when is stock market open and close?

This guide answers when is stock market open and close for U.S. equities, explains regular and extended trading hours, holiday and early-close schedules, time‑zone conversions, broker rules for aft...

2025-08-24 04:21:00

By Alex Carter

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Stock market hours — when is the stock market open and closed

Quick answer: In the United States, the main equity exchanges (NYSE and Nasdaq) run a core trading session from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET), Monday through Friday, with weekends closed. Pre‑market and after‑hours (extended) sessions are available on many venues and through many brokers, and holiday/early‑close schedules apply. This guide explains in detail when is stock market open and close and what that means for traders and investors.

Why this matters

Knowing when is stock market open and close matters for timing orders, understanding liquidity and volatility, planning news‑driven trades, and coordinating across time zones. It also clarifies how stock trading differs from cryptocurrency markets, which operate 24/7. Read on for conversion examples, exchange specifics, holiday rules, extended‑hours risks, and practical checks you can use right now.

Overview of regular trading hours (U.S.)

The U.S. core equities session is the most commonly referenced schedule when people ask when is stock market open and close. Key facts:

Core (regular) trading hours for the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and Nasdaq Stock Market are 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET), Monday through Friday.
Markets are closed on Saturdays and Sundays unless a special corporate or exchange event is announced (rare).
Most major indexes and the bulk of daily volume concentrate inside the 9:30–16:00 ET window.

When is stock market open and close should be interpreted as the core session above for most retail activity, but extended sessions and venue rules expand where orders may be accepted outside that window.

Exchange‑specific schedules

Different exchanged venues and matching engines can have unique system hours, auction mechanics, and extended trading windows. Below are the most relevant details.

New York Stock Exchange (NYSE)

Core session: 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET.
Pre‑opening/auction mechanics: NYSE runs a pre‑opening process that builds the opening auction at 9:30 a.m. ET; order entry on certain NYSE functions may be allowed earlier in the morning for participants to queue and for opening imbalance calculations.
System order entry: NYSE publishes system hours and pre‑open entry windows; historically, some NYSE order entry processes allow activity well before the core session (for example, early order entry windows and information feeds beginning in the early morning). Check the NYSE official trading hours and notices for precise system times.

When is stock market open and close on the NYSE therefore primarily means 9:30–16:00 ET, but the exchange’s auctions and opening processes are important for execution quality at the open.

Nasdaq Stock Market

Core session: 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET.
Extended/system hours: Nasdaq’s systems often accept pre‑market order entry much earlier (commonly from 4:00 a.m. ET) and after‑hours trading can run up to 8:00 p.m. ET on many platforms. Note that system hours (when orders can be entered) are not identical to continuous tradable hours or lit market liquidity.
Opening and closing auctions coordinate price discovery at 9:30 a.m. ET and 4:00 p.m. ET respectively.

NYSE Arca, NYSE American, NYSE National, NYSE Texas (and other venue variants)

Several exchange affiliates and regional venues operate with variant system hours and auction designs. For example, some NYSE‑branded venues accept early queued orders for auctions from the very early morning (e.g., order entry windows that feed early open auctions at or around 4:00 a.m. ET) and support later trading windows into the evening (commonly until 8:00 p.m. ET) through electronic order books.
These venue differences rarely affect retail experience materially during the core session but do matter in extended hours and for order routing decisions.

When is stock market open and close for a given ticker can therefore depend on which venue executes the trade when outside the core 9:30–16:00 ET period.

Extended‑hours trading (pre‑market and after‑hours)

Extended hours let participants trade outside the 9:30–16:00 ET core window. Typical ranges seen across brokers and venues:

Pre‑market (common): ~4:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. ET.
After‑hours (common): ~4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET.

Important points:

Availability: Not all brokers or trading platforms permit trading across the entire extended hours window. If you want to trade outside regular hours, confirm whether your broker supports it (Bitget products supporting U.S. equities services or related connectivity should be checked for availability and permissions where applicable).
Order types: Many brokers restrict the order types allowed in extended hours. Market orders are often disabled; limit orders are typically required.
Liquidity and spreads: Extended sessions have lower liquidity and wider spreads, increasing execution risk and price impact.

When is stock market open and close in practical terms for many retail traders? For active news trading or earnings reactions, extended hours matter because meaningful price moves often occur before 9:30 a.m. ET or after 4:00 p.m. ET.

