After weeks of heavy selling and sharp volatility, stock market investors are set to get a much-needed breather as trading remains shut for multiple sessions this week.
The s, rising oil prices and sustained foreign investor selling, and the holidays now offer a pause in this turbulent phase.
Both the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and the National Stock Exchange (NSE) are closed on Tuesday, March 31, on account of Mahavir Jayanti 2026. This is the , reducing the number of active trading sessions on Dalal Street.
According to the official holiday calendar of BSE and NSE, markets will remain shut on March 31 for Mahavir Jayanti and again on April 3 for Good Friday. This means that out of five trading days in the week, markets will be open only for three sessions.
The April 3 holiday will also lead to a long weekend for investors. On this day, several global markets, including the US stock market, will also remain closed.
While equity markets are shut on March 31, the commodity market will see partial trading. The Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) will remain closed in the morning session but will reopen for trading in the evening session from 5 pm to 11 pm.
After the April 3 holiday, markets will remain closed again on April 14 for Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Jayanti.
Looking ahead, there are several more holidays lined up for the year. In May, markets will remain shut on May 1 for Maharashtra Day and May 28 for Bakri Id. In June, there will be a holiday on June 26 for Muharram.
There are no market holidays in July and August. The next holiday after that will be on September 14 for Ganesh Chaturthi. October and November will each have two market holidays, while the last holiday of the year will fall in December for Christmas.
The break comes after a difficult month for the Indian stock market. The Nifty 50 index has fallen nearly 10% in March, marking its worst monthly performance since 2020. The index is also on track to close lower for the fourth consecutive month.
Several factors have weighed on the market, including a weakening rupee, rising crude oil prices and continued selling by foreign investors. The ongoing conflict in West Asia has added to uncertainty and increased risk aversion among global investors.
The US-Israel conflict with Iran has now entered its fifth week and expanded across the region, further impacting global sentiment.
Pabitro Mukherjee, Associate Vice President – Technical Research at Bajaj Broking, said foreign institutional investors have carried out one of the largest sell-offs in recent history.
“Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) executed an unprecedented sell-off in Indian equities during March 2026. The total withdrawal exceeded Rs 1.11 lakh crore, reflecting a sharp shift in global investor sentiment toward a risk-off approach,” he said.
He added that FIIs remained consistent sellers throughout the month, with outflows recorded in nearly all trading sessions.
“The cumulative sell-off of over Rs 1.11 lakh crore places this episode among the most significant in the history of Indian capital markets,” he said.
Mukherjee pointed out that the main trigger for this selling has been rising geopolitical tensions in West Asia, which have increased global uncertainty.
He also highlighted other factors adding to the pressure.
“A weakening Indian Rupee, which breached the Rs 95 mark against the US Dollar, a sharp rise in crude oil prices and a broader global risk-off sentiment have all contributed to the outflows,” he said.
These factors have reduced returns for foreign investors and pushed them to move money out of Indian markets.
The impact of this sustained selling has been clearly visible in market performance. The Nifty 50 has corrected more than 15% from its peak over the last three months.
Since the start of the conflict on February 28, 2026, markets have seen five consecutive weeks of losses. Out of the total 15% decline in three months, more than 13% has come in just the last one month.
This period has seen one of the sharpest phases of risk aversion since the market turmoil during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.
With markets closed for two sessions this week, investors may get some relief from the ongoing volatility. However, the overall direction of the market will continue to depend on global developments, especially geopolitical tensions and movement in crude oil prices.
(Disclaimer: The views, opinions, recommendations, and suggestions expressed by experts/brokerages in this article are their own and do not reflect the views of the India Today Group. It is advisable to consult a qualified broker or financial advisor before making any actual investment or trading choices.)