What is a closing price?
In one line: The closing price is a market's final official price for a trading session. For US stocks, it's set at the 4:00 pm ET close.
A simple example
A stock trades all day between $48.20 and $50.10. At 4:00 pm ET, the NYSE runs its closing auction. The official close comes out at $49.60.
That's the number in the news, on your daily chart, and in "up 1.2% today". If yesterday's close was $49.01, the change is $0.59, about 1.2%.
Trades in after-hours, say at $49.80 at 5:30 pm, don't change the official close. See Pre-market and after-hours.
It depends on the market
| Market | What "close" usually means |
|---|---|
| US stocks | Official close at 4:00 pm ET |
| Futures | A daily settlement price set by the exchange |
| Forex | Your broker's daily candle end, usually 5:00 pm ET |
| Crypto | Your platform's day end, often midnight UTC |
That's why two platforms can show slightly different daily candles for forex or crypto.
Why it matters
Many traders, funds and index trackers use the close. It's where daily Candle closes come from. A daily body close above a key level is a stronger sign than a spike during the day.
The close also sets up the next day. If news hits overnight, the next open can Gap far from the close.
A common mistake
Comparing closes from different sources. One chart may use the official close, another the last trade at 8:00 pm. Pick one data source and stick to it, so your levels stay the same.
The other mistake: thinking the close is the "true value". It's simply the last agreed price at one moment. The trading hours page shows when each market's day ends.
On a daily chart, mark the last three closes and see whether price is closing higher or lower each day. It's a quick read of who's in control.
Questions
What time is the stock market closing price?
US stock exchanges close at 4:00 pm ET. The official closing price comes from the closing auction at that time.
Does after-hours trading change the closing price?
No. After-hours trades show up on extended-hours charts but don't change the official close.
What is the adjusted closing price?
A close that's been changed to account for stock splits and dividends, so you can compare prices across years fairly.
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