and multi-year strategic goals to strengthen India's growth story amid global uncertainties.
Impact on Investors and Traders
With live trading during the speech, expect heightened activity and swings based on:
- Tax relief announcements → Positive for consumer stocks and mid-caps.
- Higher defense/infra capex → Gains in related sectors like capital goods, PSU banks, and defense.
- AI and skilling initiatives → Upside for tech and education plays.
Volatility is anticipated, so risk management is key for intraday traders.
Stay tuned to www.nriglobe.com for live updates, expert analysis, and post-Budget breakdowns as Finance Minister Sitharaman unveils India's fiscal roadmap for 2026-27.
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