Stock Market Hours: When Does the Market Open and Close?
Updated October 26, 2026 · Right now the U.S. market is Pre-market
The U.S. stock market is open from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday. It is closed on weekends and on about ten holidays a year, and it closes early at 1:00 p.m. ET on a few days around Thanksgiving, Christmas and Independence Day.
Key takeaways
- Regular hours: 9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. ET, Monday to Friday, for both the NYSE and Nasdaq.
- Pre-market: 4:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. ET. After-hours: 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. ET.
- Holidays: 10 full-day closures in 2026, plus 2 early closes at 1:00 p.m. ET.
- Weekends: always closed.
NYSE and Nasdaq trading hours
The two big U.S. exchanges keep identical schedules, so a single set of hours covers nearly every U.S.-listed stock and ETF.
| Session | NYSE | Nasdaq |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-market | 4:00 – 9:30 a.m. ET | 4:00 – 9:30 a.m. ET |
| Opening auction | 9:30 a.m. ET | 9:30 a.m. ET (Opening Cross) |
| Regular session | 9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. ET | 9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. ET |
| Closing auction | 4:00 p.m. ET | 4:00 p.m. ET (Closing Cross) |
| After-hours | 4:00 – 8:00 p.m. ET | 4:00 – 8:00 p.m. ET |
Your broker may offer a shorter extended-hours window. Many retail platforms start pre-market trading at 7:00 a.m. ET.
Stock market hours in your time zone
Market hours are always set in New York time. Here is what they are across the U.S. today:
| Time zone | Market opens | Market closes |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern (ET) | 9:30 AM | 4:00 PM |
| Central (CT) | 8:30 AM | 3:00 PM |
| Mountain (MT) | 7:30 AM | 2:00 PM |
| Arizona (MST) | 6:30 AM | 1:00 PM |
| Pacific (PT) | 6:30 AM | 1:00 PM |
| Alaska (AKT) | 5:30 AM | 12:00 PM |
| Hawaii (HST) | 3:30 AM | 10:00 AM |
Traders outside the U.S. should watch daylight saving time. The U.S. switches clocks on the second Sunday of March and the first Sunday of November, while Europe switches on the last Sundays of March and October. For a few weeks each year the gap between New York and London is four hours instead of five. In London the U.S. market usually opens at 2:30 p.m., and in Sydney it opens between 11:30 p.m. and 1:30 a.m. local time, depending on the season.
Pre-market and after-hours trading
Extended-hours trading lets you buy and sell outside the regular session, which matters most when companies release earnings before the open or after the close. Trading volume is much thinner, so prices can swing more and the spread between the bid and ask is often wider. Most brokers only accept limit orders in these sessions.
Read the full guide to pre-market and after-hours trading →
Stock market holidays 2026
U.S. exchanges close on these weekdays in 2026. Holidays are set by NYSE rules, not by the federal calendar: the market closes on Good Friday, which is not a federal holiday, and stays open on Columbus Day and Veterans Day, when banks close.
| Date | Holiday | Market |
|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Closed | |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day | Closed | |
| Washington's Birthday (Presidents' Day) | Closed | |
| Good Friday | Closed | |
| Memorial Day | Closed | |
| Juneteenth National Independence Day | Closed | |
| Independence Day (observed) | Closed | |
| Labor Day | Closed | |
| Thanksgiving Day | Closed | |
| Day after Thanksgiving | Closes 1:00 PM | |
| Christmas Eve | Closes 1:00 PM | |
| Christmas Day | Closed |
All stock market holidays → · Is the market closed today?
Early market closes
On a few days the market closes at 1:00 p.m. ET instead of 4:00 p.m. They fall on the day after Thanksgiving (Black Friday), on Christmas Eve, and on July 3 when Independence Day falls on a weekday. See every early close day and why they happen →
How the trading day unfolds
Volume is not spread evenly across the session. It tends to follow a "U" shape:
- 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. The busiest and most volatile stretch, as traders react to overnight news, economic data released at 8:30 a.m., and the opening auction.
- 11:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. A quieter midday lull, when European markets have closed and many desks break for lunch.
- 2:00 p.m. Federal Reserve rate decisions are announced at this time on Fed meeting days, which can move the whole market.
- 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. Volume climbs again as funds rebalance and orders pile into the closing auction, which sets the official closing price.
How do U.S. hours compare with other markets?
Stock markets run in a relay around the globe. Asia opens first, Europe takes over as Asia closes, and New York overlaps with London for two hours each morning.
🇬🇧 LSE
Open🇩🇪 Xetra
Open🇯🇵 TSE
Closed🇭🇰 HKEX
Closed🇨🇳 SSE
Closed🇨🇦 TSX
ClosedSee live hours for every major exchange →
Frequently asked questions
What time does the stock market open?
9:30 a.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday. That is 8:30 a.m. Central, 7:30 a.m. Mountain and 6:30 a.m. Pacific.
What time does the stock market close?
4:00 p.m. Eastern Time (1:00 p.m. Pacific). On early-close days it closes at 1:00 p.m. ET.
How many hours a day is the stock market open?
Six and a half hours: from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET. Including pre-market and after-hours sessions, U.S. stocks can trade for 16 hours a day, from 4:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET.
Is the stock market open on Saturday or Sunday?
No. U.S. stock exchanges are closed on weekends. Orders placed on a weekend are queued until the market opens on Monday (or the next trading day).
Why does the stock market open at 9:30?
The NYSE has opened at 9:30 a.m. since 1985, when it moved the open back from 10:00 a.m. The half-hour start lets overnight news and pre-market orders settle before the opening auction.
Is the stock market open 24 hours?
Not for regular trading. Some brokers and alternative trading systems offer overnight trading in popular stocks and ETFs, and the NYSE and Nasdaq have announced plans for near-round-the-clock weekday trading, but official exchange hours remain 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET.
Sources: NYSE and Nasdaq published trading hours and holiday calendars. This page is for information only and is not investment advice.