What is the Timing for Intraday Trading? (2024)

An intraday trade has to open and closed on the same day. In the rolling settlement, if it is not closed on the same day, then it goes to compulsory delivery. Hence the timing for intraday trading is from 9.15 am to 3.30 pm daily in the Indian markets. To understand at what time intraday trading starts, you must be clear that intraday orders cannot be placed in the pre-market session. Only CNC orders are placed in the pre-open.

Timing for intraday trading?

Let us first look at the timing for intraday trading from a theoretical perspective. Then we will look at the ideal time to initiate and close intraday trades during the day.

Available time to trade in intraday

While intraday trading theoretically ends at 3.30 pm, you never get to trade till then. So, at what time does intraday trading ends? If you identify your order as an intraday trade then the broker will wait till about 3.15 pm and if the order is still open, then the broker risk management system will automatically close all open intraday positions at the market price. Effectively, you can place and close orders intraday from 9.15 till about 3.10 pm.

Ideal time frames during the day for intraday trading

Intraday trading is like a Catch-22 situation. You need volatility because that is when you get price movement. At the same time, too much volatility will mean that stop losses get triggered and movements are too random. Here is what you should do as an intraday trader in various trading timing blocks.

  • Trading on opening: This is normally the first 30 minutes to 35 minutes of trade. In the Indian context, it normally extends from 9.15 till about 9.45 and is also the time when the markets are volatile. That is because the overnight news and all other triggers get factored into prices in the first half-hour. Should intraday traders play in this frame? It is good if you’re a veteran intraday trader. Some of the seasoned traders use the early volatility to strike bargains, especially if there is a gap up or gap down opening. However, that is for seasoned traders. If you are just about to start intraday trading, you must wait out this volatile period.
  • Trading after volatility subsides: This is the post-opening phase and normally extends from 10 am to around 11.30 am. This is normally the time when prices have settled, the direction of the market is set and even indices have stabilized. Now is the time for opportunities and it is in this phase that your charts, patterns, and news flows will work in the case of an intraday trade. Make the best of this phase.
  • The third phase between 12 noon and 2.30 is normally the more relaxed period of the markets. Here the focus is more on any specific events or news flow like global data flows, the opening of Dow futures, closing of trade in Asian markets, and actual opening of European markets. This is a period you trade only if you have a story or close your positions if you get your price targets.
  • Finally, we come to the last hour of trading extend from 2.30 pm till the close of trade at 3.30 pm. Here your time frame is restricted to just one hour so opening fresh positions is risky. The only exception is when you trade the last hour on F&O expiry based on roll-over data. This is the time to plan your position closure and always do it well before 3.15 pm so that your broker does not force close the position through RMS.

Stock market timing in India

In India, stock market timings extend from 9.00 am to 3.30 pm. There is a pre-open session from 9.00 am to 9.08 am when CNC orders can be placed and this phase is used for price discovery. Here orders are matched in bulk at 9.15 and not on a real-time basis. The normal real-time trading starts at 9.15 am each day.

Trade closes at 3.30 pm but there is a post-close session available after that where the contract price will be the closing price of the day. This window sees limited volumes.

How to start trading in India

You start trading in India but open your trading and Demat account and ensure that your online account is activated. It is always better to start with small trades and get comfortable with the trading process flow.


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Frequently Asked Questions Expand All

1. When is auto square off triggered

Auto square off is triggered if the intraday position is not closed out by the trader before 3.15 pm. Auto square normally runs between 3.15 pm and 3.20 pm.

2. What are best timings for trade

There is nothing like that. Normally, intraday traders prefer to start trading from around 10.00 am once the volatility has settled.

3. Can I place an order after close

There is a post-close session where such CNC orders can be placed for execution at closing price.

4. Can I trade in pre-opening session

You can trade in pre-open but only for delivery in CNC mode.

What is the Timing for Intraday Trading? (2024)

FAQs

What is the Timing for Intraday Trading? ›

As intraday trading involves settling trades on the same day, its timing is the same as that of the stock market, i.e., from 9:15 am to 3:30 pm (Monday to Friday), barring Saturdays, Sundays and other designated market holidays.

Which time zone is best for intraday trading? ›

Much research has suggested that the best time frame for intraday trading is from 9:30 a.m. to 2.30 p.m. but for the safer side you should start after 10 am as the initial volatility has subsided, this timeframe presents the ideal opportunity for placing intraday transactions and intraday closing.

