Stock Market Hours
Stock market hours are the times when exchanges are open for regular trading; in the US, 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.
The major US stock exchanges, the NYSE and Nasdaq, hold their regular trading session from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on weekdays. Most trading volume, and the official opening and closing prices, come from this session.
Outside those hours, investors can often trade in extended sessions. Pre-market trading may begin as early as 4:00 a.m., and after-hours trading typically runs from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Some brokers also offer overnight trading in selected stocks. Extended sessions usually have lower volume and wider spreads.
US markets close on certain holidays, such as New Year's Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas, and close early on a few days, such as the day after Thanksgiving. Exchanges publish their holiday calendars in advance.
Other countries have their own hours. Frankfurt's Xetra trading runs from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Central European Time, which overlaps with the start of US trading in the afternoon. Because of time zones, news from Asia and Europe often affects US prices before the opening bell.
Example: a US earnings report released at 4:15 p.m. moves the stock in after-hours trading.