Markets and Hours

Stock markets are very similar to traditional markets where we buy fruits, vegetables, meat, or fish. These markets have well-defined opening hours: when the shutters come down, activity stops and it is no longer possible to buy or sell.

Something very similar happens in stock markets. Although there are some important differences, the most relevant is that here you can act both as a buyer and as a seller. Outside the official market hours, you cannot trade. This statement is not entirely accurate, as some brokers allow trading in pre-market and after-hours sessions. However, to understand the general functioning, it is useful to stick with the simile of the traditional market: once the market closes, trading stops and purchases and sales cannot be executed in the ordinary way.

There are numerous stock markets around the world, each with its own hours and operating rules. Below, we will see the most important ones. It is important to pay special attention to opening and closing times, as the indicated hours always correspond to the local time of each market.

North America

• NYSE – New York Stock Exchange
  09:30 – 16:00 (EST)

• NASDAQ – Also in New York
  09:30 – 16:00 (EST)

• OTC – Over-the-counter market oriented to smaller companies with a lower level of regulation
  09:30 – 16:00 (EST)

• TSX – Toronto Stock Exchange
  09:30 – 16:00 (EST)

Europe

• BME – Bolsas y Mercados Españoles
  09:00 – 17:30 (CET)

• LSE – London Stock Exchange
  08:00 – 16:30 (GMT)

• FSE – Frankfurt Stock Exchange
  09:00 – 17:30 (CET)

Asia

• TSE – Tokyo Stock Exchange
  09:00 – 15:00 (JST)

• HKEX – Hong Kong Stock Exchange
  09:30 – 16:00 (HKT)

• ASX – Australian Securities Exchange
  10:00 – 16:00 (AEST)

• BSE – Bombay Stock Exchange
  09:15 – 15:30 (IST)

For more convenience you can use this website, where you can see the different stock markets around the world, their opening hours and current status:

• https://www.tradinghours.com/markets