With the Bharat Bandh scheduled for July 9 and an estimated participation of 25 crore workers, investors are questioning whether the strike will affect the operations of the Indian stock market.
However, trading on Indian financial markets, including the National Stock Exchange (NSE) and the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), will continue as usual on July 9, despite the bandh.
Follow live updates on Bharat Bandh today
The stock markets will operate on their regular schedule, opening at 9.15 am and closing at 3.30 pm.
Stock market holidays in 2025
As per the stock market holiday calendar for 2025, there are a total of 14 trading holidays, with seven already observed by the end of July. The next market closure is scheduled for August.
Here are the upcoming stock market holidays for the rest of the year:
Independence Day – August 15
Ganesh Chaturthi – August 27
{{/usCountry}}Ganesh Chaturthi – August 27
{{/usCountry}}Gandhi Jayanti/Dussehra – October 2
Diwali (Laxmi Pujan) – October 21
Balipratipada – October 22
Prakash Gurpurab (Sri Guru Nanak Dev Jayanti) – November 5
Christmas – December 25
Trump threatens steep tariffs on pharma imports
India’s equity benchmarks are likely to open flat on Wednesday, as investor sentiment remains cautious following fresh trade threats from US President Donald Trump, including steep tariffs on pharmaceutical imports – a major export area for India.
Trump, on Tuesday, proposed a 200% tariff on pharmaceutical imports, along with a 50% duty on copper and additional levies on semiconductors, further escalating global trade tensions and unsettling markets.
The US is India’s largest market for pharma exports, accounting for nearly one-third. According to Pharmexcil, a government-backed trade body, quoted by Bloomberg, India’s pharma exports grew 16% last fiscal year to roughly $9 billion.
As of 8:15 a.m. IST, Gift Nifty futures were trading at 25,586.5, suggesting that the Nifty 50 is set to open close to Monday’s closing level of 25,522.5.
In response to these developments, global markets showed signs of strain – key stock indices edged lower, while US copper prices surged to record highs.