Regular trading hours for U.S. stock markets

The three major U.S. stock exchanges — the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), the NASDAQ, and the American Stock Exchange (AMEX) — all close at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on regular trading days. Trading opens at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time. This schedule applies Monday through Friday, except on market holidays.

If you are on the West Coast, that closing time is 1:00 p.m. Pacific Time. If you are in the Central Time Zone, it is 3:00 p.m. Central Time. The market does not stay open into evening hours on regular days, so any trades you place after 4:00 p.m. Eastern will be held until the next trading day opens.

Key Takeaways

  • U.S. stock markets close at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on regular trading days, which is 1:00 p.m. Pacific Time.
  • The market is closed on weekends and on specific federal holidays, including New Year's Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
  • Some brokerages offer after-hours trading from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern, but liquidity is lower and spreads are wider than during regular hours.
  • You can check your brokerage's website or call their customer service line to confirm whether they offer extended trading hours.

Market holidays when exchanges are closed

The NYSE, NASDAQ, and AMEX observe the following holidays each year and do not trade on these dates: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth National Independence Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.

The market also closes early — at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time — on the day after Thanksgiving and on Christmas Eve (if Christmas Eve falls on a weekday). On these early-close days, the regular 9:30 a.m. opening time still applies, but trading ends three hours sooner than usual.

If a holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the market does not observe it on an alternate weekday. For example, if Independence Day lands on a Sunday, the market is open on Monday. Check your brokerage's holiday calendar each year, as the specific dates can shift.

After-hours trading windows

Many brokerages allow you to trade stocks after the regular 4:00 p.m. Eastern close, typically from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time. This is called after-hours trading. However, after-hours markets have fewer buyers and sellers than the regular session, which means prices can move more sharply and it may be harder to sell your shares at the price you want.

Not all stocks can be traded after hours, and not all brokerages offer this service. If your brokerage does offer it, you usually need to place an order marked as "after-hours" or "extended hours" rather than a standard market order. Ask your brokerage whether they support after-hours trading and which stocks are available during those windows.

Pre-market trading before 9:30 a.m.

Some brokerages also allow trading before the regular 9:30 a.m. open, typically starting at 4:00 a.m. Eastern Time. This pre-market session has the same limitations as after-hours trading: fewer participants, wider price swings, and lower liquidity. Orders placed in pre-market may not fill at all, or may fill at a price far from what you expected.

Pre-market trading is most useful for reacting to overnight news or earnings announcements before the regular session begins. If you are new to trading, it is generally safer to wait for the 9:30 a.m. open when volume and price stability are highest.

How to check if the market is open today

The fastest way to check whether the market is open is to visit the NYSE or NASDAQ website directly — both publish their holiday calendars and current trading status. You can also call your brokerage's customer service line; they will tell you immediately whether trading is available and at what times.

Most financial news websites, including CNBC, Bloomberg, and MarketWatch, display a banner or notification on their homepage when the market is closed. Your brokerage's mobile app or website will also show whether you can place trades at that moment.

Time zone conversions for market close

The market closes at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time every regular trading day. If you live outside the Eastern Time Zone, convert as follows: 3:00 p.m. Central Time, 2:00 p.m. Mountain Time, or 1:00 p.m. Pacific Time. If you are trading from outside the United States, add or subtract hours based on your location's offset from Eastern Time.

During daylight saving time (March through November), these conversions remain the same. When the U.S. switches to standard time in November, the market still closes at 4:00 p.m. Eastern, but your local time conversion may shift by one hour depending on whether your state observes daylight saving time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I place a trade after 4:00 p.m. Eastern?

Yes, if your brokerage offers after-hours trading. Orders placed after 4:00 p.m. will be held in the after-hours market (typically 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern) or until the next regular session opens at 9:30 a.m. After-hours trading has lower volume and wider price spreads, so your order may not fill or may fill at an unexpected price.

Is the market open on Thanksgiving?

No. The market is closed on Thanksgiving Day itself. However, it is open on the day before Thanksgiving (Wednesday) and closes early at 1:00 p.m. Eastern. The market reopens at 9:30 a.m. on the Friday after Thanksgiving.

What happens if I place an order after the market closes?

If your brokerage does not offer after-hours trading, your order will be held and automatically submitted when the market opens the next trading day at 9:30 a.m. Eastern. If you want to trade immediately after hours, you must specifically request after-hours trading through your brokerage's platform.

Does the market close early on any regular trading days?

Yes. The market closes at 1:00 p.m. Eastern on the day after Thanksgiving and on Christmas Eve (if it falls on a weekday). These are the only two regular trading days with an early close; all other trading days close at 4:00 p.m. Eastern.