Stock markets aren’t individually open 24 hours a day (to the surprise of many). Instead, they allow trading during specific hours. Stock market hours depend on the timezone of the relevant market.
There are three main stock markets that operate on any given weekday:
- New York
- London
- Tokyo
On any given date, Tokyo is the first to open, followed by London and then New York.
Tokyo trading sessions run from 9 am until 11:30 am JST, and then from 12:30 pm until 3 pm JST. JST is GMT +09:00 (meaning that it opens 12:00 am GMT and closes 6 am GMT).
London Stock Exchange is open Monday to Friday from 8:00 am until 4:30 pm GMT.
New York is open Monday to Friday 9:30 am until 4 pm eastern standard time (EST). EST is GMT -05:00.
During any given 24-hour period, one of the three main stock markets is likely to be open. Other smaller stock exchanges around the world fill in the gaps. Trading occasionally takes place on these markets to predict the opening price of various stocks and securities once the major markets open.
Stock markets do not generally open at weekends. All trading on core markets takes place on weekdays. Bond markets sometimes trade for longer hours than stock markets. For instance, NYSE bonds trade from 8 am to 5 pm.
Stock markets close on national holidays and other special events. These include New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, and other important days around the globe, depending on the country.