Will stock market open on Budget Day? Here’s what you need to know

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to present the Union Budget 2026 on February 1. While the budget is traditionally presented on this date every year, February 1 this time falls on a Sunday, making the occasion a rare one.

The unusual timing has raised questions among investors about whether the stock markets would remain closed on the day. Clearing the uncertainty, the National Stock Exchange (NSE) and the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) have announced that equity markets will remain open for trading on Sunday, February 1.

The Union Budget for 2026 will be presented at 11 am on Sunday, 1 February.

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“On account of the presentation of the Union Budget, members are requested to note that Exchange shall be conducting a live trading session on February 01, 2026, as per the standard market timings (9:15 am–3:30 pm),” NSE said in a circular.

The pre-open market will start at 9 am and end at 9.08 am, and the normal market will function between 9.15 am and 3.30 pm, according to a circular issued by NSE.

This is Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s ninth consecutive budget presentation, amid expectations of a customs duty overhaul along the lines of GST rationalisation.

Also read| Union Budget 2026: Key expectations — from income tax to GST-style customs overhaul

The first phase of the Budget Session, which began on January 28, will continue till February 13. The second phase will commence on March 9 and conclude on April 2.

Speeches while presenting the Union Budget usually take between 90 and 120 minutes, although several speeches have exceeded this mark, and some have fallen short of it.

Record for the longest budget speech

Nirmala Sitharaman holds the record for the longest budget speech in Indian history, at 2 hours and 42 minutes. This was done in 2020, when Sitharaman broke her own record of 2 hours and 17 minutes in 2019.

During that speech, Nirmala Sitharaman introduced significant reforms, including a new income tax regime and announced the historic LIC IPO. Midway through her speech, Sitharaman felt unwell, and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla read the last two pages of her speech.