If you trade US stocks, you know timing is everything. A surprise market holiday or early close can wreck a plan, delay an order, or cause a missed move that you spotted the night before.
This guide lays out US stock market opening times 2026 for both NYSE and Nasdaq in plain language. You get the regular daily hours, a full look at holidays, and a month by month view of when the market opens late, closes early, or does not open at all.
It is useful whether you are a day trader, a long-term investor who checks in a few times a month, or a global trader watching from Europe or Asia. You will also see how daylight saving time shifts can change the market open in your local clock, even though New York time stays the same.
Keep this page handy and you will not have to guess about trading hours in 2026.
Regular daily opening and closing times in Eastern Time
Both the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and Nasdaq follow US Eastern Time.
On all normal trading days in 2026, the regular market session runs:
- 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time
The famous opening bell rings at 9:30 a.m. for both NYSE and Nasdaq. The closing bell rings at 4:00 p.m. for both as well. There is no difference in core hours between the two exchanges.
These hours apply on every weekday, Monday through Friday, when the market is not closed for a holiday and there is no special early close. Weekends are always closed.
If a date is not listed as a holiday or an early close, you can assume normal 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time trading for NYSE and Nasdaq in 2026.
Pre-market and after hours trading: what counts as “open” for 2026
Many brokers in 2026 will let you trade outside the regular session. These periods are often called pre market and after hours.
Common extended hours ranges are:
- Pre market: roughly 4:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time
- After hours: roughly 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time
The exact window depends on your broker, and not every stock trades at all times. Price gaps, wider spreads, and lighter volume are common in these sessions.
The official market opening time is still 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time. That is when the main auction kicks in and most traders are active.
How daylight saving time affects US market hours in 2026
NYSE and Nasdaq always follow US Eastern Time, including daylight saving time (DST).
In 2026:
- DST starts on the second Sunday in March, March 8, 2026
- DST ends on the first Sunday in November, November 1, 2026
Inside the United States, the clock change keeps local market hours in sync, so the open still feels like 9:30 a.m.
Outside the US, things can shift. For example, many European countries change their clocks on different dates. That means there are short periods where the US market opens one hour earlier or later in local time, even though it still opens at 9:30 a.m. Eastern.
If you trade from Europe, Asia, or another region, note these March and November dates in your calendar so your local view of US opening times stays accurate.
US Stock Market Holidays and Early Closes in 2026 (Month by Month)
NYSE and Nasdaq share the same holiday calendar in 2026. When one is closed for a standard US market holiday, the other is closed too.
Here are the key full closures and early closes for 2026.
| Date | Holiday / Event | Market Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thu Jan 1, 2026 | New Year’s Day | Closed | Full holiday |
| Mon Jan 19, 2026 | Martin Luther King Jr. Day | Closed | Full holiday |
| Mon Feb 16, 2026 | Presidents’ Day | Closed | Full holiday |
| Fri Apr 3, 2026 | Good Friday | Closed | Full holiday |
| Mon May 25, 2026 | Memorial Day | Closed | Full holiday |
| Fri Jun 19, 2026 | Juneteenth | Closed | Full holiday |
| Fri Jul 3, 2026 | Independence Day observed | Closed | July 4 falls on Saturday |
| Mon Sep 7, 2026 | Labor Day | Closed | Full holiday |
| Thu Nov 26, 2026 | Thanksgiving Day | Closed | Full holiday |
| Fri Nov 27, 2026 | Day after Thanksgiving | Early close (1:00 p.m. ET) | Morning session only |
| Thu Dec 24, 2026 | Christmas Eve | Early close (1:00 p.m. ET) | Shortened trading day |
| Fri Dec 25, 2026 | Christmas Day | Closed | Full holiday |
All other weekdays follow regular hours.
First quarter 2026: January – March
January 2026
- Thursday, January 1: New Year’s Day, markets closed
- Monday, January 19: Martin Luther King Jr. Day, markets closed
Every other weekday in January follows the standard 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time schedule. There are no early closes in January.
February 2026
- Monday, February 16: Presidents’ Day, markets closed
All other February weekdays are normal trading days with full hours.
March 2026
There are no NYSE or Nasdaq holidays in March 2026. Every weekday is a standard trading day.
Daylight saving time starts on Sunday, March 8, which moves the clock forward in Eastern Time. If you trade from another country, check how that shift changes your local view of the open.
There are no early closes in the first quarter of 2026.
Second quarter 2026: April – June
April 2026
- Friday, April 3: Good Friday, markets closed
The days before and after Good Friday in April use normal hours. There are no early closes tied to Easter.
May 2026
- Monday, May 25: Memorial Day, markets closed
Friday, May 22 and Tuesday, May 26 both run on regular hours. There is no routine early close related to Memorial Day.
June 2026
- Friday, June 19: Juneteenth National Independence Day, markets closed
All other weekdays in April, May, and June 2026 follow normal 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time hours, with no planned early closes in the second quarter.
Third quarter 2026: July – Sept
July 2026
Independence Day falls on Saturday, July 4, 2026. The NYSE and Nasdaq observe the holiday on:
- Friday, July 3, 2026: markets closed
There is usually no extra early close in years when the holiday is observed on a Friday. Monday, July 6 is a regular trading day.
August 2026
August almost never has US stock market holidays, and 2026 is no exception. Every weekday in August follows the standard schedule.
September 2026
- Monday, September 7, 2026: Labor Day, markets closed
Friday, September 4 and Tuesday, September 8 are normal full trading days. There are no early closes in the third quarter.
Fourth quarter 2026: Oct – Dec
October 2026
October does not include major US stock market holidays in 2026. All weekdays run on the usual 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time schedule.
November 2026
- Thursday, November 26: Thanksgiving Day, markets closed
- Friday, November 27: day after Thanksgiving, early close at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time
That Friday session is often lighter in volume, with many traders away. The rest of November weekdays are normal full days.
Daylight saving time ends on Sunday, November 1, 2026. For traders outside the US, the local open time can shift in early November.
December 2026
- Thursday, December 24: Christmas Eve, early close at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time
- Friday, December 25: Christmas Day, markets closed
There is usually no early close on New Year’s Eve in recent years, so Thursday, December 31, 2026 is expected to be a normal full trading day.
Conclusion
You now have the core picture for US stock market hours in 2026. Regular NYSE and Nasdaq trading runs from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, with a shared holiday calendar, a few full closure days, and a handful of early 1:00 p.m. closes.
The quarter by quarter view makes it easy to see how New Year’s, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas affect your plans. It also shows where most weeks are normal, which is just as important for steady trading.
Save or bookmark this 2026 schedule, add the dates to your calendar, and check exchange notices as the year gets closer in case of rare changes. With your timing sorted out, you can focus on what really matters in 2026, your trades.
