Do You Know What Time Stock Markets Open?
Stock Market Opening Times:
Are you aware of the opening and closing times of the stock markets? When you can pre trade or post trade? Are you aware some markets even close for lunch! Don’t forget about DST and how it can affect trading hours. We have put together this useful guide to help you depending on what market you are trading.
Trading Hours For The Main Stock Exchanges:
The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE):
https://www.nyse.com/markets/hours-calendars
Located in New York City and is one of the biggest stock exchanges in the world. Their normal trading hours are from 9.30 am to 4.00 pm Eastern Standard Time, however if there is a public holiday they may close early. There is the option to pre trade between 6.30 am to 9.30 am and to post trade between 4.00 pm and 8.00 pm. Please note that during the pre trade and post trade sessions the trading rules may vary. They do not close for lunch.
The Nasdaq:
https://www.nasdaq.com/stock-market-trading-hours-for-nasdaq
Located in New York City, it is a worldwide electronic marketplace that handles securities trading. Their normal trading hours are from 9.30 am to 4.00 pm Eastern Standard Time, however if there is a public holiday they may close early. There is the option to pre trade between 4.00 am to 9.30 am and to post trade between 4.00 pm and 8.00 pm. Please note that during the pre trade and post trade sessions the trading rules may vary. They do not close for lunch.
The Japan Exchange Group (JPX):
https://www.jpx.co.jp/english/derivatives/rules/trading-hours/index.html
Located in the city of Tokyo, Japan. Their normal trading hours are from 9.00 am to 3.00 pm local time with a lunch period from 11.30 am to 12.30 pm (over lunch they close). There is the option to pre trade and there is no post trade session.
The London Stock Exchange (LSE):
https://www.londonstockexchange.com/trade/trading-access/business-days
Located in London, England. Their normal trading hours are from 8.00 am to 4.30 pm. There is the option to pre trade between 5.05 am to 7.50 am and to post trade between 4.40 pm and 5.15 pm. They do not close for lunch.
The Shanghai Stock Exchange (SSE):
http://english.sse.com.cn/start/trading/schedule/
Located in the city of Shanghai, China. Their normal trading hours are from 9.30 am to 3.00 pm local time with a lunch period from 11.30 am to 1.00 pm (over lunch they close). There is the option to pre trade between 9.15 am to 9.25 am and to post trade between 3.00 pm and 3.30 pm.
The Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX):
Located in Hong Kong. Their normal trading hours are from 9.30 am to 4.10 pm local time with a lunch period from 12.00 pm to 1.00 pm (over lunch they close). There is the option to pre trade between 09.00 am to 9.30 am there is no post trade session.
Euronext (also known as European New Exchange Technology):
https://www.euronext.com/en/trade/trading-hours-holidays
Is the largest stock exchange in Europe, based in Amsterdam. With markets operating in Amsterdam, Brussels, Dublin, Lisbon, London, Oslo and Paris. Their normal trading hours are from 9.00 am to 5.30 pm local time. There is no option to pre trade but you can post trade between 5.34 pm and 5.40 pm. They do not close for lunch.
Shenzhen Stock Exchange (SZSE):
http://www.szse.cn/English/services/trading/tradOverview/index.html
Located in the city of Shenzhen, the People’s Republic of China. It is a smaller stock exchange compared to the Shanghai Stock Exchange. Their normal trading hours are from 9.30 am to 3.00 pm local time with a lunch period from 11.30 am to 1.00 pm (over lunch they close). There is the option to pre trade between 9.15 am to 9.25 am there is no post trade session.
The Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX):
https://www.tsx.com/trading/calendars-and-trading-hours/trading-hours
Located in Toronto, it is the largest stock exchange in Canada and is one of the largest stock exchanges in North America. Their normal trading hours are from 9.30 am to 4.00 pm Eastern Standard Time, however if there is a public holiday they may close early. There is the option to pre trade between 7.00 am to 9.30 am and to post trade between 4.00 pm and 5.00 pm. Please note that during the pre trade and post trade sessions the trading rules may vary. They do not close for lunch.
The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE):
https://www.bseindia.com/markets/equity/session_timings.aspx
Located in Mumbai, it is Asia’s oldest stock exchange. It was referred to the Bombay Stock Exchange but is now known as BSE Limited. Their normal trading hours are from 9.15 am to 3.30 pm local time, they do not close for lunch. There is the option to pre trade between 9.00 am to 9.15 am and to post trade between 3.40 pm and 4.00 pm.
Main Commodity Exchanges:
The Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME)
Located in Chicago, it is a global derivatives marketplace. It was originally founded in 1898 as The Chicago Butter and Egg Board. CME merged with The Chicago Board of Trade in 2007. Then the following year 2008 a merger was approved with The New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) and COMEX. CME, CBOT, NYMEX and COMEX are all now owned by the CME Group. Within two years of the merger the value of CME has a market capitalisation of over $25 billion dollars.
