New York Stock Exchange Hours: Wall Street Open & Close

The New York stock exchange is none other than the New York Stock Exchange, abbreviated to NYSE. It was founded on 8 March 1817, after the organisation’s charter was drawn up. Its origins, however, go back much further: on 17 May 1792, 24 New York stockbrokers signed the Buttonwood Agreement, and that is how its activities began. Its potential quickly grew, attracting thousands of investors and companies, and that is still the case today.

You cannot invest on the New York Stock Exchange without mastering certain parameters, such as its trading hours.

New York Stock Exchange Hours

• New York Stock Exchange opens – 9:30 am (New York local time), or 15:30 Paris time
• New York Stock Exchange closes – 4:00 pm (New York local time), or 22:00 Paris time

Like any other institution, the New York Stock Exchange has its own hours, which differ from French time. It only operates during these clearly defined time slots and never deviates from them.

It therefore operates for exactly 6 hours and 30 minutes, and you will need to follow this schedule to trade on the US stock markets.

Swiss and Belgian time are the same as Paris time: Wall Street therefore also opens at 15:30 in Geneva and Brussels, and at 9:30 am in Montreal (same time zone as New York).

If this topic interests you, also read “New York Stock Exchange Closing Time” and “New York Stock Exchange Holidays”.

Time Difference: The Weeks When Wall Street Opens at 14:30 in Paris

The time difference between Paris and New York is normally 6 hours. But the United States and Europe do not change their clocks on the same day: for a few weeks each year, the gap drops to 5 hours and Wall Street opens at 14:30 and closes at 21:00 Paris time.

The United States switches to daylight saving time on the second Sunday in March and back to standard time on the first Sunday in November; Europe changes on the last Sunday in March and the last Sunday in October. If you have orders or alerts scheduled in Paris time, check them during these weeks.

Pre-Market and Extended Hours (Pre-Market and After-Hours)

• Pre-market: from 4:00 am to 9:30 am New York time, i.e. from 10:00 to 15:30 Paris time. Most trading takes place from 8:00 am (14:00 in Paris), after US economic data is released at 8:30 am.
• Regular session: from 9:30 am to 4:00 pm (15:30 – 22:00 in Paris).
• After-hours: from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm (22:00 – 2:00 in Paris). This is often when large companies release their quarterly earnings.

The pre-market is the time slot before the official open. Buy and sell orders can already be placed, but those not executed during extended hours will only be executed at the official open. Volumes are low and spreads wide, so an order may be filled far from the expected price. This is why this phase is best left to experienced investors. Not all brokers offer access to extended hours: check before relying on it.

When Are the New York Stock Markets Closed?

Beyond the New York Stock Exchange’s daily hours, the trading days also matter. The New York exchange operates every day from Monday to Friday, which clearly implies that it is closed on Saturday and Sunday. However, the NYSE schedule also includes other clearly specified days known as NYSE holidays. These are celebrations or holidays that fall on working days.

New York Stock Exchange Holidays in 2026

In 2026, the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the Nasdaq are closed on the following days:

Shortened sessions (close at 1:00 pm in New York, 19:00 in Paris): Friday 27 November 2026 (the day after Thanksgiving) and Thursday 24 December 2026 (Christmas Eve). On these days, volumes are low and liquidity dries up early in the afternoon.

Unlike the Paris Stock Exchange, Wall Street is open on 1 May, Easter Monday and 26 December. Conversely, Paris is open on Thanksgiving Day. Keep this in mind if you trade both markets: Paris Stock Exchange hours.

Hours of Other US Exchanges and Markets

Wall Street is not the only trading venue in the United States. Each market has its own hours; here are the main ones, in New York time and Paris time (usual 6-hour difference).

Index futures and the CFDs that track them therefore trade almost 24 hours a day, whereas stocks only really trade during Wall Street hours.

Why Is It Important to Know the New York Stock Exchange Opening and Closing Hours?

There is a very simple answer to the question of what time Wall Street opens. At school, college or university, every class obviously has a timetable. You cannot attend it at any time other than the one scheduled. Nor can you expect to attend a lecture scheduled from 10 am to 1 pm by turning up at 8 am or after 2 pm. It would make no sense. In the same way, a trader needs to keep an eye on the markets as much as possible by following the New York Stock Exchange hours.

