Zerodha MCX trading hours
Zerodha MCX trading hours are the session hours for commodity contracts on the Multi Commodity Exchange accessible via Kite . MCX has both a morning and an evening session, with the evening reflecting international commodity-market hours.
Session timings
| Session | Time (IST) | Commodities |
|---|---|---|
| Morning | 09:00 to 17:00 | All MCX commodities |
| Evening | 17:00 to 23:30 (23:55 on DST-shifted days) | Gold, silver, energy, base metals (international reference) |
The morning session covers all commodities. The evening extends only for bullion, energy, and base metals; agri commodities trade only in the morning.
Why the evening session
The evening session aligns with active international commodity-market hours:
- NYMEX (New York Mercantile Exchange): trades NYC time.
- COMEX (Commodity Exchange): same.
- LME (London Metal Exchange): London hours.
By extending into the IST evening, MCX captures price discovery during these international sessions, particularly important for:
- Gold (international price linked).
- Silver (same).
- Crude oil (NYMEX WTI reference).
- Natural gas (NYMEX reference).
- Base metals (LME / COMEX reference).
DST adjustments
US Daylight Saving Time (DST) starts and ends shift the international session hours. MCX adjusts its evening-session end-time accordingly:
- US DST in effect (March-October typically): MCX evening ends 23:30 IST.
- US DST not in effect (November-March typically): MCX evening ends 23:55 IST (extending to capture the later international close).
Check the MCX trading hours notification for current details.
Agri-commodity exception
Agri commodities (cotton, mentha oil, castor, cardamom, etc.) trade only in the morning session:
- Active hours: 09:00 to 17:00.
- Evening: Closed.
This reflects the agri-market reality (no late-evening international price reference).
Holidays
MCX follows the broader Indian exchange holiday calendar with some commodity-specific adjustments:
- Most major Indian holidays close MCX.
- Some commodity-specific events (e.g., USDA reports, OPEC meetings) may affect liquidity but not session timings.
- Muhurat trading on Diwali typically includes an MCX special session.
See Zerodha holiday list 2026 for the full calendar.
Settlement
MCX uses daily MTM (mark-to-market) settlement during the session:
- Profits credit; losses debit.
- Margin requirements update continuously.
- On expiry day, final settlement happens at the contract’s last traded price or settlement price.
For physical-settlement-eligible contracts (gold mini, silver mini, etc.), expiry-day delivery flow follows MCX’s clearing process.
Margin
SPAN + Exposure margin is required for all MCX positions. For MCX gold and other high-notional commodities, margins can be substantial.
Pledge-based collateral can fund MCX margin like F&O margin (subject to the 50:50 cash component rule).
From Zerodha Kite
For Zerodha clients with the commodity segment active:
- MCX contracts appear with the MCX exchange tag in the marketwatch.
- Orders placed during 09:00 to 17:00 (or to 23:30 / 23:55 for eligible commodities) execute normally.
- Outside session, orders queue for next session.
For adding contracts: How to add MCX F&O to the marketwatch .
Effect of weekend on positions
NRML MCX positions held over the weekend incur 2-3 days of theta (time decay for options) and price-action exposure (futures). Plan position size accordingly.
Liquidity by time of day
| Time | Typical activity |
|---|---|
| 09:00 to 10:30 (morning open) | Moderate; Indian retail flow |
| 10:30 to 17:00 (morning continuous) | Mid; institutional + retail |
| 17:00 to 22:00 (early evening) | Higher; international flow joins |
| 22:00 to 23:30 (late evening) | Variable; US-driven flow |
For most active retail strategies, the morning session is the primary window; the evening session adds liquidity for international-linked contracts.
See also
- Zerodha market timings
- Zerodha holiday list 2026
- Zerodha Muhurat trading 2026
- Zerodha pre-market session timings
- BSE Sensex options trading hours
- Zerodha currency segment timings
- Commodity info widget on the Kite marketwatch
- How to add MCX F&O to the marketwatch
- How to add F&O contracts to the marketwatch
- How to add scrips to the Kite marketwatch
- Settlement cycle changes 2025-26
- MCX (Multi Commodity Exchange)
- Gold futures on MCX
- Silver futures on MCX
- Crude oil futures on MCX
- Natural gas futures on MCX
- Base metals on MCX
- Agri commodities on MCX
- Commodity transaction tax
- SPAN and exposure margin on Kite
- Margin required on order window
- 50:50 cash collateral rule explained
- Margin available / used / cash on Kite funds
- Kite Positions tab explained
- Futures and options
- Kite (Zerodha)
- Zerodha
External references
References
- MCX India, Trading hours by segment and commodity, mcxindia.com.
- SEBI, Commodity derivatives segment regulations, sebi.gov.in.
- Zerodha Support, MCX trading hours on Kite, support.zerodha.com.