Indian equity markets will take a break from trading on Monday, March 25, in celebration of Holi, leading to a holiday-shortened week with just three trading sessions. Markets will close again on Friday, March 29, for Good Friday.

During Holi, the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX), India’s largest non-agricultural commodity market, will pause trading from 9 am to 5 pm, resuming only for the evening session from 5 pm to 9 pm. The agricultural commodity index will not see any trading activity on this day. Additionally, both MCX and the National Commodity & Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX) will observe a holiday on Good Friday.

According to the BSE holiday calendar, the exchange has scheduled 14 trading holidays for the year 2024, having already observed closures on January 26 for Republic Day and March 8 for Shivratri.

Markets on March 22: On a roll for the third consecutive day, India’s stock market benchmarks wrapped up the session with smiles all around on Friday, March 22. The Sensex nudged up 190.75 points to park itself at 72,831.94, a modest gain of 0.26%. Not far behind, the Nifty tacked on 84.80 points, closing at a comfy 22,096.80, a boost of 0.39%.

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The day’s trading caught a positive wave from overseas, thanks to the US and UK central banks deciding to hold the line on interest rates, prompting a cheerful nod from the global markets. Despite kicking off with more of a whisper than a shout, the Nifty found its stride, finishing 85 points stronger, a notable climb of 0.4%.

The market’s broader spectrum also basked in the green glow, with sectors like Auto, Pharma, and Realty not just participating but leading the charge. Meanwhile, the IT sector hit a snag, tripping over Accenture’s stumble — a trimmed revenue forecast for the fiscal year ahead put a damper on things.

The trading floor, initially echoing with hesitancy, soon buzzed with activity, uplifted by a chorus of optimistic cues.

Leading the pack in the Nifty’s upturn were companies like UPL, Maruti Suzuki, Hero MotoCorp, Bajaj Auto, and Sun Pharma, while the tech giants — Wipro, Infosys, LTIMindtree, HCL Technologies, and TCS — felt the pinch, trailing at the back.

The day saw several sectors from Metals to Auto, Realty to FMCG, and beyond, all inching upwards between 0.5-1%, painting the market in shades of growth. In a contrasting stroke, the information technology index dipped by 2%, outlining the day’s canvas with its broad strokes of market movements.

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