What are trading hours?
In one line: Trading hours are the times a market is open for buying and selling. They differ by market, and many have extra sessions before and after the main one.
The main markets, in Eastern Time
| Market | Regular hours (ET) |
|---|---|
| US stocks (NYSE, Nasdaq) | 9:30 am – 4:00 pm, Mon–Fri |
| US stocks, extended | Pre-market and after-hours, times vary by broker |
| Forex | Sunday ~5:00 pm – Friday 5:00 pm |
| CME equity index futures | Sunday 6:00 pm – Friday 5:00 pm, with a daily one-hour break |
| Crypto | 24/7, including weekends |
Our market hours tool shows which markets are open right now, in your time zone.
A simple example
You live in Los Angeles, three hours behind New York. The US stock market opens at 9:30 am ET. That's 6:30 am for you, and it closes at 1:00 pm your time.
If you can trade only after 6:00 pm Pacific, US stocks are closed. Forex, futures and crypto are still open. That's useful when choosing a market. See trading with a full-time job.
Why it matters
Open hours aren't the same as busy hours. Most markets have a few hours when most of the trading happens:
- US stocks: the first and last hour of the day. See the New York open.
- Forex: the London and New York sessions, and the overlap between them.
- Crypto: busier during US and European daytime, quieter at weekends.
Quiet hours often mean wider Spreads and thin Liquidity. Gaps form when a market is closed. See Gap.
A common mistake
Forgetting daylight saving. The US and Europe change clocks on different dates. For a few weeks each year, in spring and autumn, the gap between London and New York is one hour shorter than usual. Session times on your screen can shift.
Write your market's busy hours in your own local time into your trading plan, and re-check them every time the clocks change in spring and autumn.
Holidays matter too. US exchanges close on market holidays and sometimes close early the day before.
Questions
What time does the US stock market open?
9:30 am Eastern Time, Monday to Friday. It closes at 4:00 pm ET.
Can you trade on weekends?
Crypto, yes, 24/7. Forex and most futures close from Friday 5:00 pm ET until Sunday evening ET. US stock exchanges are closed.
What are the best hours to trade forex?
Many traders focus on the London and New York sessions. More in best time to trade forex.
Want the next step? We'll walk you through it.
Four free lessons by email, one every few days — each with a 10-minute exercise on a real chart.
Send Me the Free Lessons 4 short emails · No spam · Unsubscribe anytimeOr see the whole method, step by step:
See What’s Inside the Course Try everything free first. Decide when you're ready. · Open the free chart tool (works in the TradingView phone app)One chart idea a day, in plain English. Follow along: