The stock market opens and closes on a fixed schedule, but it is closed on weekends and certain holidays

The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and NASDAQ — the two largest U.S. stock exchanges — are open Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. They are closed on all weekends and on specific federal holidays, even if other businesses are open. The market also closes early — at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time — on the day after Thanksgiving and on Christmas Eve, if those days fall on a weekday.

If today is a weekday and not a holiday, the market is open. The fastest way to confirm is to check the NYSE or NASDAQ website directly, or to look at your brokerage account — most brokers display market status on their homepage or in the trading section.

Key Takeaways

  • The NYSE and NASDAQ are open Monday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, and closed all day on weekends.
  • The market closes on federal holidays including New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
  • The market closes early at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the day after Thanksgiving and on Christmas Eve if those days are weekdays.
  • Your brokerage website or app will display whether the market is open today, and you can also check the NYSE or NASDAQ websites directly.

The full list of market closures and early closures

The NYSE and NASDAQ observe the following holidays each year. On these days, the market does not open at all:

  • New Year's Day (January 1)
  • Martin Luther King Jr. Day (third Monday in January)
  • Presidents' Day (third Monday in February)
  • Good Friday (the Friday before Easter)
  • Memorial Day (last Monday in May)
  • Juneteenth (June 19)
  • Independence Day (July 4)
  • Labor Day (first Monday in September)
  • Thanksgiving Day (fourth Thursday in November)
  • Christmas Day (December 25)

On two additional days, the market opens but closes early at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time instead of the normal 4:00 p.m. close: the day after Thanksgiving (if it is a weekday) and Christmas Eve (if it is a weekday).

If a holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the market does not observe it on a different day — it straightforward remains closed on the weekend as usual. For example, if Christmas falls on a Saturday, the market is closed on Saturday and Sunday, and it opens normally on Monday.

Where to check market status right now

The most direct sources are the exchange websites themselves. The NYSE website (nyse.com) displays the market status at the top of the homepage, and the NASDAQ website (nasdaq.com) does the same. Both show whether the market is open, closed, or in pre-market or after-hours trading.

If you have a brokerage account — with firms like Fidelity, Charles Schwab, E*TRADE, or others — your account dashboard will also show the market status. Most brokers display this information prominently when you log in, especially during market hours or just before the open.

Financial news websites like Yahoo Finance, MarketWatch, and CNBC also display market status on their homepages. If you search "is the stock market open today," the search results will show the answer at the top of the page.

What happens if you try to trade when the market is closed

If you place an order to buy or sell stock while the market is closed, your order will not execute when ready. Instead, it will be held as a pending order and will execute when the market opens the next trading day — usually at or near the opening price, depending on the order type you chose.

Some brokers offer extended-hours trading, which allows you to trade before the market opens (pre-market trading, typically 4:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time) or after it closes (after-hours trading, typically 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time). However, extended-hours trading has lower volume, wider price spreads, and higher risk than regular market hours. Not all brokers offer it, and not all stocks can be traded during extended hours.

Time zones and market hours

The stock market operates on Eastern Time, regardless of where you are located. If you are on the West Coast, the market opens at 6:30 a.m. Pacific Time and closes at 1:00 p.m. Pacific Time. If you are in the Central Time Zone, the market opens at 8:30 a.m. Central Time and closes at 3:00 p.m. Central Time.

When the U.S. observes Daylight Saving Time (roughly March through November), Eastern Time is UTC-4. When Standard Time is in effect (roughly November through March), Eastern Time is UTC-5. The market's hours in Eastern Time do not change, but the time difference between Eastern Time and other zones shifts by one hour when Daylight Saving Time begins or ends.

International stock exchanges and their hours

If you are interested in trading stocks on exchanges outside the United States, those exchanges operate on their own schedules. The London Stock Exchange is open 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Greenwich Mean Time. The Tokyo Stock Exchange is open 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Japan Standard Time. The Frankfurt Stock Exchange is open 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Central European Time.

International exchanges also observe their own holidays, which do not align with U.S. holidays. For example, the London Stock Exchange is closed on Boxing Day (December 26) but open on Thanksgiving. If you trade internationally, you will need to check the specific exchange's calendar.

Frequently Asked Questions

What time does the stock market open and close?

The NYSE and NASDAQ open at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time and close at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday. On the day after Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve (if they fall on a weekday), the market closes early at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

Is the stock market open on holidays?

No. The market is closed on all federal holidays, including New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. It is also closed on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Good Friday, and Juneteenth.

Can I trade stocks before 9:30 a.m. or after 4:00 p.m.?

Some brokers offer extended-hours trading before and after regular market hours, but it carries higher risk and wider price spreads. Pre-market trading typically runs from 4:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time, and after-hours trading from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Not all brokers or stocks support extended-hours trading.

What happens to my order if I place it when the market is closed?

Your order will be held and will execute when the market opens the next trading day, usually at or near the opening price. The exact execution depends on the order type — a market order will execute at the opening price, while a limit order will only execute if the price reaches your specified level.

Does the market close early on any other days besides the day after Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve?

No. The market closes early only on the day after Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve, and only if those days fall on a weekday. On all other days, the market either opens normally at 9:30 a.m. and closes at 4:00 p.m., or it is closed all day.