If you love trading stocks and you want to trade 24/7, then the good news is that there is always somewhere open for business. Stock market trading hours vary around the world due to different opening hours and time zones.
In this guide, we take a look at the stock market trading hours around the world. We also answer common questions like “should I buy stocks after hours?” and “what is the best time of day to buy stocks?”
Stock exchanges around the world are only open for business at certain times of the day. That means most of the stock market trading in these countries happens during these hours. Stock exchanges open during normal working hours in their country, but the precise hours vary considerably.
The London and Frankfurt stock exchanges both have the earliest starts – opening at 08:00 local time. Frankfurt also has the longest and latest trading day, not closing until 20:00 local time.
Stock market trading hours on the London Stock Exchange are from 08:00 until 16:30 Monday to Friday. You can still trade after those hours on some trading platforms, but the trading volumes are much lower so stock prices may be extra volatile.
Stock market trading hours in both the New York and Toronto stock exchanges are slightly later than in London. They trade from 09:30 until 16:00 Monday to Friday (14:30 until 21:00 GMT).
The stock market in Brazil opens later still, trading from 10:00 until 17:30 (13:00 until 20:30 GMT).
Stock market trading hours in Frankfurt are some of the longest in the world. The exchange is open from 08:00 until 20:00 Monday to Friday (07:00 until 21:00 GMT). The stock trading hours in the Europe-wide Euronext are from 09:00 until 5:30 (08:00 until 4:30 GMT), and in Switzerland, they are slightly shorter, with the market open from 09:30 until 17:00 (08:00 until 16:30 GMT).
If you want to trade through the night, then the Asian markets might be for you. Stock market trading hours in Asia and Oceania are during the UK night time due to the time difference. The Japanese stock exchange opens from 09:00 until 15:00 Monday to Friday (00:00 until 06:00 GMT). The Australian securities exchange opens from 10:00 until 16:00 (00:00 until 06:00 GMT). The Hong Kong stock exchange is open from 09:30 to 16:00 (01:30 until 8:00 GMT).
| Stock exchange | Country | Local trading times | GMT trading times |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Securities Exchange | Australia | 10:00-16:00 | 00:00-06:00 |
| Bombay Stock Exchange | India | 09:15-15:30 | 03:45-10:00 |
| Brazil Stock Exchange | Brazil | 10:00-17:30 | 13:00-20:30 |
| Euronext | Across Europe | 09:00 – 17:30 | 08:00-16:30 |
| Frankfurt Stock Exchange | Germany | 08:00 – 20:00 | 07:00-19:00 |
| Hong Kong Stock Exchange | China | 09:30-16:00 | 01:30-08:00 |
| Johannesburg Stock Exchange | South Africa | 09:00-17:00 | 07:00-15:00 |
| Korea Exchange | Korea | 09:00-15:30 | 00:00-06:30 |
| London Stock Exchange | United Kingdom | 08:00-16:30 | 08:00-16:30 |
| Nasdaq | USA | 09:30-16:00 | 14:30-21:00 |
| New York Stock Exchange | USA | 09:30-16:00 | 14:30-21:00 |
| Shanghai Stock Exchange | China | 09:30-15:00 | 01:30-07:00 |
| Shenzhen Stock Exchange | China | 09:30-15:00 | 01:30-07:00 |
| Swiss Stock Exchange | Switzerland | 09:00-17:30 | 08:00-16:30 |
| Tokyo Stock Exchange | Japan | 09:00-15:00 | 00:00-06:00 |
| Toronto Stock Exchange | Canada | 09:30-16:00 | 14:30-21:00 |
Your local time is
| Global market | Local time | Current status |
|---|---|---|
| New York (US) | ||
| Sydney (Australia) | ||
| London (UK) | ||
| Frankfurt (Germany) | ||
| Seoul (South Korea) | ||
| Tokyo (Japan) | ||
| Hong Kong (China) |
Although stock markets are closed at certain times of the day, it is still possible to trade when the markets are closed. There are actually 3 stock market trading sessions:
Some trading platforms allow you to trade in post-market or weekend trading sessions.
Most stock markets around the world are closed at the weekend. This is because many stock market traders and money managers don’t work on Saturdays and Sundays.
In times of financial crisis, governments sometimes use the weekend to sort out problems while the market is closed. For example, in the financial crisis of 2008, governments worked over the weekend to sort out bailouts and stop-gap measures to prevent banks from collapsing.
Many stock markets have different opening hours over Christmas. The London Stock Exchange is closed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day and closes early at 12:30 on New Year’s Eve. In 2021, the London Stock Exchange is closed on 27 and 28 December because Christmas and Boxing Day fall on a Saturday and Sunday.
If you’re an early bird or a night owl, there’s always somewhere open for you to trade stocks. And it’s also possible to buy and sell stocks out of hours on some trading platforms. But be careful because even experienced traders find it hard to predict the swings in prices during out-of-hours trading.
If you want to stick to trading UK stocks during regular market trading, then you can buy and sell shares from 08:00 until 16:30 Monday to Friday. Aim to trade in the middle of the day if you want to avoid big, unexpected price fluctuations.
Stock markets around the world have set trading hours and aren’t open 24 hours per day. However, it is possible to buy and sell stocks at any time if you are trading stocks in a different country or time zone.
It’s also possible to buy stocks out of hours, although prices can be more volatile due to lower trading volumes. If you’re a new investor, it’s probably safer to stick to trading during normal stock market opening hours.
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