Stock Market Hours: A Complete Guide to Global Trading Schedules
Everything you need to know about stock market trading hours across 16 major global exchanges, from NYSE to Tokyo.
Stock markets around the world don't all open at the same time. Each exchange operates on its own schedule, tied to its local time zone, and understanding these schedules is the first step to trading effectively across borders.
North American Markets
The two biggest exchanges in the world sit in Lower Manhattan. The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and NASDAQ both open at 9:30 AM and close at 4:00 PM Eastern Time, Monday through Friday. But the trading day actually starts much earlier. Pre-market sessions begin at 4:00 AM ET, giving early risers a chance to react to overnight earnings reports or European market movements. After the closing bell, after-hours trading extends until 8:00 PM ET.
The Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) follows a similar schedule, opening at 9:30 AM and closing at 4:00 PM Eastern Time. In Brazil, B3 (formerly BM&F Bovespa) trades from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM Brasilia Time, and in Mexico, the BMV operates from 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM Central Time.
European Markets
The London Stock Exchange (LSE) is the anchor of European trading, open from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM GMT. Euronext, which covers Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, and Lisbon, trades from 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM CET. The Frankfurt Stock Exchange (XETRA) runs from 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM CET as well. There's significant overlap between European and US sessions, specifically from 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM ET (2:30 PM to 4:30 PM GMT), which tends to be the most liquid part of the global trading day.
Asian Markets
Asian exchanges start the global trading day. The Tokyo Stock Exchange opens at 9:00 AM JST with a morning session until 11:30 AM, then breaks for lunch before resuming at 12:30 PM and closing at 3:30 PM. The Shanghai and Shenzhen exchanges follow a similar pattern with their own lunch break from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM CST. Hong Kong's exchange trades from 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM HKT with a lunch break from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM.
The Korean exchange (KRX) operates without a lunch break, running continuously from 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM KST. India's exchanges (BSE and NSE) trade from 9:15 AM to 3:30 PM IST, also without a midday pause. Australia's ASX opens at 10:00 AM and closes at 4:00 PM AEST.
Why These Hours Matter
Knowing when markets overlap helps you find the best liquidity windows. If you're trading US stocks from Asia, the pre-market session lets you react before the regular session begins. If you're watching European equities from New York, the morning overlap period gives you live price action to work with. Check our live market status tool to see which exchanges are open right now.