That is how they can gauge price swings, carry out their analysis and make the right decision. Beyond that, market opens and closes are key periods. Events occur that can influence the current or future session. Volatility and spread differences are parameters to watch in particular.

The New York Stock Exchange also handles an incredible volume of shares. Its influence is such that it cannot be ignored. After all, it is the world’s leading stock exchange, with a market capitalisation three times larger than the NASDAQ. Any positive or negative move on the US markets tends to affect trading all over the world. Even if you trade elsewhere, on Euronext or in London for example, the New York open at 15:30 often moves European prices: it is useful to keep it in mind.

Knowing these hours also helps you organise your schedule: few individuals can follow the market full time, and knowing when Wall Street opens lets you prepare your analysis while the market is closed and review your positions before the next session.

New York Stock Exchange: What Are the Best Times to Trade?

A good trader does not trade 24 hours a day. To make profitable trades, you need to clearly identify the hours when the market is busiest. Start by determining the hours when two stock exchanges are open at the same time.

As trading volumes are much higher, the market is broader and more dynamic. It is therefore worth trading from 14:00 to 18:00, when the New York and French exchanges overlap. Between 2 am and 8 am is the ideal time to trade currency pairs involving the Australian dollar and the Japanese yen.

However, during these trading hours on the US market, you need to be extra careful, as when two markets overlap, volatility tends to be high.

During the US session itself, the most active time slots are the first half hour (9:30 – 10:00 am, i.e. 15:30 – 16:00 in Paris) and the last hour and a half (2:30 – 4:00 pm, i.e. 20:30 – 22:00 in Paris). During the first 30 minutes, orders accumulated overnight are executed and prices can swing widely: beginners are often advised to wait. Between 10:00 and 11:30 am (16:00 – 17:30 in Paris), positions have adjusted and the market becomes easier to read while remaining liquid.

New York Stock Exchange: Four Facts to Know

• The New York Stock Exchange is legendary for its age, its status, its operations and its history. It has known glorious times as well as dark periods, as the 1929 crash clearly shows. There is a lot to gain from knowing the ground you are playing on, the circles you move in or the environment in which you do business. For your general knowledge, it is essential to learn more about this institution. The term Wall Street is sometimes used to refer to the New York Stock Exchange. The name comes from the location of the building where trading takes place: share trading happens at 11 Wall Street. However, the NYSE’s headquarters is not there. It is located at 18 Broad Street, very close to Wall Street,
• in Manhattan’s financial district. In 2005, the New York Stock Exchange strengthened its position by acquiring Archipelago Holdings. The following year, it merged with Euronext, one of Europe’s largest stock exchanges, creating NYSE-Euronext. When ICE bought the group in 2013, it separated from Euronext, which was finally listed on 20 June 2014. All these moves helped the New York exchange gain further ground on the NASDAQ. This exchange, also based in New York, dominated US trading before the 1990s. Today the balance of power has been reversed, and by a wide margin.
• With advances in technology, trading techniques have changed dramatically. Electronics have given investors and traders a major boost. Stock exchanges around the world have therefore evolved and adopted this new tool, and the NYSE was no exception. Archipelago Holdings and Euronext in particular operate on a purely electronic basis. This merger truly allowed it to compete with the NASDAQ, which is the world’s largest electronic market. However, one tradition remains rooted in New York Stock Exchange operations: open outcry trading.
• Since 2018, the New York Stock Exchange has been led by a woman, Stacey Cunningham. She became its 67^th leader and the first woman to head the group. A banker by profession, she has had a highly accomplished career. Her journey at the New York Stock Exchange began in 1994 while she was still a student. She worked for Bank of America and the NASDAQ, where she held very senior positions. She returned to the NYSE in 2012 before reaching the top with her appointment on 22 May 2018.

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Why Isn’t the New York Stock Exchange Open at Weekends?

Like almost all financial centres, Wall Street is closed on Saturday and Sunday. The banks, clearing houses and settlement systems that finalise transactions do not operate at weekends, and market participants need these two days to take a break and prepare for the following week. For individual investors, the weekend is a good time to analyse positions and review strategy. Only certain derivatives (futures, index CFDs) resume trading on Sunday evening.