Holidays, market closures and early closes

U.S. equity exchanges observe a set of market holidays and may designate early‑close days. Commonly observed holidays include:

New Year’s Day
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Washington’s Birthday / Presidents’ Day
Good Friday
Memorial Day
Juneteenth National Independence Day
Independence Day (4th of July)
Labor Day
Thanksgiving Day
Christmas Day

Notes on holiday handling:

Dates shift annually; when a holiday falls on a weekend an alternate observed date may be used (exchanges publish the exact calendar each year).
Early closes: Some days (commonly the day after Thanksgiving and certain holiday eves) feature an early close—many years the equity market closes at 1:00 p.m. ET on those days. Exchanges publish early‑close notices.
Partial session rules: Pre‑market and after‑hours hours may be curtailed on early‑close days.

How are these schedules published and updated? See the next section.

How holiday schedules are published and updated

Official exchange calendars: NYSE and Nasdaq publish annual trading calendars, holiday schedules, and special notices on their official pages.
Broker notifications: Many brokers send notices ahead of holiday trading to explain any changes to order routing or processing.
Financial news and calendar services: Financial websites and trading platforms summarize exchange notices but always cross‑check with official exchange statements for accuracy.

When is stock market open and close around holidays? Always confirm the current year’s calendar on the exchange web pages or via your broker before planning sensitive trades.

Time zones, daylight saving time and converting trading hours

U.S. exchange hours are quoted in Eastern Time (ET). ET alternates between Eastern Standard Time (EST, UTC‑5) and Eastern Daylight Time (EDT, UTC‑4) depending on Daylight Saving Time (DST).

Common conversions for the core session (9:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. ET):

Pacific Time (PT / Los Angeles): 6:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m. PT (during DST: 6:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m. PDT)
Central European Time (CET, standard): 15:30–22:00 CET (during European DST shifts may differ)
Coordinated Universal Time (UTC): 14:30–21:00 UTC (when ET = UTC‑5); during EDT (UTC‑4) the core session is 13:30–20:00 UTC
India Standard Time (IST): 19:00–1:30 IST (next day) when ET is EDT (typical DST overlap); convert carefully around DST changes.

DST effect:

U.S. DST rules differ from some other regions. When clocks shift in March and November, local conversions change; some international markets may change DST on different dates. Always verify by date for precise conversions.

Practical tip: Use a reliable time converter or set your trading platform to show ET and your local time simultaneously to avoid errors when scheduling orders or following earnings releases.

When is stock market open and close in your local clock depends on whether ET is observing standard or daylight time on that date.

Trading when the exchange is closed — order types and broker rules

If the exchange is closed, you still have options:

Place limit orders to execute when the market reopens. Limit orders specify a maximum buy price or minimum sell price and will be queued until execution or cancellation.
Use supported extended‑hours trading if your broker provides access and you accept extended‑hours risks.
Some brokers accept Good‑til‑Canceled (GTC) or day orders that will remain pending through the next session(s).

Common restrictions and risks:

Market orders: Often unavailable outside regular hours and may execute at unfavorable prices if they are allowed.
Partial fills, wide spreads, and flash moves are more likely outside 9:30–16:00 ET.
Price discovery may be thin; news can produce large price gaps at the open.

When is stock market open and close in relation to order handling? Orders placed while the exchange is closed do not trade until the venue opens or until they match in an extended session (if so enabled).

Market system hours vs. tradable hours vs. auction windows

It's important to distinguish these concepts because they affect order behavior and expected execution:

System hours: Time windows when an exchange’s systems are technically available to accept order entry, quotes, or routing. System hours can start early (e.g., 2:30 a.m.–6:30 a.m. ET for some venues) and end late.
Tradable (continuous) hours: When live matching and trade execution occurs on the order book (e.g., the core 9:30–16:00 ET session and some extended windows).
Auction windows: Discrete events like the opening auction around 9:30 a.m. ET and the closing auction at 4:00 p.m. ET that concentrate liquidity and set opening/closing prices.

Examples:

Opening auction: Orders collected in pre‑market and imbalance information released to support a single opening price at 9:30 a.m. ET.
Closing auction: A key liquidity moment at 4:00 p.m. ET where many index and mutual fund flows settle.

When is stock market open and close should be interpreted with awareness of auctions—especially if you rely on opening or closing prints for portfolio valuation or index rebalances.

Differences vs. cryptocurrency markets

Crypto: Major cryptocurrency markets operate 24/7/365 with continuous order books and no official exchange‑level holidays. Price discovery is continuous.
Stocks: U.S. equities have an official open and close (primary reference: 9:30–16:00 ET) with holidays and discrete auction events.

Practical implications:

News and reaction timing: Crypto markets can price in events immediately; equities may gap at the open if news breaks while exchanges are closed.
Liquidity profiles differ; crypto liquidity may vary by time of day but never fully stops.

If you ask when is stock market open and close vs crypto, the short distinction is: stocks are time‑boxed, crypto is continuous.

