When the Stock Market Opens and Closes

Regular trading hours for U.S. stock exchanges

The major U.S. stock exchanges — the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the NASDAQ — close at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on regular trading days. They open at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time. These hours apply Monday through Friday, except on market holidays when the exchanges shut down entirely.

If you place an order to buy or sell a stock during these hours, it executes during the regular session. Orders placed outside these hours enter the market the next time it opens, unless you specifically request after-hours trading through your brokerage.

Key Takeaways

• U.S. stock exchanges close at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on regular trading days and open at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time.
• The market is closed on weekends and on specific holidays including Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Independence Day.
• Some brokerages allow after-hours trading from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, though prices can be more volatile and spreads wider.
• Pre-market trading begins as early as 4:00 a.m. Eastern Time at some brokerages, but volume and liquidity are much lower than during regular hours.

Market holidays when exchanges close

The NYSE and NASDAQ close on the following holidays: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. On these days, no regular trading occurs and no orders execute.

The day after Thanksgiving (often called Black Friday) is a half-day for the stock market. The exchanges close at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time instead of 4:00 p.m. This is the only regular half-day session during the year.

After-hours trading and what it means for your orders

After the regular market closes at 4:00 p.m., some brokerages offer after-hours trading from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time. This allows you to trade certain stocks outside normal hours, but the experience is different from regular trading. Volume is much lower, meaning fewer buyers and sellers are active, and the gap between the bid price (what buyers offer) and the ask price (what sellers want) is often wider.

Not all stocks can be traded after hours, and not all brokerages offer this service. Check with your brokerage to see whether after-hours trading is available on your account and which stocks you can trade. Prices during after-hours sessions can swing more sharply than during the day because fewer people are trading.

Pre-market trading before the opening bell

Some brokerages allow trading to begin before the regular 9:30 a.m. opening. Pre-market trading typically starts at 4:00 a.m. Eastern Time, though the exact time varies by brokerage. Like after-hours trading, pre-market sessions have lower volume and wider spreads, and not all stocks are available to trade.

Many investors use pre-market trading to react to news that broke overnight or to position themselves before the regular session opens. However, the lower liquidity means your order may not fill at the price you expect, or may not fill at all.

Time zones and how they affect closing time

All U.S. stock exchange times are given in Eastern Time, regardless of where you live. If you are on the West Coast, the market closes at 1:00 p.m. Pacific Time. If you are in the Central Time Zone, it closes at 3:00 p.m. Central Time. Your brokerage platform should display times in your local time zone automatically, but always verify the Eastern Time equivalent to avoid confusion.

This matters most if you are trying to place a last-minute order before the close. A market order placed at 3:59 p.m. Eastern Time will execute during the regular session; one placed at 4:01 p.m. Eastern Time will not.

What happens to your order if you place it after the market closes

If you submit a market order (an order to buy or sell immediately at the current price) after 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, most brokerages will hold it and execute it when the market opens the next trading day. The price you receive may be very different from the price you saw when you placed the order, because stock prices can change overnight based on news, earnings reports, or events overseas.

If you want more control over the price, you can place a limit order, which only executes if the stock reaches a price you specify. Limit orders placed after hours typically remain active until they fill or until you cancel them, though the rules vary by brokerage. Some brokerages also allow you to specify that an order should only execute during after-hours or pre-market sessions.

International stock markets and their closing times

If you own stocks listed on exchanges outside the United States, those markets operate on their own schedules. The London Stock Exchange closes at 4:30 p.m. London Time. The Tokyo Stock Exchange closes at 3:00 p.m. Japan Time. These do not align with U.S. hours, so you cannot trade foreign stocks on U.S. exchanges during U.S. market hours in most cases.

Some brokerages offer access to international exchanges directly, but you will need to know the local trading hours and may face currency conversion fees. For most individual investors, the simpler route is to buy exchange-traded funds (ETFs) or American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) that track foreign stocks, which trade on U.S. exchanges during regular U.S. hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I place an order after the market closes?

Yes, you can place an order after 4:00 p.m., but it will not execute until the next trading day unless your brokerage offers after-hours trading. Market orders placed after hours typically execute at the opening price the next day, which may be different from the price you saw when you placed the order.

What time does the market close on the day before Thanksgiving?

The market closes at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the day after Thanksgiving (Black Friday). On Thanksgiving Day itself, the market is closed entirely.

Can I trade stocks at 3:00 a.m.?

Some brokerages offer pre-market trading starting at 4:00 a.m. Eastern Time, but not at 3:00 a.m. Check with your brokerage to see what pre-market hours they support. Pre-market trading has much lower volume than regular trading, so prices can be volatile.

Does the market close early on any day other than the day after Thanksgiving?

No. The only regular early close is at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the day after Thanksgiving. The market closes at its normal 4:00 p.m. time on all other trading days.

What if I want to sell a stock but the market is closed?

If your brokerage offers after-hours trading, you can sell during that window from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Otherwise, your order will wait until the market opens the next trading day. If you need to sell urgently, after-hours trading is your only option outside regular hours.