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A Complete Guide to Global Stock Market Trading Hours

Find out at what times all major stock exchanges open and close across the globe.

There is a large number of stock exchanges throughout the world, most of which operate throughout the weekdays, although the timetable of trading hours varies greatly depending on each country or region.

Stock market trading hours commonly run between Monday morning and Friday afternoon with a break on the weekend, meaning that traders must be able to pay close attention to market trends and predict changes for the following week. Stock markets can rise or drop depending on political, social and economic news across the UK and globally, and these updates can have an effect on trading hours for different regions.

For example, UK stock market hours will not reflect those in Hong Kong or Japan, due to the general difference in work politics and culture. Some stock exchanges also close for a lunch break, mainly those in Asia, whereas they do not in Europe and the Americas.

Stock market hours also vary compared to other financial markets. For example, currency market hours are generally 24 hours a day, from Sunday evening to Friday night. The three major trading sessions include locations in Tokyo (for Asia), London (for Europe) and New York (for North America). The overlap of these trading hours mean that clients are able to open and close positions at most hours within the currency market.

What are the stock exchange hours?

Below is a list of major worldwide stock exchanges and their opening times in both local and GMT trading times. The majority of these stock exchanges have a market capitalization of over a trillion US dollars and belong to the exclusive ‘$1 Trillion Club’. Together, they make up over 87% of the overall global market capitalization. However, some smaller but equally significant stock exchanges are also shown that do not belong to this statistic.

Please note that the market capitalization changes periodically for each stock exchange and trading hours are often subject to change, therefore the information and figures shown below are up to date as of April 2020.

Stock exchange
Market cap.* ($)
Local trading time**
GMT trading time
UAE time
Bahrain Bourse $18.2 Billion 10:00 - 14:00 09:00 - 13:00 06:00 - 10:00
Toronto Stock Exchange $3.61 Trillion 17:30 - 00:00 09:30 - 16:00 13:30 - 20:00
Shanghai Stock Exchange $10.71 Trillion 05:15 - 11:05 09:30 - 15:00 01:30 - 07:00
Euronext Paris $3.35 Trillion 11:00 - 19:45 09:00 - 17:30 07:00 - 15:30
Deutsche Börse (XETRA) $3.01 Trillion 11:00 - 19:45 09:00 - 17:30 07:00 - 15:30
Hong Kong Stock Exchange $6.53 Trillion 05:15 - 12:15 09:30 - 16:00 01:30 - 08:00
National Stock Exchange $5.25 Trillion 07:45 - 15:30 09:15 - 15:30 03:45 - 11:00
Tokyo Stock Exchange $6.87 Trillion 04:00 - 10:45 09:00 - 15:00 00:00 - 06:00
Boursa Kuwait $158.6 Billion 10:00 - 13:30 09:00 - 12:30 06:00 - 09:30
Euronext Amsterdam $1.15 Trillion 11:00 - 20:05 09:00 - 17:15 07:00 - 15:15
Oslo Børs $399 Billion 11:00 - 18:30 09:00 - 16:30 07:00 - 14:30
Muscat Stock Exchange $33.3 Billion 10:00 - 13:00 09:00 - 12:00 05:00 - 08:00
Pakistan Stock Exchange $51.5 Billion 08:00 - 15:30 09:30 - 16:00 04:30 - 11:00
Qatar Stock Exchange $170.6 Billion 10:30 - 14:15 09:30 - 13:15 06:30 - 10:15
Johannesburg Stock Exchange $391.2 Billion 11:00 - 19:00 09:00 - 17:00 07:00 - 15:00
Tadawul $2.42 Trillion 04:45 - 16:20 10:00 - 15:00 07:00 - 12:00
Singapore Exchange $483.9 Billion 05:00 - 13:15 09:00 - 17:15 01:00 - 09:15
Korea Exchange $2.12 Trillion 03:30 - 10:35 09:00 - 15:30 00:00 - 06:35
SIX Swiss Exchange $2.33 Trillion 11:00 - 19:35 09:00 - 17:35 07:00 - 15:35
Dubai Financial + Abu Dhabi Exchange $1.08 Trillion 10:00 - 15:05 10:00 - 15:05 06:00 - 11:05
London Stock Exchange $3.51 Trillion 11:00 - 19:50 08:00 - 16:30 07:00 - 15:30
NYSE / NASDAQ $63.82 Trillion 17:30 - 00:45 09:30 - 16:00 13:30 - 20:00

