Get ready for a significant update in India’s derivatives market! Starting September 1, 2025, the expiry days for weekly equity derivatives contracts on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) and the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) will be realigned. This strategic move, approved by SEBI and announced by both exchanges. If you’re involved in options or futures trading, understanding these changes is vital for your trading strategy.

What’s Changing? The New Expiry Schedule

The core of this change involves a swap of weekly expiry days between the two major exchanges:

  • National Stock Exchange (NSE): Weekly equity derivatives will now expire every Tuesday (previously Thursday).
  • Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE): Weekly derivatives will now expire every Thursday (previously Tuesday).

Key Transition Dates to Remember:

  • Existing Contracts: All contracts expiring on or before August 31, 2025, will continue to follow their current, pre-existing expiry schedules.
  • New Schedule Applies: The new expiry schedule will come into effect for contracts expiring on or after September 1, 2025.
  • Monthly Contracts: Effective September 1, 2025, NSE’s monthly contracts will expire on the last Tuesday of each month, while BSE’s will expire on the last Thursday.

Impact on Traders: Adapting Your Strategy

  1. Short-Term and Intraday Traders:
    • NSE (Tuesday Expiry): With NSE’s weekly expiry now on Tuesday, expect higher activity and potential volatility at the start of the week (Friday, Monday, and Tuesday) as traders build and adjust positions. This could create more intraday trading opportunities.
    • BSE (Thursday Expiry): Trading activity on BSE is expected to concentrate more in the latter half of the week. 

What Should You Do Now? Essential Steps for Traders

  • Verify Expiry Dates: Always double-check the exact expiry date of your derivative contracts, especially during the transition period around August and September 2025, to avoid any surprises.
  • Adjust Your Strategies: Review and update your existing trading and Options strategies to align with the new expiry days. This includes reassessing your entry and exit points, risk management, and capital allocation.

Conclusion

The shift in weekly derivatives expiry days on NSE and BSE represents a major move towards creating a more orderly and predictable derivatives market in India. By allocating separate expiry days to each exchange, SEBI aims to curb excessive market activity, mitigate concentration risk, and strengthen both investor confidence and overall market stability.