Stock Market Hours Today: US Exchanges & Extended Sessions

Overview

stock market hours today are the practical question many traders and investors ask every morning: is the exchange open, what are the regular and extended session times, and are there any holidays or early closes affecting trading? This guide explains standard US equity sessions (NYSE, Nasdaq and regional venues), pre‑market and after‑hours windows, holiday and early‑close rules, how to check whether the stock market is open today, and how those hours compare with always‑on cryptocurrency trading. You will also find exchange‑specific nuances, practical tips for order execution and settlement, a short news summary for market context, and reliable resources to verify live market status.

Scope and definitions

This article covers primary US equity trading venues (the New York Stock Exchange — NYSE — and Nasdaq system, plus related NYSE marketplaces and major regional/alternative venues), Canadian equity hours (TSX, NEO), and notes for major global exchanges (London, Hong Kong, Tokyo) where relevant for time‑zone conversion. It focuses on equities and equity‑listed instruments (stocks, ETFs). Fixed income, derivatives and futures often follow different windows and are not the main focus here.

Key terms used in this guide:

• Regular / core trading hours: the primary market session when exchanges fully operate and most liquidity is concentrated. For major US equities this is 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on normal weekdays.
• Pre‑market (premarket): extended morning trading prior to the core session; availability and exact windows are broker‑ and venue‑specific.
• After‑hours (post‑market / extended hours): trading period after the core session, with lower liquidity and wider spreads.
• Opening / closing auctions: centralized crossing events that determine the official open and close prices on many exchanges.
• Early close: a shortened trading day (commonly observed the day after Thanksgiving and sometimes Christmas Eve); hours vary by exchange and year.
• Market holiday: full exchange closure for an observed holiday (for equities, major US holidays are observed by NYSE and Nasdaq). Exchanges publish annual holiday calendars.
• Market halt / trading halt / circuit breaker: temporary suspensions in trading for specific symbols or the whole market caused by news, extreme price moves, regulatory action, or system issues.

Standard US equity trading hours

The backbone of US equities is a clearly defined core session:

• Regular/core session: 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET on U.S. business days.

Times are given in Eastern Time and are affected by daylight saving transitions. When you ask "stock market hours today" the standard frame of reference is usually the 9:30–16:00 ET window.

Pre‑market (extended morning) sessions

Pre‑market trading opens before the official 9:30 a.m. ET start on many systems. Typical ranges you will see across brokers and venues include:

• Early electronic system windows often open around 4:00 a.m. ET for some market data systems.
• Retail broker pre‑market trading commonly accepts orders from about 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. ET, though exact start times vary by broker and account type.

What to expect in pre‑market:

• Limited liquidity: fewer participants lead to thinner order books and wider bid/ask spreads.
• Greater volatility: news released outside regular hours can cause sharp price moves during pre‑market.
• Order types: many brokers restrict the order types available in the pre‑market (for example, some do not accept market orders; limit orders are typical).

After‑hours (extended evening) sessions

After the 4:00 p.m. ET close, extended trading commonly runs into the evening:

• Common extended window: roughly 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET for many venues and broker platforms, though some systems support trading into earlier or later times.

After‑hours characteristics:

• Execution risk: orders may be partially filled or not filled at all due to sparse liquidity.
• Wider spreads and price gaps: news released after the close can produce large moves in after‑hours trading that differ from the next day’s open.
• Auction vs continuous trading: the official close (4:00 p.m.) and certain auctions remain the primary price reference; extended sessions are secondary.

Exchange‑specific schedules and nuances

Below are the highlights and practical differences among major US venues. While core hours are consistent, procedures around auctions, system open times and specific late windows differ.

NYSE (New York Stock Exchange)

• Core session: 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET.
• NYSE maintains formal opening and closing auction procedures that set the official open/close prices.
• The exchange’s systems have defined pre‑open and post‑close processing phases: pre‑open order collection, opening auction, continuous trading, closing auction, then post‑close processing.
• Some NYSE markets and products have discrete late trading windows and auction rules; consult the NYSE trading hours and holiday calendar for details and annual updates.

Nasdaq

• Core session: 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET (same core window as NYSE).
• Nasdaq system hours include early system availability; some system feeds show processing as early as 4:00 a.m. ET for certain functionalities, but broker access for customers may be later.
• Nasdaq runs pre‑market and post‑market sessions with continuous trading but also uses opening and closing cross mechanisms for official prices.

NYSE family venues and regional marketplaces

The NYSE group operates multiple marketplaces (NYSE Arca, NYSE American, NYSE Chicago, NYSE National, NYSE Texas) that may have minor differences in handling auctions or matching processes. While retail investors rarely need different workflows, institutional order routing and market makers consider venue specifics when optimizing execution.

Cboe and other US/alternative venues

Cboe U.S. equities and options platforms have their own system hours and holiday rules; the Cboe Hours & Holidays page lists precise schedules. Alternative trading systems and off‑exchange venues (dark pools) operate under different rules but typically respect the same core trading hours.

