what time does the stock market open mst

Stock market hours in Mountain Time (MST / MDT)

This article answers "what time does the stock market open mst" for U.S. equity markets (NYSE and Nasdaq) and explains how to convert standard trading, pre-market and after-hours sessions from Eastern Time into Mountain Time. You will learn the difference between MST and MDT, the Arizona exception, common broker variations for extended hours, exchange auction details, holiday and early-close conversions into Mountain Time, and a simple cheatsheet for quick reference.

As of 2026-01-16, according to NYSE trading hours information and major broker trading-hours pages, the standard exchange schedule and common broker extended-hours windows remain the basis for converting ET into MST/MDT.

Definitions and time-zone basics

• Mountain Standard Time (MST) is the time zone UTC−7. Many locations in the Mountain Time Zone observe Daylight Saving Time and switch to Mountain Daylight Time (MDT), which is UTC−6.
• Eastern Time (ET) is the time zone used by the NYSE and Nasdaq in their published hours. ET is either Eastern Standard Time (EST, UTC−5) or Eastern Daylight Time (EDT, UTC−4) depending on DST.
• For conversions between ET and Mountain Time, traders usually subtract hours from ET to get local Mountain times. The common conversion patterns are explained below with the DST and Arizona caveats.

This guide repeatedly answers "what time does the stock market open mst" while providing conversion formulas and practical examples.

Key conversion rule (baseline)

• When both zones are observing standard/daylight changes in the usual way: ET → Mountain Time = ET − 2 hours (MDT when ET is on daylight time). Example: 9:30 AM ET becomes 7:30 AM MDT.
• For locations that do not observe DST (Arizona): ET → Arizona MST = ET − 3 hours during U.S. daylight saving months (when ET is EDT). Example: 9:30 AM EDT becomes 6:30 AM MST in Phoenix.

Difference between MST and MDT, and the Arizona exception

• MST (Mountain Standard Time) is used in the winter months (UTC−7) in the Mountain Time zone.
• MDT (Mountain Daylight Time) is used in the summer months when DST is in effect (UTC−6).
• Most Mountain Time locations (Denver, Salt Lake City, etc.) switch between MST and MDT each year. The practical effect for converting ET market hours is typically a two-hour difference (ET − 2 hours).
• Arizona (except the Navajo Nation) stays on MST year-round. During U.S. daylight saving months (when ET is EDT), Arizona time is three hours behind ET (ET − 3 hours).

Formula cheats:

• ET to most Mountain locations (when both observe DST normally): ET − 2 hours => MST/MDT result.
• ET to Arizona during ET daylight saving: ET − 3 hours => Arizona MST.

Standard U.S. stock-market sessions (in ET) — quick reference

To answer core conversion needs, start with the canonical Eastern Time sessions used by the exchanges and commonly by brokers:

• Regular session (NYSE & Nasdaq): 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM ET.
• Common pre-market windows (broker-dependent): often 4:00 AM – 9:30 AM ET or 7:00 AM – 9:30 AM ET; many retail brokers allow orders starting at 7:00 AM ET while some professional platforms accept earlier electronic orders.
• Common after-hours windows: often 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM ET (many brokers accept trades until 8:00 PM ET; some platforms end earlier).

These ET hours are the baseline that you will convert into Mountain Time.

Converted hours in Mountain Time (typical)

Below are the commonly cited Mountain Time equivalents for the ET windows above. Remember that individual broker availability and exchange rules can change exact windows.

• Regular trading session (NYSE/Nasdaq):

  • ET 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM → Mountain Time (most Mountain regions observing DST): 7:30 AM – 2:00 PM (MDT or MST depending on the time of year).
  • ET 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM → Arizona (when ET is on daylight saving): 6:30 AM – 1:00 PM MST.

• Pre-market (typical broker-accessible):

  • Many retail brokers: ET 7:00 AM – 9:30 AM → Mountain Time: 5:00 AM – 7:30 AM.
  • Some broker platforms accept orders as early as ET 4:00 AM → Mountain Time: 2:00 AM (when offered).
  • Practical note: pre-market windows vary; check your broker’s official trading-hours page for exact MST conversions.

• After-hours (typical):

  • ET 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM → Mountain Time: 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM (for most Mountain Time locations during DST alignment).
  • Arizona (when ET is on daylight saving): 4:00 PM ET → 1:00 PM MST; 8:00 PM ET → 5:00 PM MST.