What is the best chart time frame for intraday trading? ›

For day trading, 15-minute charts and 30-minute charts are the offer optimal results. Day traders who use indicators in their day trading strategy can use a 15-minute or lower time frame. In the case of price action-based trading, a combination of the 15-minute and 30-minute time frames proves to be highly effective.

What is the 11am rule in trading? ›

It is not a hard and fast rule, but rather a guideline that has been observed by many traders over the years. The logic behind this rule is that if the market has not reversed by 11 am EST, it is less likely to experience a significant trend reversal during the remainder of the trading day.

What is the 3.30 strategy in trading? ›

It involves buying or selling options at 3:30 pm , which is the last half hour of the trading day . This strategy is based on the theory that there is usually a surge in trading activity during this time , leading to potentially profitable price movements .

At what time should I buy in intraday? ›

The ideal time for intraday trading, according to stock market analysts, is between 10.15 a.m. and 2.30 p.m. This is because by 10.00 a.m. to 10.15 a.m., morning stock volatility has subsided. As a result, it is the ideal opportunity to place an intraday transaction.

What is the 10 am rule in stock trading? ›

Traders that follow the 10 a.m. rule think a stock's price trajectory is relatively set for the day by the end of that half-hour. For example, if a stock closed at $40 the previous day, opened at $42 the next, and reached $43 by 10 a.m., this would indicate that the stock is likely to remain above $42 by market close.

What is the 15 minute rule in day trading? ›

Here is how. Let the index/stock trade for the first fifteen minutes and then use the high and low of this “fifteen minute range” as support and resistance levels. A buy signal is given when price exceeds the high of the 15 minute range after an up gap.

Which indicator is best for intraday trading? ›

The popular choices include,
  • Moving Average Line.
  • Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD)
  • Relative Strength Index (RSI)
  • On-Balance-Volume (OBV)
  • Bollinger Bands.
  • Supertrend Indicator.
  • Advanced-Decline Line.

What time should I hold intraday trading? ›

Hence, the timing for intraday trading is from 9.15 am to 3.30 pm on a daily basis in the Indian markets. To understand at what time intraday trading starts, you must be clear that intraday orders cannot be placed in the pre-market session.

What is the 357 rule in trading? ›

What is the 3 5 7 rule in trading? A risk management principle known as the “3-5-7” rule in trading advises diversifying one's financial holdings to reduce risk. The 3% rule states that you should never risk more than 3% of your whole trading capital on a single deal.

What is the 5 minute rule in trading? ›

If a stock opens close to the stop but not below it and trades down through the stop within the first 5 minutes of trade, then we use the “5 minute rule”. Again, we are not out of the position on the original stop, but rather will let the stock trade for a full 5 minutes (until 9:35am EST) before taking any action.

What are good trading hours? ›

The opening period (9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Eastern Time) is often one of the best hours of the day for day trading, offering the biggest moves in the shortest amount of time. A lot of professional day traders stop trading around 11:30 a.m. because that is when volatility and volume tend to taper off.

What is the 5 3 1 rule in trading? ›

The 5-3-1 strategy is especially helpful for new traders who may be overwhelmed by the dozens of currency pairs available and the 24-7 nature of the market. The numbers five, three, and one stand for: Five currency pairs to learn and trade. Three strategies to become an expert on and use with your trades.

What is the most profitable trading strategy of all time? ›

One of the ways beginners can implement the most profitable trading strategies effectively is by embracing the buy-and-hold strategy. This involves researching companies with solid fundamentals and stable earnings, then holding their stocks for a long time without being swayed by short-term market fluctuations.

What is the best time zone for trading? ›

The U.S./London markets overlap (8 a.m. to noon EST) has the heaviest volume of trading and is best for trading opportunities. The Sydney/Tokyo markets overlap (2 a.m. to 4 a.m.) is not as volatile as the U.S./London overlap, but it still offers opportunities.

What time frames to use for intraday trading? ›

15-minute chart: It is a popular type of intraday time frame which tends to balance capturing short term moves with filtering out noise. Key support/resistance and trend signals can be seen clearly. 30-minute chart: This chart is suitable for swing trading; less noise than lower time frames.

What time is best for day trading? ›

The opening period (9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Eastern Time) is often one of the best hours of the day for day trading, offering the biggest moves in the shortest amount of time. A lot of professional day traders stop trading around 11:30 a.m. because that is when volatility and volume tend to taper off.

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