As the preparations for the Union Budget 2025-26, which generally comes on February 1, are in full swing, all eyes are now on the official confirmation from the government about presenting the budget over the weekend this year.

There have been occasions in the past when the Union Budget was presented on Saturdays and the domestic stock markets were open.

On February 1, 2020, and February 28, 2015, the markets were open on Saturday due to the presentation of the Union Budget.

In a circular dated December 23, the National Stock Exchange (NSE), has already said that due to the presentation of the Union Budget, a special trading session has been kept for Saturday, February 1, 2025.

“On account of the presentation of the Union Budget, Exchange shall be conducting a live trading session on February 01, 2025, as per the standard market timings,” according to the circular.

The pre-open session will be from 9 a.m. to 9.08 a.m. After this, there will be a normal trading session from 9.15 a.m. to 3.30 p.m.

On February 1, 2024, the Nifty closed with a decline of 0.13 per cent during the presentation of the interim budget.

On the day of the full budget presented on July 23, 2024, after the Lok Sabha elections, the Nifty closed with a decline of 0.12 per cent.

Meanwhile, the government will continue its focus on improving quality spending, strengthening the social security net, and reducing the fiscal deficit to 4.5 per cent of the GDP in the financial year 2025-2026, according to a Finance Ministry statement.

FM Sitharaman is expected to continue with the government’s position of increasing expenditure on big-ticket infrastructure projects and social welfare schemes for the poor while keeping the fiscal deficit in check when she presents the Union Budget for 2025-26 in Parliament on February 1.