MCX trading time is the window when you can buy and sell commodity futures and options on the Multi Commodity Exchange of India (MCX). Unlike the stock market, MCX stays open late into the night.
The exact hours depend on two things: the type of commodity you trade, and the time of year.
Quick answer (October 2026):
Non-agri commodities like crude oil, gold, silver and natural gas trade from 9:00 AM to 11:30 PM, Monday to Friday.
From November 2, 2026, the closing time for these commodities moves to 11:55 PM.
Cotton, cotton oil and kapas trade from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM.
All other agri commodities trade from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Take a look at each timing, why the closing time changes twice a year, and which hours are usually the most active.
MCX Trading Time at a Glance
MCX opens at 9:00 AM for every commodity. The closing time is what changes from one group to another.
Market trading happens from Monday to Friday. MCX stays closed on Saturdays, Sundays and declared trading holidays.
Morning and Evening Sessions
MCX splits its day into two sessions:
The morning session runs from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
The evening session runs from 5:00 PM to the closing time, which is 11:30 PM now and 11:55 PM from November 2, 2026.
This split matters on holidays. On many holidays, MCX closes the morning session but keeps the evening session open.
Intraday Square-Off Time
If you trade intraday, your broker will close your open positions before the market closes. Many brokers do this about 10 minutes before the close.
That means non-agri intraday positions are usually squared off around 11:20 PM now, and around 11:45 PM from November 2, 2026. Check your broker's exact cut-off time.
NSE Commodity Timings
NSE also has a commodity derivatives segment. Its commodity trading hours follow the same schedule, and both exchanges revise their hours on the same dates.
Why MCX Closing Time Changes Twice a Year
The MCX closing time changes because of daylight saving time (DST) in the United States. India does not follow DST, but the US does.
Prices of gold, silver, crude oil and natural gas are strongly linked to US markets. When US clocks move, MCX moves its closing time so Indian traders keep the same overlap with US trading hours.
This is how it works:
US daylight saving runs from the second Sunday of March to the first Sunday of November.
During this period, MCX closes non-agri commodities at 11:30 PM.
For the rest of the year, MCX closes non-agri commodities at 11:55 PM.
Only non-agri commodities are affected. The closing times for cotton, cotton oil, kapas and other agri commodities stay the same all year.
MCX announces each change through a circular a few weeks in advance. It is a good habit to check for this circular every February and September.
Commodity-Wise MCX Trading Time
All contracts of the same commodity follow the same hours. For example, Gold, Gold Mini, Gold Guinea and Gold Petal all trade at the same time.
Crude Oil Trading Time in India
Crude oil trades on MCX from 9:00 AM to 11:30 PM until October 30, 2026. From November 2, 2026, the crude oil closing time moves to 11:55 PM.
Crude oil usually sees its biggest price moves in the evening. This is when US oil markets are open and US oil data comes out.
Gold Trading Time in India
Gold trades on MCX from 9:00 AM to 11:30 PM, moving to 11:55 PM from November 2, 2026. Silver follows the same hours.
Gold prices react strongly to US economic data and the US dollar, so the evening hours tend to see bigger moves.
Natural Gas Trading Time
Natural gas follows the same schedule as crude oil: 9:00 AM to 11:30 PM now, and 9:00 AM to 11:55 PM from November 2, 2026.
Agri Commodity Timings
Cotton, cotton oil and kapas trade until 9:00 PM because their prices are linked to global markets. Other agri commodities close at 5:00 PM because their prices depend mostly on Indian supply and demand.
Is MCX Open Today?
MCX is open from Monday to Friday, except on declared trading holidays. It is always closed on Saturdays and Sundays.
MCX holidays work differently from NSE and BSE holidays. Because MCX has two sessions, a holiday can be one of two types:
On a full-day holiday, both the morning and evening sessions are closed.
On a partial holiday, the morning session is closed but the evening session opens at 5:00 PM.
Most MCX holidays are partial holidays. Global commodity markets keep trading during Indian festivals, so the evening session stays open to let traders manage their positions.
Remaining MCX Holidays in 2026
Muhurat trading is a special one-hour session held on Diwali. MCX announces its exact timing closer to the date.
How to Check If MCX Is Open Today
Check the day of the week. MCX does not trade on Saturdays or Sundays.
Check today's date against the MCX holiday list.
If today is a partial holiday, wait for the evening session to open at 5:00 PM.
Check whether you are trading a non-agri or agri commodity, since agri contracts may close before the evening session even starts.
Most Active Hours on MCX
For non-agri commodities, the evening is usually the busiest part of the MCX day. That is when US markets are open and most global price-moving news comes out.
The morning and early afternoon tend to be calmer for crude oil, gold and silver, since US markets are still closed.
Key US Events in Indian Time
These scheduled US events often cause sharp moves in MCX crude oil, natural gas and bullion:
The EIA reports can shift by a day when there is a US holiday in that week.
What This Means for Your Trading
Price moves and volume usually pick up after 6:00 PM, so stop losses can get hit faster during this time.
Spreads can widen for a few seconds right after major US data releases.
The last few minutes before the intraday square-off can be rushed, so plan your exits early.
Agri commodities that close at 5:00 PM do not trade during these evening hours at all.
Your chart time frame matters as much as the hour you trade. Read our guide on the best time frame for intraday trading to pick one that suits your style.
Trade MCX With a Clear Plan on AlgoTest
Knowing MCX trading time is the first step. Next, turn it into a clear plan: pick the session you will trade, set your entry and exit rules, and decide how much risk each position can take, keeping the square-off time in mind. Then forward test it with paper trading to see how it behaves in live sessions before you put real money behind it.
MCX is now live on AlgoTest. Here is what you can do:
You can execute MCX strategies on Crude Oil, Gold, Natural Gas and Silver, in both futures and options.
You can place MCX trades directly with ClickTrade.
You can run MCX through Zerodha today, and support for more brokers is coming soon.
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