Note:
*As of 5th July, 2025

Source: Bloomberg

**The Local trading time is the corresponding hours of the exchange open and close, along with the time zone within which the exchange is located

Extended Trading Sessions: Pre-Market and After-Hours

Trading Beyond the Bell: Pre-Market and After-Hours Sessions

The US stock market typically runs from 5:30 PM to 12:00 AM Dubai time. But for investors who want to stay a step ahead, extended trading sessions open up more opportunities before the market officially starts and after it closes.

What is Pre-Market Trading?

This session starts as early as 12:00 PM Dubai time and goes on until the market opens at 5:30 PM. It’s a window for early movers who react to overnight news, global market cues, or economic data. You’ll often find institutional traders and seasoned investors active during this time.

What is After-Hours Trading?

After the market closes at midnight, trading continues until 4:00 AM Dubai time. This session is popular among investors looking to respond to earnings results, late announcements, or position themselves for the next day.

A Few Things to Know
  • Trading volume tends to be lower, so prices can swing more.
  • Not every broker offers access to these sessions.
  • It's riskier, but it can also mean early access to major market moves.
Is It Right for You?

If you're comfortable with quick decisions and want to react ahead of the crowd, extended hours might be worth exploring. Just make sure you're aware of the risks and have the right tools in place.

Learn More :  What is technical analysis in Trading 

Elevate your trading experience with
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Elevate your trading experience with
Century Trader App

Trading Hours by Region

North and South America

In North America, the NYSE is the largest stock exchange in the world. Together with NASDAQ, TSX and the Bolsa Mexicana de Valores, this accounts for more than 40% of worldwide total value. The average US stock market hours reflect those in Europe and Oceania, starting at approximately 9am and closing at 5pm.

The South American stock market is modest in comparison with other competitors, given there is a trend that the largest stock exchange value falls above the equator. The B3 Brazil Stock Exchange represents a large percentage of overall value across this continent, having formed from the merging of two smaller stock exchanges in São Paulo, BM&F and Bovespa. The Santiago Stock Exchange in Chile changes its trading hours in the summer months, extending their closing time from 4pm to 5pm, with the hope of increasing volume to the stock markets from a longer opportunity.

Europe and Africa

European stock market hours are generally considered the longest of all regions, and they do not include a lunch break within trading hours. The largest exchange of the region by market capitalization is Euronext, which is a collective stock exchange that represents a number of European stock markets, including Amsterdam, Paris, Lisbon, Brussels and Dublin. This is followed closely by the London Stock Exchange, which is one of our most popular instruments to trade on. London stock market hours extend from 8am to 4.30pm.

JSE is the largest stock exchange in Africa, located in the southernmost country of South Africa, which has an agreement with the LSE to enable cross-dealing between the two stock exchanges. Other prevalent markets are located in Nigeria and Egypt.

Asia and Oceania

As you can infer from the table, stock markets in Asia tend to close slightly earlier than in other regions, mostly between 3pm and 4pm. They tend to stop for an hourly lunch break between 11.30am and 1.30pm local time, including the major exchanges in Tokyo, Shanghai and Singapore, as well as smaller island markets. However, the Korea Stock Exchange is an exception to this rule, as there is no lunch break. The lunch break ban was introduced in 2000 in a bid to encourage growth of the markets, as well as extending the stock market’s close time to 3.30pm instead of 3pm. Increasing the availability of trading hours is a tactic used with the hope of increasing the volume of transactions made by traders throughout the day when other regions in Asia are closed, such as the Taiwan or Shenzhen stock exchanges.

Stock exchanges in Oceania, including the ASX and New Zealand Stock Exchange, open at 10am, which is relatively later than other stock markets worldwide. They also do not include a lunch break in a similar way to the Western markets.

Are stock markets closed on weekends?

Most stock exchanges around the world do not open for trading on the weekend and instead operate a consistent weekday trading routine. However, stock market trading hours can differ depending on the culture and religious practice of a region. For example, various Middle Eastern stock exchanges are open on either Saturdays, Sundays or both.

