Trading activity across India’s financial markets will come to a halt on Friday, May 1, in observance of Maharashtra Day. Both major exchanges will remain closed, putting a temporary pause on market participation for investors and traders alike. All primary segments, including equities, derivatives, and securities lending and borrowing (SLB), will remain inactive during the holiday. This means no transactions will be processed across the country’s leading stock exchanges for the entire day. Commodity markets, however, will follow a slightly different schedule. While the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) will not operate during its daytime window from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, it will reopen later in the evening session, running from 5:00 PM to 11:55 PM. In contrast, the National Commodity & Derivatives Exchange Limited (NCDEX) will stay closed throughout both sessions. Looking beyond May 1, Indian markets are set to observe several additional holidays throughout the year. May will include another closure on May 28 for Bakri Id. June will see a single holiday on June 26 for Muharram, while July and August will not have any trading interruptions. Later in the year, markets will pause for Ganesh Chaturthi on September 14, followed by Gandhi Jayanti on October 2 and Dussehra on October 20. November will feature two holidays—Diwali Balipratipada on November 10 and Guru Nanak Jayanti on November 24. The year will conclude with a Christmas holiday on December 25. On Thursday, April 30, Indian equities closed lower amid widespread selling pressure. Benchmark indices saw notable declines, with the Sensex dropping 583 points (0.75 per cent) to settle at 76,913.50, while the Nifty 50 slipped 180 points (0.74 per cent) to end at 23,997.55. Broader indices also struggled, as midcap and smallcap stocks faced losses. The total market capitalisation of listed companies fell significantly, wiping out nearly Rs 5 lakh crore in investor wealth compared to the previous session. Despite this downturn, April proved to be a strong month overall, with both benchmark indices posting solid gains and breaking a four-month losing streak. International developments played a key role in dampening market confidence. Rising tensions between the United States and Iran created uncertainty, while elevated crude oil prices added to inflation worries. Although Brent crude saw a slight dip during the session, it remained above $115 per barrel after recently hitting a four-year high. The Indian Rupee also weakened during the day, briefly touching a record low before recovering slightly by the close. Vinod Nair, Head of Research at Geojit Investments, said, “Global sentiment deteriorated sharply as US–Iran tensions escalated and major maritime shipping routes faced continued disruption. Brent crude crossed the $120 per barrel mark for the first time in four years, intensifying inflation concerns and pressuring global risk assets. In India, rising oil prices weighed on the INR and revived worries about capital outflows and widening deficits, given the economy’s heavy reliance on crude imports." He added, "The Fed kept rates unchanged but maintained a firm policy stance, supporting the dollar and tightening conditions for emerging markets. Domestically, autos, banks, metals, and real estate led the decline, while IT and pharma saw selective defensive buying. A mild recovery toward the end of the session offered limited respite, and overall sentiment remained cautious ahead of the extended holiday weekend.” Get Latest News live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from Business, Companies and around the world. She is working as a Chief Copy Editor at Times Now’s Business Desk, where she covers key developments in the stock market, Indian corporates across se... View More