To date CME is the biggest futures and option contracts open interest exchange of any futures exchange in the world.
The Trading Hours For (CME) Can Vary Depending On The Product Being Traded:
https://www.cmegroup.com/trading-hours.html
Trading hours are shown in U.S Central Time (CT) unless stated otherwise.
For CME and CBT products submitted via CME ClearPort Clearing, the hours are: Sunday 5:00 p.m. — Friday 5:45 p.m. CT with no reporting Monday — Thursday 5:45 p.m. — 6:00 p.m. CT
For CME OTC FX products submitted via CME ClearPort Clearing, the hours are: Sunday 6:00 p.m. — Friday 5:45 p.m. CT with no reporting Monday — Thursday 5:45 p.m. — 6:00 p.m. CT
For NYMEX and COMEX products submitted via CME ClearPort Clearing, the hours are: Sunday 5:00 p.m. — Friday 4:00 p.m. CT with no reporting Monday — Thursday 4:00 p.m. — 5:00 p.m. CT
Tokyo Commodity Exchange (TOCOM)
Located in Tokyo it is Japan’s biggest and one of Asia’s most distinguished commodity futures exchanges. In 1984 TOCOM was formed following the merger of the Tokyo Textile Exchange which was founded in 1951, the Tokyo Rubber Exchange and the Tokyo Gold Exchange.
The Trading Hours For (TOCOM):
https://www.tocom.or.jp/market/trading_schedule.html
There are two trading sessions a day Monday to Friday with a break between each session.
First session is between 8:45 am and 3:15 pm. Orders are permitted for day trading at 8.00 am.
Second session is between 4:30 pm and 5:30 pm for the energy and aluminum markets (excluding electricity) then between 4:30 pm and 7:00 pm for the electricity market. The exchange accepts orders for the second session daily at 4:15 pm.
The London Metal Exchange (LME)
Located in the capital of England, the London Metal Exchange is the central point where industrial metals are traded. It was founded in 1877 but the market originates back to 1571. The LME is a member of the HKEX Group which joins together the physical industry and the financial community to form a managed market for the buyer and seller.
The LME is a very successful exchange in fact back in 2020 there were 155 million units traded.
The Trading Hours For (LME):
https://www.lme.com/en-GB/Trading/Trading-venues/Trading-times#tabIndex=0
LMEselect: 1.00 am — 7.00 pm
(Trading for LMEprecious continues until 8.00 pm ) (London time)
- Ring trading: 11.40 am — 5.00 pm (London time)
- Inter-office telephone trading: 24 hours
Please note the trading hours for (LME) can vary depending on the product being traded.
How Can Daylight Saving Time Affect Your Trading?
Daylight Saving Time (DST) is also referred to as the ‘summer time.’
We all know that when spring comes around we adjust our clocks forward by one hour, then for the autumn we adjust them back again by one hour also referred to as ‘winter time’.
Go on hands up who has waited outside the shops wondering why they are still closed, then realised the clocks went back an hour the night before therefore the shops don’t open for another hour! Or missed the start of your son’s footie game as the clocks went forward and you are now one hour late…
Same applies to the markets they will start one hour earlier or later depending on what country you are in when the clocks change. Remember that DST may not occur on the same day in every country and each year the date can vary.
Another point to note is that some trading platforms actually use coordinated Universal Time (UTC) timezone, therefore are not governed by when the DST changes occur, which means trading hours will change.
Look at our handy table we have created to help you:
As you can see USA started their summer on 14th March but Europe’s start of summer is delayed until 28th March 2021.
Do You Know Why We Change The Clocks?
Little history lesson for you:
It was actually a famous American politician and inventor Benjamin Franklin who first thought up the idea, whilst he was in Paris during 1784. He thought it would be a good idea if we all got up earlier when it was lighter, therefore saving on candles (no electricity then).
It was down to William Willett in 1907, who published a leaflet titled ‘The Waste of Daylight,’ which referred to people who should wake up earlier.
Mainly to benefit William who as a golf euthanist, he got annoyed when his game had to be stopped as it was too dark to continue.
William’s idea of changing the clocks was actually put forward to the government in 1908, but people were not keen therefore the idea was abandoned. William didn’t give up and then in 1916 which was a year after he passed the law was finally passed in the UK.
Another interesting fact for you: William Willett was Chris Martin’s great-great grandfather. As in Coldplay’s singer..
However not everyone is in favour of us changing the clocks…
Benefits:
- Can reduce traffic accidents
- Utilising natural daylight more will save energy
Disadvantages:
- When children are going to school in the morning it is darker
- Can be more dangerous
- Our health can suffer
The European Transport Committee did vote to end the changing of the clocks in the European Union, but as the UK has now left the EU not sure whether anything will change with this custom we are all used to.