How to check if the market is open today

Use these authoritative and practical sources:

Exchange official pages: NYSE and Nasdaq publish real‑time notices and holiday calendars.
Brokerage platforms: Most broker home pages indicate market status (open, closed, pre‑market) in real time.
Financial news sites: Services like Fidelity, Yahoo Finance, and major financial networks list market hours and holiday alerts.
APIs & market status feeds: For programmatic checks use exchange or market data APIs that provide session state.

When is stock market open and close for your application? Always query an authoritative, time‑stamped source (exchange feed or your broker) for mission‑critical needs.

Practical examples and common conversions

Core U.S. session: 9:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. ET converted to common time zones (note DST shifts):

Pacific Time (PT): 6:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m. PT
Central Time (CT): 8:30 a.m.–3:00 p.m. CT
Greenwich Mean Time (GMT/UTC): 13:30–20:00 UTC (during EDT, core session is 13:30–20:00 UTC; during EST it is 14:30–21:00 UTC)
Central European Time (CET): 14:30–21:00 CET (adjust for DST)
India Standard Time (IST): 7:00 p.m.–1:30 a.m. IST (next day) when ET is on daylight time

Example for an earnings release at 8:30 a.m. ET: Many retail traders ask when is stock market open and close relative to pre‑market moves. An 8:30 a.m. ET release is within pre‑market; expect price reactions possibly in the pre‑market session with further activity at the 9:30 a.m. ET open.

Risks and considerations for trading outside core hours

Main concerns:

Lower liquidity and larger spreads increase execution cost.
Price discovery is weaker—single large orders can move price sharply.
News can cause large gaps between the previous close and the open.
Some order types and protections are not available in extended hours.

Why institutions and some active traders use extended hours despite risks: they act on news (earnings, macro releases) that occur outside the core window, or they need to hedge risk before the open. Retail traders should understand the trade‑offs before participating.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Q: Is the market open on federal holidays?

A: Exchanges publish the holiday schedule each year. Many major U.S. federal holidays are observed by the NYSE and Nasdaq, but exact dates and early close rules vary by year; check the exchange calendar.

Q: Can I place a market order after hours?

A: Most brokers disallow market orders in extended hours. Limit orders are typically required to protect against extreme movement and poor liquidity.

Q: When do earnings‑driven moves occur — during extended hours or regular session?

A: Many companies release earnings before the open or after the close. Initial moves can occur in extended hours; the largest volume and many institutional reactions often happen during the core 9:30–16:00 ET session, which may amplify or reverse extended‑hours moves.

Q: When is stock market open and close if I’m outside the U.S.?

A: The standard reference is ET. Convert using your local time zone and account for DST differences. Use a reliable time converter or set your trading platform clock to ET to avoid mistakes.

Reference market context (dated report)

As of Dec. 26, 2025, according to financial market reports, precious metals staged large rallies—gold reached new highs and silver posted outsized gains—illustrating that major price moves can occur both in regular sessions and in response to macro developments reported outside trading hours. This underscores the practical importance of knowing when is stock market open and close, because the timing of central bank announcements, monetary policy dissents, and other macro news can drive volatile price action at open or during extended sessions. (Reporting date: Dec. 26, 2025.)

Note: This paragraph cites a market snapshot to provide context on how macro moves can affect trading sessions. It is informational and not investment advice.

Practical checklist: What to do right now

If you trade around news, set alerts for company announcements and confirm whether your broker supports pre‑market or after‑hours executions.
Use limit orders outside regular hours and size positions conservatively to reduce execution risk.
For international traders, convert ET to your local time and watch DST transition dates.
Check exchange calendars before holiday weekends and planned early closes.
Consider Bitget products and Bitget Wallet for Web3 custody and market access where applicable; verify local availability, supported instruments, and trading hours with Bitget customer information.

Additional resources and tools

Exchange official calendars (NYSE, Nasdaq) for definitive trading hours and holiday schedules.
Broker platform status pages and notifications for real‑time market state.
Market data feeds and APIs for automated checks and programmatic trading status queries.

Final notes and next steps

Knowing when is stock market open and close is fundamental for orderly trading and risk control. The core U.S. session (9:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. ET) is the baseline; extended sessions, auction events, holidays, and system hour nuances add complexity. For reliable, up‑to‑date information always consult exchange calendars and your broker. To explore practical trading and custody options, check what Bitget offers in your region and how Bitget Wallet can fit into your overall trading workflow.

Want more detail? If you’d like a downloadable time‑zone conversion table, a yearly exchange holiday list for 2026, or a step‑by‑step guide to checking market status via broker APIs, say which one and I’ll expand that section.

The content above has been sourced from the internet and generated using AI. For high-quality content, please visit Bitget Academy.