Sebi rejects NSE's proposal to extend trading hours

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has rejected the National Stock Exchange's (NSE) proposal to extend trading hours for index derivatives due to a lack of consensus among stockbrokers. Currently, both NSE and BSE close at 3:30 pm. The NSE had proposed adding an evening session from 6 pm to 9 pm specifically for index futures and options (F&O) contracts. This aimed to align Indian markets with global opening hours and allow participants to react to international events.

However, concerns were raised by some brokers regarding work-life balance and operational challenges. Traditional brokerages expressed concerns about the impact on manpower requirements, while discount brokers with advanced technology were more receptive to the extension.

Citing the lack of consensus, Sebi has shelved the proposal for now. It remains to be seen if the issue will be revisited in the future, potentially after a more unified stance is established among brokers. This decision keeps the current trading hours in place, with both the cash and F&O segments closing at 3:30 pm.

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