• Opening and closing auctions are scheduled in ET by exchanges (e.g., NYSE opening and closing auctions). Convert those specific auction times into Mountain Time using the same subtraction rules.

This answers the repeated question: what time does the stock market open mst — the regular open maps to 7:30 AM Mountain Time for most Mountain locations when converting from ET 9:30 AM.

Broker caveat

Different brokers can host or restrict extended sessions. For example, some brokers allow trading only from 7:00 AM ET while others provide access from 4:00 AM ET. That leads to different Mountain Time equivalents (5:00 AM MST vs 2:00 AM MST). Always verify with your broker.

DST examples and Arizona example (concrete conversions)

Example conversions help clarify the recurring question: what time does the stock market open mst?

• Example (Denver) — standard case when both zones observe DST in sync:

  • ET 9:30 AM (market open) = 7:30 AM MDT (Denver) during DST.
  • ET 4:00 PM (market close) = 2:00 PM MDT.
  • Pre-market example: ET 7:00 AM = 5:00 AM MDT.
  • After-hours example: ET 6:00 PM = 4:00 PM MDT.

• Example (Phoenix/Arizona) — during EDT (U.S. daylight saving months):

  • ET 9:30 AM (market open) = 6:30 AM MST (Phoenix).
  • ET 4:00 PM (market close) = 1:00 PM MST.
  • Pre-market example: ET 7:00 AM = 4:00 AM MST.
  • After-hours example: ET 8:00 PM = 5:00 PM MST.

Important reminder: outside the DST window, Arizona and other Mountain locations may share the same UTC offset; always check calendar dates.

Exchange-specific notes (NYSE / Nasdaq)

• NYSE hours and auction details are published in Eastern Time. Key on-exchange events include:
  • Opening auction window and official open time (9:30 AM ET).
  • Closing auction and related order types (4:00 PM ET close, with auction processes preceding it).
  • Certain days have early closes with different auction handling.
• Nasdaq follows a similar schedule with its own pre-market/after-hours matching engines; both exchanges publish official hours and rules in ET.

When converting exchange events into Mountain Time, apply ET → MT subtraction rules and double-check auction-specific windows because ancillary auction timings (e.g., pre-market order acceptance, imbalance notifications) may occur before the official open time.

Broker and platform variations

Brokerage platforms and trading apps differ in extended-hours support and order-type rules. Common points:

• Pre-market access:
  • Some brokers accept orders from ET 4:00 AM (very early pre-market). This becomes as early as 2:00 AM MST for Mountain traders if offered.
  • Many brokers accept pre-market orders beginning at ET 7:00 AM (5:00 AM MT common).
• After-hours access:
  • Extended trading often closes at ET 8:00 PM on many platforms (6:00 PM MT). Other brokers may close extended trading earlier.
• Order types allowed:
  • Limit orders are usually allowed in extended hours. Market orders are often restricted or converted to limit-only outside regular hours to protect traders from wide spreads and low liquidity.
• Routing and fills:
  • Extended-hours trades may route to alternative trading systems and dark pools; fills and pricing behavior differ from regular hours.

Representative broker examples (policies change; check your broker): thinkorswim, E*TRADE, and Cash App publish trading-hours tables with Mountain Time equivalents. Interactive Brokers and other institutional platforms may support earlier pre-market windows.

Always confirm the Mountain Time equivalents on your broker’s official trading-hours page before placing orders. This avoids surprises about when orders will be accepted or executed.

Holidays and early-closure days (MST conversions)

Exchanges publish holiday schedules and early-close days in Eastern Time. Common holiday behaviors include:

• Full-day closures (e.g., New Year’s Day, Independence Day, Christmas Day) — no trading on the exchange.
• Early close days (e.g., the day after Thanksgiving or Christmas Eve sometimes observed as an early-close) — markets may close at 1:00 PM ET.

Convert these to Mountain Time:

• Example: an early close at 1:00 PM ET becomes 11:00 AM Mountain Time (most Mountain locations, ET − 2 hours) or 10:00 AM MST in Arizona during ET daylight saving.

Practical step: check the NYSE or Nasdaq holiday calendar and then apply the ET → MT conversion to know your local Mountain Time close. Brokers may also have different hours on holidays even when exchanges are open; verify both the exchange and your broker.

