US Stock Market Hours: When Can You Trade (Including IST Times)?
The NYSE and Nasdaq trade 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. New York time, Monday to Friday — 7:00 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. in India during US daylight time. Pre-market, after-hours, 2026 holidays and early closes explained.
The regular US stock market session (NYSE and Nasdaq) runs from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday to Friday. In India that is 7:00 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. IST while the US is on daylight time (March to early November), and 8:00 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. IST in winter — US clocks go back on November 1, 2026. Many brokers also offer pre-market trading from 4:00 a.m. and after-hours trading until 8:00 p.m. Eastern, but volume is thinner and price moves can be jumpier. The market is closed on weekends and on US market holidays; the remaining 2026 closures are Thanksgiving (November 26) and Christmas (December 25), with early 1:00 p.m. closes on November 27 and December 24.
What Is Driving the Move?
The regular session
9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday to Friday. This is when most volume trades, spreads are tightest, and official daily closing prices are set.
Pre-market and after-hours
Extended sessions run from about 4:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern, depending on the broker. Earnings are usually released outside regular hours, so the biggest moves often happen here, on low volume.
Converting to Indian time
India does not change its clocks, but the US does. From mid-March to the first Sunday of November the open is at 7:00 p.m. IST; for the rest of the year it is at 8:00 p.m. IST. The close is at 1:30 a.m. or 2:30 a.m. IST respectively.
Holidays and early closes
US exchanges close for about ten holidays a year. For the rest of 2026: closed on Thursday, November 26 (Thanksgiving) and Friday, December 25 (Christmas); early 1:00 p.m. Eastern closes on Friday, November 27 and Thursday, December 24.
Technical Analysis
The first and last 30 minutes of the session usually carry the most volume and the largest swings.
Price gaps between the previous close and the next open often come from news released outside regular hours.
Crypto, by contrast, trades 24/7 — a useful difference if you can only practise in the evening or at weekends.
The Tradeskill View
For traders outside the US, the session falls in the evening, which suits practising after work — but it also means earnings and big data releases often land while you are asleep.
On The Tradeskill, US stock prices update live during market hours; outside them the last traded price holds until the next session. Crypto keeps moving around the clock.
Try both: practise US stocks in the evening session and crypto any time, with $20,000 in virtual cash.
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Frequently asked questions
What time does the US stock market open in India?
At 7:00 p.m. IST while the US is on daylight time (March to early November) and 8:00 p.m. IST during US winter time. It closes at 1:30 a.m. or 2:30 a.m. IST respectively.
Is the US stock market open on weekends?
No. Regular trading runs Monday to Friday only, and not on US market holidays.
What are the remaining US market holidays in 2026?
Thanksgiving on Thursday, November 26 and Christmas on Friday, December 25, plus early 1:00 p.m. Eastern closes on November 27 and December 24.
Can I trade stocks before the market opens?
Many brokers offer pre-market trading from about 4:00 a.m. Eastern, but liquidity is lower and spreads are wider than in the regular session.
Want to test your market idea?
Try it with The Tradeskill's paper trading platform, with $20,000 in virtual cash and zero real-money risk.
Disclaimer: this article is educational analysis, not financial advice. Markets involve risk, and past behavior does not guarantee future results. Always do your own research.
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