A notable stock exchange, Tadawul (Saudi Stock Exchange), opens its trading hours from Sunday to Thursday, as the population consider Friday and Saturday to be weekend days for rest. Both the Doha Securities Market in Qatar and Tel-Aviv Stock Exchange in Israel follow the same schedule, even if Tel-Aviv have changed their opening and closing times slightly to reflect European trading hours.

While most stock markets are closed for the weekend, it is still possible to trade other assets with CMC Markets on a fixed timetable, such as Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies. Please visit our markets page to find out more information about our weekend trading hours.

World stock exchange holidays

Stock market holidays may differ depending on each region, country and individual stock exchange. For example, stock market opening times over Christmas will only apply to regions in which the festivity is celebrated, most notably Europe, North America and Australia. In the same way, select public holidays such as Canada Day, Chinese New Year, Australia Day and Thanksgiving in the US will affect trading hours for all affected countries. Islamic New Year is a festivity celebrated across many Middle Eastern countries and will most likely affect the stock market trading hours for Israel, Kuwait and the UAE, among others.

Stock market bank holidays also apply to the London Stock Exchange. The markets periodically close on bank holidays including Good Friday, Spring Bank Holiday and Boxing Day, as well as having reduced trading hours on Christmas Eve to accommodate the morning only.

So, when does the stock market close for Christmas? In the United Kingdom, if Christmas Day falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the markets will automatically close on the Friday before, or in rare cases, the following Monday, for a certain period of time depending on the stock exchange.

How Time Zones Affect Global Trading Strategies?

In trading, timing isn't just important—it’s global. Markets open and close at different hours across the world, and the overlaps between them can create powerful windows of opportunity. Understanding these overlaps can help traders make more informed and effective decisiPlease visit our markets page to find out more information about our weekend trading hours.ons.

Why Time Zones Matter in Trading?

Financial markets operate in different time zones. As one market wraps up, another begins. For global traders, especially in forex, commodities, or international stocks, knowing when major markets are active at the same time can be a strategic edge.

The Value of Market Overlaps

Certain times of the day see more activity, more liquidity, and often, more volatility. These overlaps are prime trading hours:

London and New York Overlap

  • Timing: 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM (Dubai Time)
  • Why it matters: This is the busiest period for forex trading. Two of the world’s largest financial hubs are active, which often leads to higher liquidity and tighter spreads.
  • Best for: Forex traders focusing on USD, GBP, and EUR pairs, as well as those looking to respond to key economic news.

Sydney and Tokyo Overlap

  • Timing: 4:00 AM to 9:00 AM (Dubai Time)
  • Why it matters: This sets the tone for the trading day, especially in the Asia-Pacific region.
  • Best for: Traders focused on AUD, NZD, and JPY pairs or those looking to position themselves before Europe opens.

What This Means for Your Strategy?

Knowing when markets overlap allows you to:

  • Trade during the most liquid hours
  • Take advantage of higher volatility when it matters
  • Time your entries and exits more precisely
  • Align your strategy with real-time global news flow

Why Trade with Century Financial

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The US stock market opens at 5:30 PM and closes at 12:00 AM UAE time, from Monday to Friday. These are the regular trading hours for major US exchanges like the NYSE and NASDAQ.

Yes, Century Financial allows eligible clients to access pre-market (12:00 PM to 5:30 PM UAE time) and after-hours trading (12:00 AM to 4:00 AM UAE time). These extended hours let you react to earnings, global news, and market events outside regular trading sessions. Please check platform eligibility and asset availability for extended hours.

No, each exchange follows its own national holiday calendar. For example, the US market may be closed for Independence Day while markets in Europe or Asia remain open. It’s important to check individual exchange schedules, especially if you trade across multiple time zones.

The Sydney Stock Exchange in Australia is generally the first to open in the global trading cycle. It starts at 2:00 AM UAE time, setting the tone for the Asian markets that follow.

Absolutely. With Century Financial, you can trade a wide range of global stocks, including those listed in the US, UK, Europe, and Asia—all from the UAE. You’ll have access to international markets through a regulated, locally supported platform designed for both beginners and experienced traders.

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Losses can exceed your deposits