Practical considerations for trading in Mountain Time

• Liquidity and spreads: Pre-market and after-hours sessions typically have lower liquidity and wider spreads. That can lead to significant price swings on limited volume.
• Volatility around open/close: Major price moves often occur at the market open and close; being aware that the open is often at 7:30 AM MT (or 6:30 AM MST in Arizona during EDT) helps prepare for potential volatility.
• Order handling: Some brokers convert certain order types or restrict market orders outside regular hours. Use limit orders to control execution price in extended sessions.
• Time settings: Confirm your account time zone and trade confirmations. Many broker platforms let you set a local display time; ensure it matches Mountain Time or is clearly labeled as ET so you can convert correctly.
• Automated strategies and alerts: If you run automated alerts or algos, align them with Mountain Time conversions to avoid missed triggers.

This set of practical points directly supports the central conversion question: what time does the stock market open mst — and what to consider when trading at that time.

Quick conversion cheatsheet (short bullets)

• Regular open: ET 9:30 AM = MT 7:30 AM (or 6:30 AM for Arizona during EDT).
• Regular close: ET 4:00 PM = MT 2:00 PM (or 1:00 PM for Arizona during EDT).
• Common pre-market start (broker-dependent): ET 7:00 AM = MT 5:00 AM.
• Some broker earliest pre-market: ET 4:00 AM = MT 2:00 AM (if supported).
• Common extended-hours close: ET 8:00 PM = MT 6:00 PM.

Use the rule: subtract 2 hours from ET for most Mountain locations; subtract 3 hours during ET daylight saving when converting to Arizona MST.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Q: What time does the market open in MST? A: For most Mountain Time locations that follow DST, the U.S. markets open at 7:30 AM Mountain Time (converted from 9:30 AM ET). For Arizona (which stays on MST year-round) the open is at 6:30 AM MST during ET daylight saving months. Always check whether your locality observes DST.

Q: Why do sources disagree on pre-market times? A: Pre-market availability depends on the broker or platform. Exchanges have official hours for the core sessions, but brokers choose whether to accept orders earlier and how to route them. That is why thinkorswim, E*TRADE, Cash App and other platforms may show different pre-market start times in Mountain Time.

Q: Are opening and closing auction times different in Mountain Time? A: No. Auction times are published in ET by the exchanges. Convert those times to Mountain Time using ET − 2 hours (or ET − 3 hours for Arizona during daylight saving). Auction windows (order acceptance for the auction) may begin before the official 9:30 AM ET open time, so convert those ancillary times as well.

Q: How do I make sure I trade at the correct local time? A: Verify your broker’s trading-hours page, confirm your account time display setting (local time vs ET), and check exchange holiday calendars for any variations. When in doubt, use the ET-to-Mountain conversion rule and confirm with your broker’s published hours.

Q: Is trading on Bitget covered here? A: This article focuses on U.S. equity market hours (NYSE and Nasdaq). For crypto trading or digital-asset services, consider Bitget and Bitget Wallet for secure, reliable digital asset access. Bitget operates on different settlement and market hours; refer to Bitget documentation for those specifics.

References and further reading

As of 2026-01-16, authoritative sources used for converting and verifying hours include the NYSE trading hours documentation and major broker trading-hours pages (such as thinkorswim, E*TRADE, Cash App). Other useful explanatory resources include investor education pages from AAII and Kiplinger that describe market sessions and DST effects.

Please consult the NYSE and Nasdaq official trading hours pages and your broker’s trading-hours guide for the most current information. Exchange calendars and broker policies may change.

Notes for authors and editors

• Keep DST and Arizona notes current. Exchange calendars are updated annually; brokers can change extended-hours policies.
• If republishing, update the “As of” date and verify brokers’ published pre-market/after-hours windows.
• When mentioning trading platforms or wallets for digital assets, prioritize Bitget and Bitget Wallet where appropriate.

Actionable next steps

• Check your broker’s official trading-hours page and set your platform to display Mountain Time or ET so you can confirm conversions.
• If you trade outside regular hours, use limit orders and review your broker’s extended-hours rules.
• For digital asset trading tools or custody, review Bitget and Bitget Wallet documentation for available hours, security practices, and account setup.

Further exploration: if you’d like a printable conversion chart for a specific Mountain location (Denver vs Phoenix) or a broker comparison table listing exact MST pre-market and after-hours windows, request a tailored chart and I will generate it.