Important Update: MCX Trading Hours Revised from November 3, 2025 to March 6, 2026 – What Traders Need to Know
By CapitalKeeper | Commodity | Indian Equities | Market Moves That Matter
The Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) has announced revised trading hours effective from November 3, 2025 to March 6, 2026. Learn how these changes affect commodity trading in India, key market timings, and what traders should do to adapt.
📰 Important Update: Revision in MCX Trading Hours from November 3, 2025 to March 6, 2026
The Multi Commodity Exchange of India (MCX), the country’s largest commodity derivatives exchange, has officially announced a change in trading hours effective from November 3, 2025 to March 6, 2026. This biannual adjustment coincides with global seasonal time shifts and ensures alignment with international commodity markets such as those in London and New York.
This update is particularly relevant for traders in crude oil, natural gas, gold, silver, and base metals, which are globally traded instruments with extended evening sessions.
In this blog, we break down the new MCX trading schedule, its rationale, implications for traders, and how to adjust your trading strategy to make the most of the time shift.
🕒 Revised MCX Trading Hours (Effective November 3, 2025 – March 6, 2026)
According to MCX’s latest circular, the new trading hours are as follows:
1. Agri Commodities:
- Morning Session: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (no change)
2. Non-Agri Commodities (Metals, Energy, Bullion):
- Morning to Evening Session: 9:00 AM – 11:30 PM
📝 Note: The evening session has been shortened by 30 minutes due to the shift in Daylight Saving Time (DST) in the U.S. and Europe.
This change will remain in effect until March 6, 2026, after which normal trading hours will resume.
🌍 Why MCX Revises Trading Hours Twice a Year
The MCX adjusts its trading hours in sync with international markets, especially the London Metal Exchange (LME) and the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX). Since global markets operate under different daylight saving regimes, time differences between India and these hubs change twice a year.
For example:
- When the U.S. and Europe end daylight saving, their markets close earlier (Indian Standard Time).
- To maintain overlap and liquidity, MCX reduces its evening session accordingly.
This alignment ensures Indian traders have access to real-time global price movements, allowing fair price discovery and better hedging.
💡 Impact on Traders
1. Shorter Evening Window
Traders dealing in energy and metals will have 30 minutes less of live market access in the evening. This affects:
- Crude Oil & Natural Gas trades linked to NYMEX.
- Gold & Silver trades influenced by COMEX movements.
- Copper, Zinc, Nickel linked to LME prices.
2. Reduced Volatility Near Closing
The last half-hour often witnesses high volatility as traders square off positions based on U.S. opening cues. With the shortened window, this volatility may compress into a smaller timeframe demanding faster decisions.
3. Shift in Strategy for Intraday Traders
Commodity scalpers and intraday traders must recalibrate their timing, focusing on early evening trades (post 7:00 PM IST) when U.S. markets open and liquidity spikes.
4. Position Traders Remain Unaffected
For long-term or positional traders, the impact remains marginal. However, they must stay aware of early market reactions to international price changes.
📊 Historical Context: MCX Timing Adjustments
MCX has been following a biannual time revision policy since 2010. Historically:
- During November–March, trading closes at 11:30 PM.
- During March–November, it extends to 11:55 PM.
This structure has become part of India’s commodity market rhythm, ensuring synchronization with global bourses while maintaining domestic trading stability.
🔍 How to Adapt Your Trading Strategy
- Adjust Watchlist Timings:
- Shift focus to U.S. pre-market hours (7:00 PM – 10:30 PM IST), when volatility spikes in crude, gold, and silver.
- Use Alerts & Auto-Trading Tools:
- Set up alerts on MCX broker platforms like Zerodha, Angel One, or Dhan to notify price triggers earlier in the evening.
- Tighten Stop-Losses:
- With a compressed closing window, intraday traders must avoid holding positions close to 11:30 PM without protective stops.
- Stay Aligned with Global News:
- Events like U.S. inventory data (EIA report), FOMC statements, or geopolitical tensions will influence evening trades earlier than usual.
- Plan for Liquidity Drops:
- Expect thinner volumes post 11:00 PM; exit trades early to avoid slippage.
⚙️ MCX Commodities Most Impacted by New Timings
| Commodity | Current Global Link | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Crude Oil (MCX:CRUDEOIL) | NYMEX WTI | High |
| Natural Gas (MCX:NATGAS) | NYMEX | High |
| Gold (MCX:GOLD) | COMEX | Moderate |
| Silver (MCX:SILVER) | COMEX | Moderate |
| Copper, Zinc, Nickel | LME | Moderate |
| Cotton, Mentha Oil | Domestic | Minimal |
🧭 Trader’s Checklist for the Revised MCX Hours
✅ Confirm your broker’s updated session timings.
✅ Reconfigure trading bots or algorithm scripts to stop at 11:30 PM.
✅ Reassess your stop-loss and target levels.
✅ Avoid new high-risk trades post 11:00 PM.
✅ Follow live U.S. commodity futures on investing.com or Bloomberg.
📅 Timeline of the Change
- New Timings Start: November 3, 2025
- End of Revised Session: March 6, 2026
- Normal Trading Resumes: March 7, 2026 (11:55 PM close)
MCX will revert to longer trading hours once global markets shift back to daylight saving schedules in March.
🧠 Final Thoughts
While this MCX trading hour revision is routine, it has practical implications for active traders. A shorter evening session compresses volatility, liquidity, and opportunity demanding sharper timing and discipline.
For investors and hedgers, it’s a reminder of how global time zone shifts affect domestic markets. Aligning your strategy with these timings can help avoid unnecessary exposure and maintain trading efficiency.
As India’s commodity markets evolve, adaptability remains a trader’s greatest edge. The November-to-March cycle brings both challenge and opportunity it’s time to trade smarter, not harder.
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💬 Conclusion
The upcoming revision in MCX trading hours is more than a calendar adjustment it reflects India’s integration with global commodities. For traders, understanding when to trade is as critical as knowing what to trade. By staying informed and adapting early, you can turn this seasonal change into a strategic advantage.
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Ranjit Sahoo
Founder & Chief Editor – CapitalKeeper.in
Ranjit Sahoo is the visionary behind CapitalKeeper.in, a leading platform for real-time market insights, technical analysis, and investment strategies. With a strong focus on Nifty, Bank Nifty, sector trends, and commodities, she delivers in-depth research that helps traders and investors make informed decisions.
Passionate about financial literacy, Ranjit blends technical precision with market storytelling, ensuring even complex concepts are accessible to readers of all levels. Her work covers pre-market analysis, intraday strategies, thematic investing, and long-term portfolio trends.
When he’s not decoding charts, Ranjit enjoys exploring coastal getaways and keeping an eye on emerging business themes.
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