Dhanteras: BSE, NSE extend trading hours in gold ETFs, sovereign gold bonds

Top bourses NSE and BSE will extend the trading session for gold exchange-traded funds and sovereign gold bonds on Friday, till 7 pm on the occasion of Dhanteras, a festival celebrated two days before Diwali.

Gold ETFs track the metal's prices and each unit of these securities is generally equivalent to one gram of gold, while sovereign gold bonds (SGBs) are government securities denominated in grams of gold and offer an alternative to holding gold in physical form.

The exchanges will also conduct 'muhurat' trading session on account of Diwali Laxmi Pujan on October 27 between 6.15 pm and 7.15 pm.

"The exchange is conducting an extended live trading session on Friday, October 25, 2019 on the auspicious occasion of Dhanteras for trading in gold exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and SGBs only," NSE said in a notice.

After the regular market hours from 9:15 am to 3:30 pm, trading in gold ETFs and SGBs will resume at 5 pm and continue till 7 pm, the exchanges said.

In a separate notice, the BSE said trading during the extended session shall be allowed only in gold ETF securities and SGB securities.

Buying valuables like gold on occasions like Dhanteras, Diwali and Akshay Tritiya is considered auspicious in India.