Indian stock markets took a pause on Wednesday, October 22, 2025, for the auspicious festival of Bali Pratipada. According to the official holiday calendar released by the National Stock Exchange (NSE), all market operations were suspended for the day and are set to resume promptly on Thursday, October 23, 2025.
Bali Pratipada is a significant Hindu festival, deeply rooted in tradition and celebrated to honor the legendary triumph of Lord Vishnu’s Vamana avatar over the benevolent yet powerful demon king Bali. This day embodies themes of humility, unwavering devotion, and the cosmic balance, often considered highly auspicious for embarking on new ventures and inviting prosperity.
While domestic markets observed their holiday, a mixed sentiment was noted across other Asian markets. Japan’s Nikkei 225 index experienced a slight dip of 0.4%, whereas Singapore’s Straits Times edged up by 0.25%. Conversely, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index saw a decline of 0.82%, Taiwan’s Weighted Index fell by 0.53%, but South Korea’s KOSPI index managed a gain of 0.23%.
Investors are advised to prepare for the reopening of trading tomorrow, October 23, after this mid-week festive break. The preceding special Muhurat trading session on Tuesday, October 21, 2025, concluded with benchmark indices showing marginal gains. The Nifty closed near the 25,900 mark, and while the Sensex and Nifty largely stayed flat, broader markets exhibited positive movement.
The BSE Midcap index notably climbed 0.3%, and the Smallcap index advanced by 1%. At the close of the Muhurat trading, the Nifty registered 25,868.60, up 25.45 points (0.10%), and the Sensex finished at 84,426.34, gaining 62.97 points (0.07%). Among the top performers in the Nifty 50 were Cipla, Bajaj Finserv, Axis Bank, Infosys, and M&M. Conversely, Kotak Mahindra Bank, ICICI Bank, Bharti Airtel, Max Healthcare, and Asian Paints were among the day’s significant losers. Most sectoral indices ended in positive territory, with Nifty Media, Metal, and Pharma sectors leading the gains, only Nifty PSU Banks and Realty closed in the red.
Both major exchange platforms, the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and the NSE, had facilitated trading during a special window from 1:45 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. on Tuesday, October 21, marking the ceremonial beginning of Samvat 2082.