Stock Market Hours
The Stock Market day is actually somewhat misinterpreted when it comes to what people believe as the norm for trading. Though most people think that the market opens at 9:30 AM and closes at 4:00 PM, there is also pre-market and after-market hours. The Pre-Market hours are from 8:00 AM until 9:30 AM EDT, and the After-Market hours are from 4:00 PM until 6:30 PM EDT. Though the trading is significantly lighter during these pre and post market hours, there is still room for price movement. If you have ever looked at a stock chart and seen a gap in the lines (for basic understanding), that represents trading which occured either after hours or pre hours or both. Stock Charts only display the day’s activity from 9:30 AM until 4:00 PM. So in summary:
- The Market Opens at 9:30 AM EDT
- The Market Closes at 4:00 PM EDT
- The Pre-Hours Market goes from 8:00 AM – 9:30 AM EDT
- The After-Hours Market goes from 4:00 PM – 6:30 PM EDT
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