Regular trading hours for U.S. stock markets
The U.S. stock market closes at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on weekdays. It opens at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time. These times apply to the major exchanges — the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the NASDAQ — where most stocks trade.
The market does not operate on weekends or on certain federal holidays. When a holiday falls on a weekday, the market closes for the entire day. This means no trading happens at all, not even during the usual morning or afternoon hours.
If you live outside the Eastern Time zone, you need to convert these times to your local zone. For example, 4:00 p.m. Eastern is 1:00 p.m. Pacific Time and 3:00 p.m. Central Time.
Key Takeaways
- Regular trading on U.S. stock exchanges runs from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on weekdays only.
- The market closes completely on weekends and federal holidays — no trading window exists on those days.
- Extended hours trading (before 9:30 a.m. and after 4:00 p.m.) exists but involves fewer stocks, wider price spreads, and higher risk than regular hours.
- Holiday closures happen on days like Thanksgiving, Christmas, Independence Day, and New Year's Day, with the full schedule published by the NYSE and NASDAQ each year.
Pre-market and after-hours trading windows
Trading does not stop at 4:00 p.m. — it continues in what is called the after-hours market. This runs from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Similarly, pre-market trading begins as early as 4:00 a.m. Eastern Time and runs until the 9:30 a.m. open.
These extended hours sound useful, but they come with real drawbacks. Fewer stocks trade during these windows, which means prices can move more sharply on smaller trades. The bid-ask spread — the gap between what buyers will pay and what sellers ask — widens significantly. If you place an order during after-hours trading, it may not fill at the price you see, or it may not fill at all.
Most individual investors do not trade during extended hours. The volume is much lower, and the risk of getting a bad price is higher. If you do trade outside regular hours, understand that you are accepting less liquidity and more volatility.
Federal holidays when the market closes
The stock market closes on the following federal holidays:
- New Year's Day (January 1)
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day (third Monday in January)
- Presidents' Day (third Monday in February)
- Good Friday (Friday before Easter Sunday)
- Memorial Day (last Monday in May)
- Juneteenth (June 19)
- Independence Day (July 4)
- Labor Day (first Monday in September)
- Thanksgiving Day (fourth Thursday in November)
- Christmas Day (December 25)
When a holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the market does not observe an extra closure on Friday or Monday — it simply does not trade that weekend anyway. The NYSE and NASDAQ publish their full holiday calendar each year on their websites, so you can plan ahead.
Time zone conversions for market hours
The market operates on Eastern Time, but you may need to know when it opens and closes in your location. Here are the conversions for regular trading hours (9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET):
| Time Zone | Market Open | Market Close |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern (ET) | 9:30 a.m. | 4:00 p.m. |
| Central (CT) | 8:30 a.m. | 3:00 p.m. |
| Mountain (MT) | 7:30 a.m. | 2:00 p.m. |
| Pacific (PT) | 6:30 a.m. | 1:00 p.m. |
If you trade during after-hours or pre-market windows, subtract or add the same time difference. For example, after-hours trading (4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET) runs from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Central Time.
What happens at market close
At 4:00 p.m. Eastern, the closing bell rings and regular trading stops. Any orders you place after 4:00 p.m. do not execute during regular hours — they either go into the after-hours market or wait until the next trading day opens at 9:30 a.m.
The closing price of a stock is the last price at which it traded during regular hours. This price matters because it is used to calculate daily gains or losses, and it is the price most people see when they check their portfolio at the end of the day. News released after 4:00 p.m. may move the stock in after-hours trading, but that movement does not affect the official closing price.
If you have a standing order to sell or buy at a certain price, it remains active after the market closes. However, it will only fill if the stock reaches that price during after-hours trading or the next regular session.
International stock markets and their closing times
If you own stocks in other countries, those markets operate on their own schedules. The London Stock Exchange closes at 4:30 p.m. London Time (GMT or BST depending on the season). The Tokyo Stock Exchange closes at 3:00 p.m. Japan Standard Time. The Hong Kong Stock Exchange closes at 4:00 p.m. Hong Kong Time.
These markets do not align with U.S. hours, which means you cannot trade them during the same window as U.S. stocks. If you want to trade international stocks, you need to know their local closing times and convert them to your time zone. Many brokers offer access to these markets, but the process and fees vary.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I place an order after 4:00 p.m. and have it execute the next morning?
Yes. If you place a limit order (an order to buy or sell at a specific price) after the market closes, it stays active and can fill during the next trading day's regular hours. However, if you place a market order (an order to buy or sell at the best available price) after hours, it will execute in the after-hours market, not wait for the next morning's open.
What if I want to trade during after-hours but my broker does not offer it?
Not all brokers provide after-hours trading access. You can contact your broker to ask whether they offer extended hours trading and what the requirements are. Some brokers require a minimum account balance or restrict which stocks you can trade after hours. If your broker does not offer it, you may need to switch brokers or wait until regular hours to trade.
Does the market close early on any days?
Yes. The day before Thanksgiving and the day after Independence Day (if it falls on a weekday and the market would normally be open), the market closes at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time instead of 4:00 p.m. The NYSE and NASDAQ publish these early-close days in their annual holiday calendar.
What time does the market open on Monday morning?
The market opens at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time every weekday, including Monday. If Monday is a federal holiday, the market does not open at all. Pre-market trading begins as early as 4:00 a.m. Eastern Time on Monday mornings if it is a regular trading day.