Canadian (TSX) and regional exchanges

• TSX standard hours: 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET for Canadian equities.
• TSX and other Canadian venues publish local holiday calendars; cross‑border trading requires attention to national holidays and local time conversions.

Global exchange brief notes

Major global exchanges have local schedules and weekend closures; examples:

• London (LSE): local business hours with a midday trading rhythm; convert to ET for US‑based traders.
• Hong Kong (HKEX): local morning and afternoon sessions, closed on local holidays.
• Tokyo (TSE): morning and afternoon sessions with a lunch break; closed on local holidays.

If you trade international stocks, always convert the local exchange open/close times into your time zone and confirm whether the venue observes local holidays.

Holidays, early closes and special schedules

Exchanges publish annual holiday calendars; some common US equity closures include:

• New Year’s Day
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• Presidents’ Day (Washington’s Birthday)
• Good Friday
• Memorial Day
• Juneteenth National Independence Day
• Independence Day (July 4)
• Labor Day
• Thanksgiving Day
• Christmas Day

Early closes commonly occur on the day after Thanksgiving (often 1:00 p.m. ET) and occasionally on Christmas Eve or other days depending on the calendar year. Holiday observations can shift when a holiday falls on a weekend; exchange notices specify observed dates.

Important details:

• Holidays and early closes can differ between equity, options and bond markets; for example, some bond markets observe different schedules.
• Exchanges issue formal notices in advance; brokerage platforms will often post reminders and may change order acceptance windows on holiday or early‑close days.
• When in doubt, check the exchange’s official holiday calendar for the current year.

How to check "Is the stock market open today?"

When you need an authoritative, real‑time answer to "stock market hours today", rely on the following sources and checks:

• Official exchange pages: NYSE Markets / Holidays & Trading Hours, Nasdaq market hours and holiday schedule, Cboe Hours & Holidays, TSX trading hours. These are the primary authorities for whether an exchange is open or closed today.
• Market‑status tools and aggregators: services that answer “Is the Stock Market Open?” provide quick status indicators for major exchanges and list upcoming holidays/early closes.
• Financial news portals: Yahoo Finance and Business Insider publish plain‑language articles summarizing trading hours and holiday schedules; they also provide live market indicators for session status.
• Your broker: brokerage platforms show live market status inside their trading UI and will indicate whether orders will route to extended sessions or wait for the next open. Confirm with your broker whether they support pre‑market and after‑hours execution.
• Market data APIs and terminals: for programmatic checks, market data providers and exchange APIs return session states and calendar items.

Practical tip: always verify the exchange’s local timezone and daylight saving status when you check whether the stock market is open today; a morning that feels like "today" in your local zone may already be a different trading day in ET.

Practical implications for traders and investors

• Order placement and execution: many broker platforms accept orders while the exchange is closed, but those orders may only be routed at the next available session (pre‑market, open auction, or core session). Market orders are risky outside core hours—limit orders are safer in extended sessions.
• Settlement: U.S. equities generally settle on a T+1 basis for most trades (as of 2024 regulatory changes); the settlement clock depends on trade date, which is affected by holidays and early closes.
• Liquidity and volatility: pre‑market and after‑hours trading typically have lower liquidity, larger spreads and higher price swings. Institutional events (earnings, M&A announcements) often drive pre/post‑market moves.
• Order types and restrictions: brokers may restrict market orders, stop orders or short sales during extended hours. If you require specific execution methods, confirm availability with your broker.

Special cases and market interruptions

• Trading halts: exchanges can halt trading in a single ticker for material news, order imbalance, or regulatory reasons. Halts can last minutes to hours.
• Market‑wide circuit breakers: designed to limit extreme short‑term volatility, these thresholds pause broad market trading for a specified interval if the S&P 500 falls a set percentage from the prior close.
• Emergency closures: in rare events (severe weather, national emergencies, technical failures), exchanges may delay opening, suspend trading or close for a day; official exchange notices and broker alerts communicate these events.
• Scheduled maintenance: exchanges and trading platforms occasionally schedule maintenance windows that may affect some services; these are typically announced in advance.

Always monitor exchange notices and your broker’s status messages for the most current operational updates.

Comparison with cryptocurrency trading hours

• Stock exchanges: operate on a fixed schedule with weekends and holidays off, and defined pre/post sessions. This schedule creates windows of non‑trading risk where news can gap prices at the next open.
• Cryptocurrency exchanges: most operate 24/7 with continuous market access, aside from planned maintenance or emergency stops. That continuous operation means price discovery happens at any hour, but also that events can move crypto prices at times when US equity markets are closed.

Implication for strategy: 24/7 crypto markets reduce the concept of "market is open today" but increase continuous monitoring needs; scheduled stock market hours allow planned execution in core sessions but require managing overnight and holiday event risk.

Market context snapshot (news & timing)

As of Jan 23, 2026, according to Yahoo Finance and Barchart, earnings season and individual company announcements produced notable pre‑market and after‑hours activity that illustrates why traders check stock market hours today before making decisions.