Why Do Opening Hours Differ Between Stock Exchanges?

Trading hours depend first and foremost on each exchange’s time zone: each exchange opens during the local working day. This concentrates buyers and sellers from each region in the same time window, which improves liquidity, and it spreads global trading across the whole day: Tokyo opens during the European night, then Paris and London, then New York. The hours when two exchanges are open at the same time are the most active. For the big picture, see our page on world stock exchange closing times.

The Different Stock Markets in New York

There are three main stock markets in New York: the NYSE, the NASDAQ and the AMEX. Together, they account for almost all trading in US company shares.

• NYSE

Wall Street, meaning the New York Stock Exchange, trades the shares of the largest and most powerful companies in the United States. Many of them are also among the oldest in the country, and their market capitalisation is simply astronomical.

• NASDAQ

NASDAQ stands for National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations. It began operating in 1971 and is owned by a European-American group. Its stock indices bear the same name as the market, the most important being the NASDAQ 100 and the NASDAQ Composite. They track the performance of many companies, including technology-focused ones such as Microsoft, Intel, NVIDIA and Tesla, which makes them very volatile. There are also companies from other sectors such as banking, transport and retail. To trade successfully here, you need to know when the Nasdaq opens.

• AMEX

The AMEX (American Stock Exchange) is the least known of the three financial markets. It accounts for only 10% of the shares traded on the NYSE. It is more flexible than the first two exchanges, so companies smaller than the major US corporations can be listed there, and many foreign companies are registered on it. The exchange has been operating since 1908. In 2008, the NYSE bought it for $260 million; it is now called NYSE American.

The NYSE group also operates NYSE Arca, a fully electronic market where a large share of US ETFs are traded, as well as options markets. You will find stocks, ETFs, bonds and options across all sectors: technology, telecommunications, healthcare, banking, energy and more.

What Are the Main Indices of the New York Stock Exchange?

With a market capitalisation of around $25 trillion, the NYSE lists no fewer than 2,400 companies.

Its associated index is the NYSE Composite. However, two other national indices get the most attention during New York trading hours: the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the Standard & Poor’s 500.

Dow Jones Industrial Average

• The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA), commonly called the Dow Jones, belongs to Dow Jones Indexes, which is 10% owned by Dow Jones and Company and 90% by CME Group. The DJIA is known as the oldest stock index in the history of the world and of finance. It was created by Charles Dow and Edward Jones in 1884. The first companies included in the index at the time were railway, telegraph and steam engine companies. There were eleven of them,
• which then rose to twelve. Today, the index is made up of 30 companies, including American Express, Apple, Boeing, Coca-Cola, Nike, Wal-Mart and Walt Disney. Even NASDAQ-listed companies such as Microsoft and Intel are included. None of the original companies remains. One of them, General Electric, lasted at least 111 years before leaving in 2018. Over the years, with changes in performance and the financial landscape, the DJIA’s composition changes.
• The Dow Jones is calculated by dividing the capitalisation of the 30 companies by a number called the Dow Divisor. This divisor is adjusted appropriately to reflect events within the companies and the index itself, so the Dow Divisor is continuously reassessed to reflect reality.

Standard & Poor’s 500

• The Standard & Poor’s 500 is often abbreviated to “S&P 500” or “SP 500”. It brings together the 500 largest listed US companies, a true combination of the NYSE and the NASDAQ. Together, these companies account for about 80% of US stock market capitalisation. The index is owned by Standard & Poor’s. The SP 500 has existed since 4 March 1957 and has a particular weighting method.
• This weighting does not take into account a company’s market capitalisation, nor its free float. As a result, the impact of any change within a company is felt in the same way: whether the company is large or small, a one-dollar fall or rise has the same effect on the index.

Nasdaq 100

The Nasdaq 100 brings together the 100 largest non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq: Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, Amazon, Alphabet, Meta, Tesla, Broadcom, Costco and Netflix. Heavily weighted towards technology stocks, it is more volatile than the S&P 500. It trades during the same hours as Wall Street, from 15:30 to 22:00 Paris time.

