A special trading session to be held on Saturday, March 2; here’s why

On Saturday, March 2, 2024, Indian stock exchanges will hold a unique live trading session to test its Disaster Recovery (DR) site. In the event of unanticipated disruptions, this training will assist in maintaining company continuity by simulating a genuine trading environment.

The special session was supposed to take place on January 20, however, because of the Ram Temple consecration ceremony in Ayodhya, on January 20 a full trading session was held, and on January 22 the stock market was declared closed.

The session will be divided into two phases. The first segment will consist of a 45-minute seminar starting at 9:15 am. The second special live trading session will begin at 11:30 am and terminate at 12:30 pm.

Pre-Open will begin at 9 a.m. and terminate at 9:08 a.m. for the first session. Pre-Open opens at 11:15 a.m. and closes at 11:23 a.m. for the second session.

Important changes for the special session

• Price bands: A maximum price band of 5% will apply to all securities and futures contracts, except for those that are currently in a lower band. This indicates that throughout the session, stock movements may be up or down by a maximum of 5%.
• Daily operating range: The daily operating range for all futures contracts will be 5%.
• No flexing: There won’t be any use of the standard system for changing pricing bands during the day.
• Mutual funds: All close-ended mutual funds will be subject to 5% price bands.
• Transition between sites: The primary site’s price bands at the beginning of the day will be carried over to the DR site. Furthermore, the DR site will reflect any adjustments made to the price bands of options contracts as a result of market moves during the primary session.

Note: Only the special session on March 2nd will be affected by these modifications. On the next trading day, regular trading procedures will be resumed.

March 1 purchases on the stock market will be completed on Monday, March 4, as March 2 is a settlement holiday. Funds from F&O transactions executed on March 1st are not permitted to be used during the special DR sessions to ensure that the testing does not interfere with the regular settlement cycle.

This special session is a critical step in ensuring that the stock markets continue to operate normally even in the event of unanticipated events. It is recommended that investors are informed of the modifications to the trading rules and price bands for the special session.

Trading hours – Capital Market (CM) Segment: 

Live trading from the Primary Site:

Live trading from DR Site:

Trading hours – Futures & Options (F&O) Segment:

Live trading from Primary Site:

Live trading from DR Site:

Disclaimer: This blog has been written exclusively for educational purposes. The securities mentioned are only examples and not recommendations. It is based on several secondary sources on the internet and is subject to changes. Please consult an expert before making related decisions.