Stock market opening and closing hours are important for all types of traders. Particularly, day traders should be wary of the working hours as they must plan their exit orders during these hours.
Let us discuss the opening and closing hours of the leading stock markets from different regions worldwide.
What Time Do Stock Markets Around the World Open and Close?
Stock markets around the world follow the same patterns of opening in the morning and closing in the evening. Most of these stock markets run without a break throughout the day.
Due to differences in time zones, you may experience different stock market timings. Knowing the opening and closing hours is essential for traders as they plan their exit strategies accordingly.
Let us briefly discuss the opening and closing hours of leading stock markets around the world with different time zones.
Opening and Closing Hours of the US Stock Markets
The world’s leading stock markets the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and NASDAQ open at 9:30 am and close at 4:00 pm. These markets follow the eastern daylight time (EDT).
Both these stock markets have no breaks and continue working throughout the day. These markets also do not have a usual half day on the weekends. Both these markets are closed on weekends though.
NYSE and NASDAQ follow the pre-opening, early trading, core trading, and post-trading hours formats as well.
During pre-opening hours, traders can place their orders which are queued and executed during the core trading hours.
Some brokers also allow traders to place orders during the post-trading hours.
Trading Hours of North American Stock Markets
North American stock exchanges including the Mexican Stock Exchange (BMV) follow the timings of US stock exchanges like the NYSE and NASDAQ.
Although the Mexican Stock Exchange (BMV) opens according to the Central Standard Time (CST), it coincides with the EDT timings in the US.
The Mexican stock exchange opens from 08:30 am to 3:00 pm BST or 09:30 am to 4:00 pm EDT.
Similarly, the Toronto Stock Exchange follows the same timings of 09:30 am to 4:00 pm EDT.
Both these stock exchanges also do not have a break. These markets are also closed on weekends and do not have a usual half day on weekends as well.
Opening and Closing Hours of South American Stock Markets
Leading stock exchanges in the South American region are in Brazil and Argentine. These are emerging markets and follow their local times.
The Brazil stock exchange Brasil Bolsa Balcão (B3) opens at 10:00 am and closes at 5:55 pm BRT. Similarly, Argentine’s leading stock exchange Buenos Aires Stock Exchange (BCBA) opens at 11:00 am and closes at 5:00 pm ART.
The Brasil Bolsa Balcão lags two hours from the EDT of the US leading stock markets, and the Buenos Aires Stock Exchange (BCBA) lags one hour from EDT in the US.
Trading Hours of European Stock Markets
The largest stock market in Europe is Euronext. It is based in Amsterdam but has offices throughout Europe.
The EU zone has many other stock markets in developed economies like the UK, Germany, and the Netherlands.
The London Stock Exchange (LSE) opens at 8:00 am and closes at 4:00 pm BST. It has a two-minute lunch break from 12:00 to 12:02 pm.
Other leading markets in the EU zone follow the CEST time zone. Frankfurt stock exchange in Germany, SIX Swiss in Switzerland, and Madrid stock exchange in Spain, all open at 9:00 am and close around 5:30 pm (CEST).
These markets do not have a lunch break.
Trading Hours of Asian Stock Markets
The world’s emerging stock markets are mostly from Asia and the Middle East regions. These countries are also the most populated ones in the world and have huge trading potential.
These stock markets follow their country’s local timings. However, they adjust their working hours to match the timings of other stock exchanges in their neighboring countries.
The Shanghai Stock Exchange (SSE) opens from 9:30 to 3:00 pm (CST). It also has a two-hour break from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm daily.
The Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE) opens daily from 9:30 am to 2:57 pm (JST) with a one-hour break from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm.
Other leading stock markets like Shenzhen Stock Exchange and Hong Kong Stock Exchange also follow similar timings with a traditional lunch break for one hour.
Stock markets from South Asian and Middle East countries follow similar working hours with an exception of having no lunch breaks.
Trading Hours of African Stock Markets
The Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) is the leading market in the African region. Other markets in Egypt and Nigeria have smaller sizes as compared to the JSE.
The JSE opens at 9:00 am and closes at 5:00 pm following South African Standard Time (SAST). It has no lunch break and does not have a regular half day on the weekend.
Other smaller stock exchanges in countries like Kenya, Nigeria, and Egypt follow similar working hours from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm (more or less).
Trading Hours of Australia and New Zealand Stock Markets
The Sydney Stock Exchange (SSE) in Australia and the New Zealand Stock Exchange in New Zealand are the only two prominent markets in Australia and Oceania zone.
The SSE opens at 10:00 am and closes at 4:00 pm following Australian Standard Time. It has no lunch break and is closed on weekends like any other exchange in the world.
The New Zealand Stock Exchange opens at 10:00 am and closes at 4:45 pm (NZST) with no lunch break as well.
Do Stock Markets Open on Weekends?
No, stock markets around the world do not open on weekends. Most stock markets around the world operate from Monday to Friday.
The Saudi Stock Exchange in Riyadh is an exception that follows working days from Sunday to Thursday and is closed on Friday and Saturday.
All stock market around the world issues their calendars at the beginning of each year. You can easily find out holidays for each stock market through these calendars.
For example, the SSE in China has announced 18 holidays for the year 2022. Similarly, leading exchanges like NYSE and NASDAQ follow their calendars and announce full and half holidays.
What is the Pre-Market and After-Hour Trading?
Leading stock markets around the world like NYSE and NASDAQ follow a pre-opening or pre-market trend as well.
During these couple of hours, traders can place their orders in advance but these orders would be executed only during the market opening hours.
Similarly, some brokers allow traders to place their orders in the post-market time when the stock markets are closed for normal trading. These orders would be executed the next working day.