Russell 2000

Often overlooked by investors, the Russell 2000 nevertheless gives a good idea of the health of the “real” US economy. It includes around 2,000 small caps, which are more sensitive to interest rates and domestic economic conditions than the giants of the S&P 500.

Which Currency Pairs Should You Trade at the New York Open?

Financial markets are interconnected, so the currency market influences the stock market. As the dollar is the US currency and the most widely used in global business, you need to pay attention to it and keep an eye on New York trading hours. At the New York open, the pairs you should be interested in are all those involving the USD. As the Canadian market is close to the US market, CAD pairs are also important.

An interesting point is the overlap between the New York and London sessions. In addition, the Japanese market is strongly correlated with the US market. These two factors make USD/JPY and GBP/JPY attractive pairs to trade.

What Are the Best Days of the Week to Trade on the New York Stock Exchange?

A good trader needs to answer the question of the best times to trade. Knowing when to trade and when not to can either save you some disappointment or make your work more efficient. Monday trading often starts slowly: volatility is low and spreads are wide. It is not an ideal environment, although it remains important to follow the market to prepare for the following days. Tuesday is a more favourable day: volatility peaks and there is plenty of trading. Wednesday is less interesting. You may find opportunities, but be cautious and measured. Trades running from Wednesday to Thursday should therefore be watched closely. Friday is more pleasant: the economic calendar features many events and you could make good trades. Just do not overdo it by taking unnecessary risks.

Conclusion

The New York Stock Exchange is the best-known and most important stock exchange in the United States and in the world. It is larger than the Paris Stock Exchange and has different hours. It handles a colossal volume of transactions and is a top investment venue. It has been operating in the world of finance for more than 200 years. It is open five days a week, Monday to Friday, from 9:30 am to 4:00 pm US time.

With a market capitalisation of $25 trillion, it stands out for two of its indices, the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the Standard & Poor’s 500, which bring together the largest US companies. At the New York open, it is recommended to watch currency pairs involving the USD and the CAD. The best way to trade the US market involves a few essential points:

• A good broker;
• An excellent platform;
• A well-thought-out strategy;
• Following the economic calendar.

FAQ: New York Stock Exchange Hours

What time does Wall Street open?

Wall Street opens at 9:30 am and closes at 4:00 pm New York time, Monday to Friday. In French time, the session runs from 15:30 to 22:00, except for a few weeks in March and October–November when the gap is only 5 hours (14:30 – 21:00).

When does the Nasdaq open?

The Nasdaq has the same hours as the NYSE: from 9:30 am to 4:00 pm in New York, i.e. from 15:30 to 22:00 in Paris, Monday to Friday. Its extended sessions run from 4:00 am to 9:30 am and from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm.

What time does Wall Street pre-market trading start?

The pre-market starts at 4:00 am New York time (10:00 in Paris), but volumes become significant around 8:00 am (14:00 in Paris). Orders not executed during this phase will be executed at the official open at 9:30 am.

What are the 2026 New York Stock Exchange holidays?

1 January, 19 January, 16 February, 3 April, 25 May, 19 June, 3 July, 7 September, 26 November and 25 December 2026. The session is shortened (close at 1:00 pm, 19:00 in Paris) on 27 November and 24 December.

What is the best time to trade Wall Street?

The most active time slots are the open (15:30 – 16:00 in Paris) and the end of the session (20:30 – 22:00 in Paris). For beginners, the 16:00 – 17:30 window (Paris time), after the first adjustments, is often easier to read.

Is it wise to trade on Mondays?

Monday is often quieter, with less volume and sometimes wider spreads. Many training courses advise beginners to use it to observe the market and prepare their positions rather than to trade actively.

Why is the New York Stock Exchange closed at weekends and on public holidays?

Because banks and transaction settlement systems are closed on those days. Futures and CFDs on US indices, however, resume on Sunday evening.

What time does the Paris Stock Exchange open?

Euronext Paris opens at 9:00 and closes at 17:30, with a closing auction until 17:35. Paris and New York are therefore open at the same time from 15:30 to 17:30, which is often the most active time of day for European traders. Details on our Paris Stock Exchange hours page.

Also read: Frankfurt Stock Exchange Hours · Wall Street Opening Hours · Wall Street Closing Time