Time is everything in the stock market. Whether you consider yourself an experienced investor or you’re just testing the waters of trading and investing, knowledge of market hours is an important component of your financial journey. But what are stock market hours, and why do they matter?
This post will guide you through the need-to-know facts about stock market opening and closing times, why they vary around the world, and dates when the markets are closed, including holidays. It’s all beginners and growers need to know in order to keep their trades on time and profitable.
Stock Market Basics
Before we get to closing times, it’s also helpful to remember how stock markets work in general. The stock market is a place where investors go to buy and sell shares of publicly traded companies, sometimes during official trading hours in the “open outcry” market, and sometimes during the after-hours trading session in electronic markets.
Trading hours are established to ensure order and fairness, although the majority of it occurs during regular hours, trading before and after hours is also becoming increasingly common. But after-hours activity tends to be less liquid, so prices can be more volatile.
Regular Trading Hours
U.S. Stock Market Hours
The US has two primary stock exchanges — it’s the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the NASDAQ — and they’re both open at the same time.
- Start time: 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time (ET)
- Close time: 4:00 pm ET
Trading after hours on both exchanges goes until 4 p.m. Through 8 p.m. ET, but with much less participation, moves can be pronounced.
Global Stock Markets
If you are already investing outside of the United States, you should keep other global time zones in mind. Each stock exchange has its standard business hours. Stock markets around the world—here is what the trading hours look like for major stock exchanges around the world (all times local):
- London Stock Exchange (LSE):
8:00 AM to 4:30 PM (GMT) - Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE):
9:00～11:30／12:30 ～15:00時（日本時間） - Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX):
9:30 A.M. to 12 P.M. and 1 P.M. to 4 P.M. - Canadian Stock Market (TSX):
9:30 AM to 4 PM (ET)
Trading internationally requires juggling these hours and timing your purchasing or selling decisions accordingly.
Why Do Closing Times Matter?
If you do miss them, you may have missed out on market opportunities. Closing times matter because they mark the end of a trading day, when stock prices are set. Also, institutions typically engage in large end-of-day trades, and stock price movements can be volatile in the last few minutes of trading.
With some knowledge of when the markets close, investors can be better prepared to conduct themselves to meet trading trends and not be subject to unnecessary risks produced by erratic activity in the late afternoon.
Stock Market Holidays
That markets do not work year-round. Public holidays and other special days of observance are often the catalyst for a market closing, for which a trader may finally be able to take a much-needed break.
U.S. Major Market Holidays
The NYSE and NASDAQ follow a holiday schedule in which they close on U.S. federal holidays, so you should also take these dates into account in terms of your trading schedule:
- New Year’s Day (January 1)
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day (3rd Monday in January)
- Presidents’ Day (3rd Monday in February)
- Good Friday (Friday before Easter Sunday)
- Memorial Day (Last Monday in May)
- Independence Day (July 4, or nearest weekday)
- Labor Day (1st Monday in September)
- Thanksgiving Day (Fourth Thursday in November)
- Christmas Day (December 25)
Shortened Trading Days
Markets trade only until noon, and sometimes not even that long. For instance, trading can be closed for the day after Thanksgiving or for Christmas Eve (if either of those days are not on a weekend). I always am sure to check the latest holiday schedule from either the NYSE or NASDAQ to ensure preparedness.
International Holiday Closures
International stock exchanges have national holidays as well.
For instance:
- The Tokyo Stock Exchange is closed during Golden Week (May)
- The London Stock Exchange is closed for UK-specific holidays (e.g., Boxing Day)
Plan your trades accordingly, especially if you’re entering markets in other countries.
Advice on Scheduling by Market Hours
- Note Closing Times on Your Calendar:
Keep your calendar up-to-date with the daily close times on the market, whether through your trading app or alerts from third-party platforms like Bloomberg or MarketWatch. - Trade the Most Active Hours:
Trade when the cash forex is available and relevant news overlaps the most active hours of forex trading. - Watch Out for Pre and After-Hours Volatility:
If you’re trading before or after regular hours, be ready to see lower volumes of trading and more volatile prices. - Keep an Eye Out for Market Holidays:
It pays to download stock market holiday calendars or visit exchange websites to prevent a surprise.
Tools to Track Market Hours
There are a few digital tools you can use to keep organized and to keep track of market schedules, such as:
- Market Clock Apps:
Apps such as Market24hClock or Stock Market Hours offer trading hours on a global scale. - Brokerage Platforms:
Many online brokers, such as TD Ameritrade or Robinhood, have built-in countdowns and reminders for when the market is about to close. - Googleカレンダー通知：
市場のオープン・クローズの予定リマインダーを繰り返し登録可能。
Time is Everything with Trading
Whether you are a casual or long-term trader, the opening and closing hours of the stock market are crucial for taking those impulsive action calls, and for transactions through the trading day. Realizing the best time to trade can help you get closer to your goals.
To keep track of market hours and get access to better-designed tools for monitoring your investments, consider subscribing to finance-focused services that can also potentially provide you timely alerts, in-depth analytics, and expert advice.
