By VestAI Research | Last updated: March 2026
Circuit Breaker: Meaning, Definition & Indian Stock Market Examples
Automatic trading halt triggered when indices fall by 10%, 15%, or 20%.
What is Circuit Breaker?
Circuit breakers are automatic trading halts activated by SEBI when market indices fall by certain percentages. For Nifty 50/Sensex: a 10% decline triggers a 45-minute halt; 15% triggers a 2-hour halt; 20% triggers market closure for the day. Individual stocks also have price bands (5%, 10%, or 20%) beyond which they cannot trade.
Circuit Breaker — Indian Stock Market Example
On March 13, 2020 (COVID panic), Indian markets triggered circuit breakers with the Sensex crashing 2,900+ points. The lower circuit of ₹1 face value stocks is often 5%, while large-cap stocks have 20% circuits. F&O stocks have no individual circuit limits since they have futures for price discovery.
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What happens to F&O positions during a circuit breaker halt?
F&O markets may also halt along with equity markets during index circuit breakers. When markets reopen, F&O positions can show large MTM losses/gains. Margin calls may be triggered. NSE sends margin call notices during trading halts, and positions may be squared off if margins are not topped up before reopening.
What are stock-level circuit filters?
Individual stocks have price bands (5%, 10%, or 20%) set by exchanges. T2T (Trade-to-Trade) stocks (often small-caps under surveillance) have 5% circuits. Most liquid large-cap stocks have 20% circuit limits. Stocks under bulk/block deal activity can hit upper circuits (if demand exceeds supply at any price within the band).
Related Terms
Bear Market
A sustained period of falling asset prices — generally a 20%+ decline from recent highs.
Volatility
Degree of price fluctuation — measured by standard deviation or India VIX.
SEBI
Securities and Exchange Board of India — the market regulator for all securities in India.
Nifty 50
NSE's flagship index of the 50 largest Indian companies by free-float market cap.
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