The BSE has proposed to start a pre-open session for index and stock futures from Dec. 8, according to a notice on its website.
It said that the exchange already supports a pre-open session trading in the equity segment; now same message structures and field definitions will be applicable for Pre-Open Session trading in the Equity Derivatives Segment.
SEBI’s mandate and market integration
This was one of the step taken by Securities & Exchange Board of India in a circular dated May 29 to strengthen the equity derivatives framework. It had said pre-open session will be extended to current-month futures contracts on both single stocks and indices, mirroring the modalities of the cash market’s pre-open and post-closing sessions.
In the last five trading days before expiry, these sessions shall extend to next-month futures contracts as liquidity shifts from one expiry to the other on account of rollover of futures contracts, it added.
Implementation and transition plan for members
The BSE notice said that changes related to pre-open session in the Equity Derivatives Segment shall be made available for testing from October 06, 2025, in test (simulation) environment.
“Members and third-party front-end trading application vendors are requested to initiate changes in their respective applications and test the same in the test environment to ensure a smooth rollout,” it said.