Post-Closing Session
A short window after the main session in which orders execute at the day's official closing price rather than at a negotiated one.
How it is identified
Test: all trades in the window execute at the previously determined closing price, with no price discovery
Unit
qualitative
In depth
The post-close window, which runs from 15:40 to 16:00 on Indian equity exchanges, exists so that participants who must transact at the official close — index funds, some institutional mandates — can do so without disturbing that price. No price discovery happens here: the price is already fixed, and only quantity is uncertain. Because there is no price competition, execution depends entirely on whether a counterparty appears. Retail traders rarely need it, and mistaking it for extended trading hours is a common error.
Worked example
The closing price is set at ₹307.50 by the last-half-hour VWAP. An index fund places a buy in the post-close window and fills at exactly ₹307.50 if a seller is present — no better, no worse, whatever the news.
Illustrative figures, chosen so the arithmetic is easy to follow. Not a live price and not a valuation of any company.
Educational reference only
This entry explains what “Post-Closing Session” means. It is not investment advice and not a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Any numbers above are illustrative, not live prices, and nothing here predicts price direction or rates a stock. Consider your own circumstances and consult a SEBI-registered investment adviser before acting.