Stock Market Hours and Holiday Closures
When the stock market closes today
The U.S. stock market closes at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on regular trading days. If today is a weekday and not a federal holiday, that is when trading ends. The market opens at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time and runs continuously until 4:00 p.m., with a one-hour lunch break that ended decades ago.
If today is a Saturday or Sunday, the market is closed entirely — there is no trading. If today is a federal holiday when the market observes a closure, trading does not happen at all. A few holidays result in an early close at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time instead of a full closure.
Key Takeaways
- Regular trading days end at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, and the market is closed on weekends.
- The market closes entirely on major federal holidays including New Year's Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
- On the day after Thanksgiving and on Christmas Eve, the market closes early at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
- After-hours trading exists from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, but it is less liquid and carries higher risk than regular trading.
Full market closures for federal holidays
The stock market does not trade on New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. It also closes on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Presidents' Day. These are the days when no trading happens at all, not even after-hours.
Good Friday is another full closure. Easter Monday is not a market holiday, so trading happens normally. If a holiday falls on a weekend, the market observes the closure on the nearest weekday — for example, if Christmas falls on a Saturday, the market closes on Friday instead.
Early closures at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time
The day after Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve are the only regular early closures. On these two days, the market closes at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time instead of 4:00 p.m. Trading still happens in the morning and early afternoon, but the market shuts down three hours earlier than usual.
Christmas Eve is observed as an early close even when it falls on a weekend — in that case, the market closes early on the Friday before. The day after Thanksgiving follows the same rule: if it falls on a weekend, the early close moves to the nearest weekday.
After-hours trading and extended hours
After the regular market closes at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, a separate after-hours session runs from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time. This is not the same as regular trading — fewer investors participate, prices can move more sharply on smaller trades, and bid-ask spreads (the gap between buy and sell prices) are wider.
Pre-market trading also exists before the regular open, starting at 4:00 a.m. Eastern Time. Both sessions carry higher risk because less volume means your order may not fill at the price you expect. Most individual investors do not trade during these hours.
Time zones and market hours
The stock market operates on Eastern Time, regardless of where you live. If you are on the West Coast, the market opens at 6:30 a.m. Pacific Time and closes at 1:00 p.m. Pacific Time. If you are in the Mountain Time zone, those times are 7:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
When checking market hours, always convert to your own time zone to avoid confusion. Most financial websites and trading platforms display times in Eastern Time by default, so you will need to do the math yourself if you are not on the East Coast.
How to check if the market is open right now
The simplest way to check is to look at a major stock index like the S&P 500 or Nasdaq-100. If the price is changing, the market is open. If the price is frozen, the market is closed. Most financial websites show a small indicator next to the index price that says "Market Open" or "Market Closed".
Your brokerage platform will also show the market status clearly. If you are logged into your account, you will see whether you can place orders or whether trading is halted. The NASDAQ and NYSE websites both display current market status on their home pages.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I trade stocks after 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time?
Yes, through after-hours trading from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, but not all brokers offer this and not all stocks trade during these hours. After-hours trading has wider spreads and lower volume, so prices can move unpredictably and your order may not fill.
What happens if I try to place a trade when the market is closed?
Most brokers will hold your order in a queue and execute it when the market opens the next trading day, unless you specify otherwise. Some brokers let you cancel the order before the open. Check your platform's settings to see how it handles orders placed outside trading hours.
Does the stock market close early on any day besides the day after Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve?
No. Those are the only two regular early closures at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The market either closes fully (on holidays and weekends) or closes at the regular 4:00 p.m. time.
Is the market open on Election Day?
Yes. Election Day is not a market holiday, so trading happens normally. The market has remained open on Election Day even during presidential elections.
What if a holiday falls on a weekend — does the market close on Friday or Monday?
It depends on the holiday. Most holidays observed on the nearest weekday when they fall on a weekend, but the rule varies. Christmas observed on Friday if it falls on Saturday, and on Monday if it falls on Sunday. Check the market calendar for the specific year if a holiday is near a weekend.