• As of Jan 20, 2026, Barchart reported that Netflix’s share price had declined significantly over recent months; Barchart noted a 22.66% decline over the prior three months and highlighted after‑hours and pre‑market trading moves tied to earnings and management commentary. Barchart also reported Netflix’s market cap nearing $364.9 billion on that date.
• As of Jan 23, 2026, Yahoo Finance coverage showed multiple companies reporting earnings and moving in pre‑market or after‑hours sessions (examples included Intel, Capital One and others). The reporting emphasized that companies often release results outside core hours, generating significant extended‑hours volatility.

Contextual takeaway: important corporate news is frequently released outside regular trading hours, underscoring the value of checking stock market hours today and your broker’s extended‑hours policies before placing orders.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Q: Is the U.S. stock market open on weekends?

A: No. Regular equity exchanges are closed on Saturdays and Sundays. Extended trading windows and most retail broker services do not offer full exchange liquidity on weekends. When you want to confirm whether the stock market is open today during a weekend, the answer will typically be no for core US equity sessions.

Q: Can I trade when the market is closed?

A: Many brokers accept limit orders outside core hours and offer pre‑market and after‑hours execution windows. However, order execution during closed hours depends on broker support; some brokers only route orders at the next market open.

Q: How do I know whether my broker supports pre/post‑market trading?

A: Check your broker’s help pages or trading hours documentation. Brokers differ in accepted order types, available hours and trading fees for extended sessions.

Q: Where do I find today’s holiday or early‑close schedule?

A: Official exchange calendars (NYSE, Nasdaq, Cboe, TSX) publish annual holiday lists and special notices. Market‑status aggregators and financial news outlets also summarize upcoming closures, but always confirm with the official exchange calendar.

Practical checklist: before you trade

1. Verify whether the exchange is open today (official exchange page or broker status dashboard).
2. Confirm whether the news you’re reacting to was released during extended hours — price may have already adjusted in pre‑market or after‑hours trading.
3. Check your broker’s extended‑hours policy (order types, accepted windows, fees).
4. Use limit orders in thin markets to control execution prices.
5. Be mindful of settlement timing (T+1) and how holiday calendars affect back‑office processing.

Where to get live updates and references

Authoritative sources to check live market status and calendars:

• NYSE — Markets / Holidays & Trading Hours (official exchange calendar and notices)
• Nasdaq — Market holiday schedule and system hours (official Nasdaq notices)
• Cboe — Hours & Holidays (venue operating hours and notices)
• TSX — Trading hours and holiday schedule for Canadian equities
• tradinghours.com — quick “Is the Stock Market Open?” status for major exchanges
• Yahoo Finance, Business Insider — plain‑language overviews and live indicators
• Your broker’s platform and notices (for order‑routing policies and extended‑hours availability)

Notes for content maintenance editors: embed a live market‑status widget or clear links to the official exchange pages, and update holiday lists annually after exchanges publish their calendars.

Bitget product note and practical next steps

If you trade both crypto and traditional assets, consider how session scheduling affects your workflow. For 24/7 digital asset exposure and an integrated wallet solution, Bitget Wallet provides continuous access and custody for Web3 assets. For spot or derivative trading where exchange hours matter, Bitget’s trading interface displays session status and product availability. Check your Bitget account settings for order types and support for pre‑market/after‑hours equivalents where applicable.

Explore Bitget features to manage overnight exposure and to access both always‑on crypto markets and time‑scheduled equity trading tools in one place.

Further explore: add a quick link in your broker or portfolio dashboard to "Is the stock market open today?" resources and keep a calendar reminder for common early‑close dates (the Friday after Thanksgiving and rotating year‑end dates).

Editorial notes and updates

• Keep holiday lists in this guide updated each year after exchanges publish their schedules.
• If adding timezone conversion examples, show conversions for ET, CET, JST and HKT alongside core 9:30–16:00 ET hours.
• Consider embedding a live exchange status widget or API call that renders whether the NYSE/Nasdaq are open when users land on the page.

Short legal & content disclaimers

This article explains exchange hours and how to check market open/close status. It is informational only, not investment advice, and does not recommend specific trades or positions. Always verify live status with official exchange notices and consult your broker for execution and settlement specifics.

References and live resources (for verification)

• NYSE — Markets and Holidays & Trading Hours pages (official source for NYSE hours)
• Nasdaq — Market holiday schedule and system hours (official source for Nasdaq hours)
• Cboe — Hours & Holidays (venue operating hours)
• tradinghours.com — "Is the Stock Market Open?" status pages
• Yahoo Finance — market hours and holiday overview articles
• Business Insider — market open/close and holiday schedule explainers
• TSX — Canadian trading hours and holiday calendar
• Barchart and Yahoo Finance market reports cited in the Market context snapshot (news dated Jan 20–23, 2026)

As of Jan 23, 2026, according to Yahoo Finance and Barchart reporting, several large‑cap companies released results or made announcements outside core hours, producing pre‑market and after‑hours volatility; that context reinforces why many market participants check "stock market hours today" before trading.

Last updated: Jan 23, 2026. Verify current session status with official exchange notices before trading.