The stock market closes every evening, all day Saturday and Sunday, and on specific federal holidays

The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and NASDAQ, where most U.S. stocks trade, operate Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Outside those hours, you cannot buy or sell stocks on the main market. The market also stays closed on weekends and on 11 federal holidays each year, including Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Independence Day.

If you try to place a stock order when the market is closed, your broker will either hold it until the market opens or reject it outright, depending on your broker's rules. Some brokers allow after-hours trading — buying and selling between 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Eastern — but this happens on a separate system with fewer buyers and sellers, wider price gaps, and higher risk.

The market does not close early on most days. It closes at 4:00 p.m. every trading day except the day after Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve, when it closes at 1:00 p.m. Eastern.

Key Takeaways

  • Regular market hours are 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.
  • The market is closed all day Saturday and Sunday, and on 11 federal holidays per year.
  • After-hours trading exists from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern but involves higher risk and wider price spreads.
  • Orders placed when the market is closed may be held until it reopens or rejected, depending on your broker.

The 11 federal holidays when the stock market closes

The NYSE and NASDAQ close on New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, the day after Thanksgiving, and Christmas. These dates do not change year to year except for Good Friday, which moves based on the Christian calendar.

On Christmas Eve and the day after Thanksgiving, the market opens but closes at 1:00 p.m. Eastern instead of 4:00 p.m. If either of these falls on a weekend, the market does not reopen on the following Monday to make up the time.

Some brokers and financial websites publish a holiday calendar each year. If you are unsure whether the market is open on a specific day, check your broker's website or call their customer service line.

What happens to your orders when the market is closed

If you submit a buy or sell order during market hours, it executes immediately (or as soon as a buyer or seller matches your price). If you submit an order when the market is closed, your broker queues it for the next market open. This is called a standing order or pending order.

When the market opens the next morning, your order enters the queue with all the other orders that arrived overnight. If the stock price has moved significantly, your order may execute at a different price than you expected, or it may not execute at all if the price moves away from your limit.

Some brokers let you cancel a pending order before the market opens. Others do not. Check your broker's rules before you place an order after hours.

After-hours trading and why it is riskier

After-hours trading runs from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern on most brokers. It is not the same as the regular market. Fewer traders participate, so bid-ask spreads (the gap between what buyers will pay and what sellers want) are much wider. A stock that trades at $50 during the day might have a $50.50 bid and a $51.00 ask after hours, meaning you pay more to buy and receive less to sell.

Price swings are also sharper because smaller trades move the price more. News that breaks after 4:00 p.m. can cause wild moves in after-hours trading, and you may not be able to exit a position if the price moves against you fast enough.

Not all brokers offer after-hours trading, and not all stocks can be traded after hours. Check your broker's rules and the specific stock before you attempt an after-hours trade.

Pre-market trading before the market opens

Some brokers also allow pre-market trading starting at 4:00 a.m. Eastern, before the 9:30 a.m. open. The same risks apply: wider spreads, lower volume, and sharper price moves. Pre-market trading is less common than after-hours trading and carries even more risk because fewer traders participate.

If you place a pre-market order and it does not execute before 9:30 a.m., most brokers automatically convert it to a regular market order at the open. Confirm your broker's rules so you know what will happen to your order.

How to learn about the market is open today

The easiest way is to check your broker's website or app — most display the market status on the home page. Financial news sites like Yahoo Finance, MarketWatch, and CNBC also show whether the market is open. If you are unsure, call your broker's customer service line; they can tell you immediately.

You can also bookmark the NYSE holiday calendar on the exchange's official website. It lists every closure for the year and notes which days have early closes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I trade stocks on Saturday or Sunday?

No. The NYSE and NASDAQ do not operate on weekends. Some brokers offer cryptocurrency or forex trading on weekends, but traditional stock trading is not available. Your broker will reject or queue any stock orders you place on Saturday or Sunday.

What time does the market open and close?

The market opens at 9:30 a.m. Eastern and closes at 4:00 p.m. Eastern, Monday through Friday. On Christmas Eve and the day after Thanksgiving, it closes at 1:00 p.m. Eastern. After-hours trading runs until 8:00 p.m., and pre-market trading starts at 4:00 a.m.

If I place an order after the market closes, when will it execute?

Your order will be queued and execute when the market opens the next trading day, assuming the stock price is still within your limit. If you set a limit order to buy at $50 and the stock opens at $52, your order will not execute. Check your broker's rules about canceling pending orders.

Does the market close early on any regular trading days?

No. The market closes at 4:00 p.m. every regular trading day. It only closes early (at 1:00 p.m.) on Christmas Eve and the day after Thanksgiving, and only if those days fall on a weekday.

What is the difference between after-hours and regular trading?

After-hours trading has fewer participants, wider bid-ask spreads, and sharper price swings. You may pay more to buy and receive less to sell. Not all stocks can be traded after hours, and not all brokers offer it. Regular trading has tighter spreads and more liquidity because more traders participate.