The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), also known as the Stock Exchange Mumbai, is one of the oldest exchanges in all of Asia, dating back to 1875 when it was known as the Native Share and Stock Brokers Association.
The exchange is home to about 5,133 listed companies, with a total market capitalization of around $2.25 trillion (USD) as of May 2020. The BSE is also one of the busiest stock exchanges in the world, currently ranking around number six in terms of annual transactions. The exchange has experienced explosive growth, with a four-fold increase in trading volume over 15 years (1998 - 2013).
Vision and Security of the BSE
The vision of the Bombay Stock Exchange is "Emerge as the premier Indian stock exchange by establishing global benchmarks." This means the exchange is thinking big in terms of customer service and trading activity. The market has not only experienced explosive growth in terms of trading volume, but also in terms of overall return to investors.
The BSE has averaged a 13.71% annual return when measured by Sensex, the most popular stock index in India, over the last 10 years (2008 - 2018). Other important indices originating from the Bombay exchange include the BSE 100, BSE 500, BSEPSU, BSEMIDCAP, BSESMLCAP, and BSEBANKEX.
Protecting the interests of investors dealing in securities is one of the primary objectives of the exchange, which provides this additional security by ensuring remedy of grievances, whether this is against member companies or member / brokers. Overall guidelines for the marketplace are established by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).
The Bombay Stock Exchange has a national reach in India, claiming a presence in 296 towns and cities throughout the country. The exchange is operated through a unique and proprietary computer system known as the "BSE On Line Trading System" or BOLT. The exchange has also received ISO 9001:2000 certification in the areas of surveillance and clearing / settlement functions.
Facts and Figures
The following are some of the facts and figures for the volume of trading that occur on the Bombay Stock Exchange:
As of May 2020, the average volume of business conducted on the BSE was approximately $8.0 billion each month.
The number of shares traded each month on the BSE averaged 28.1 million (YTD May 2020).
The total market capitalization for the 5,133 companies traded on the BSE is in the area of $2.25 trillion. All of the above dollar values are stated in USD.
Bombay Stock Exchange Holidays
The BSE's list of public holidays and trading holidays are different than those found in U.S.-based stock exchanges such as the NYSE EuroNext. The following table show the holidays that will be observed during the calendar years 2021 and 2020:
BSE Holiday Schedule 2021
Holiday | Date |
Republic Day | January 26, 2021 |
Mahashivratri | March 11,2021 |
Holi | March 29,2021 |
Good Friday | April 02,2021 |
Mahavir Jayanti | April 14,2021 |
Ram Navami | April 21, 2021 |
Id-Ul-Fitr (Ramzan Id) | May 13, 2021 |
Bakri Id | July 21, 2021 |
Muharram | August 19, 2021 |
Ganesh Chaturthi | September 10, 2021 |
Dussehra | October 15,2021 |
Diwali Laxmi Pujan | November 04, 2021 |
Diwali Balipratipada | November 05, 2021 |
Gurunanak Jayanti | November 19,2021 |
BSE Holiday Schedule 2020
Holiday | Date |
Maha Shivratri | February 21, 2020 |
Holi | March 9, 2020 |
Ram Navmi | April 2, 2020 |
Mahavir Jayanthi | April 6, 2020 |
Good Friday | April 10, 2020 |
May Day | May 1, 2020 |
Bakri Id | July 31, 2020 |
Ganesh Chaturthi | August 20,2020 |
Mahatma Gandhi Jayanthi | October 2, 2020 |
Diwali Laxmi Balipratipada | November 16, 2020 |
Christmas | December 25, 2020 |
Trading Hours / Session Timing
The following is a table of the session timing / hours of operation for trading that occurs on the BSE. These times apply to both the equities and derivatives markets. They also indicate the schedule for the start and finish of electronic trading sessions on the BSE.
BSE Hours of Operation
Beginning of the Day Session | 8:00 - 9:00 |
Login Session | 9:00 - 9:15 |
Trading Session | 9:15 - 15:30 |
Position Transfer Session | 15:30 - 15:50 |
Closing Session | 15:50 - 16:05 |
Option Exercise Session | 16:05 - 16:35 |
Margin Session | 16:35 - 16:50 |
Query Session | 16:50 - 17:35 |
End of Day Session | 17:35 |
The hours of operation for the BSE quoted above are stated in terms of the local time in Mumbai, India (also known as Bombay). This translates into a standard time zone UTC/GMT +5:30.
Additional Resources
- We live in a global economy; however, some of the largest stock markets in the world are located in the United States, and they do follow an American holiday schedule. There are currently nine holidays on which these stock markets are closed, as well as special rules that often indicate the early close of these exchanges.
Moneyzine EditorSeptember 21st, 2023 
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