U.S. Stock Market Holidays and Trading Hours: 2025 Investor Essential Guide

Things You Must Know Before Investing in U.S. Stocks

Investing in U.S. stocks is not just about selecting individual stocks. You need to understand the U.S. stock market holiday schedule, exact trading hours, and trading characteristics by time zone in advance. Especially considering the 13-14 hour time difference with Korea and the daylight saving time system, your trading plans can easily be disrupted. This article provides a practical summary of the 2025 U.S. stock market holiday schedule and trading strategies by time zone.

An Overview of the Three Major U.S. Stock Exchanges

Understanding the three exchanges that drive the U.S. stock market makes developing your investment strategy much easier.

New York Stock Exchange(NYSE) was established in 1792 and is the largest in the world by market capitalization. About 2,400 companies are listed, with a total market cap of approximately $23 trillion. Blue-chip companies like Berkshire Hathaway, Johnson & Johnson, Visa, and Walmart are mainly listed here.

NASDAQ Stock Market(NASDAQ) was founded in 1971, starting as an over-the-counter market and growing into the second-largest in the world today. Known as a hub for IT companies, it hosts many technology giants such as Apple, Microsoft, and NVIDIA.

American Stock Exchange(AMEX) is one of the three major U.S. exchanges, primarily listing mid- and small-cap companies. While the NYSE focuses on large corporations, this exchange is a place for investing in growing small- and mid-sized companies.

2025 U.S. Stock Market Trading Hours: When Exactly Can You Trade?

All three exchanges operate during the same hours, so there’s no need to check each one separately.

Regular Trading Hours are from 09:30 to 16:00 Eastern Time. In Korea, this is 23:30 to 06:00 the next day. During daylight saving time(from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November), trading hours shift to 22:30 to 05:00 the next day, moving an hour earlier.

Pre-market Hours(Before Market Open) are from 04:00 to 09:30 Eastern Time, which corresponds to 18:00 to 23:30 in Korea. Since trading volume is low, volatility can be high, so caution is advised.

After-hours Trading(After Market Close) runs from 16:00 to 20:00 Eastern Time, or 06:00 to 10:00 the next day in Korea. Similar to pre-market, trading conditions may be less favorable.

Trading Regulations That Korean Investors Might Easily Miss

U.S. stocks are traded only in USD, and settlement is completed two business days later. The most important point is that there are no price limit restrictions on U.S. stocks. Unlike Korean stocks, which have limits on rapid price movements, U.S. stocks can experience sharp declines overnight, making quick responses crucial. You must consider this difference carefully before trading.

Complete 2025 U.S. Stock Market Holiday Schedule

To plan your investments, you need to know the holiday schedule clearly.

Full Market Holidays include: January 1(New Year’s Day), January 9(Dinghy Carter Memorial Day), January 20(Martin Luther King Jr. Day), February 17(Presidents’ Day), April 18(Good Friday), May 26(Memorial Day), June 19(Juneteenth Day), July 4(Independence Day), September 1(Labor Day), November 27(Thanksgiving Day), December 25(Christmas).

Additionally, there are Early Close Days. On July 3(the day before Independence Day), November 28(the day after Thanksgiving), and December 24(Christmas Eve), the market closes early at 1:00 PM Eastern Time. In Korea, this is around 2-3 AM the next day.

Since the U.S. stock holiday schedule can change, always check the latest information before trading.

Comparing Global Trading Hours: Major Markets Outside the U.S.

If you are not only investing in the U.S., you should also familiarize yourself with the trading hours of other major markets.

Korea Exchange operates from 09:00 to 15:30, Tokyo Stock Exchange from 09:00 to 15:00 with a lunch break from 11:30 to 12:30, London Stock Exchange from 08:00 to 16:30 (17:00 to 01:30 Korea time; 16:00 to 00:30 during daylight saving time), and Hong Kong Stock Exchange from 09:30 to 16:00 with a break from 12:00 to 13:00, and closed from 13:00 to 14:00. Shanghai Stock Exchange operates from 09:30 to 15:00 with a break from 11:30 to 13:00, and is closed from 12:30 to 14:00.

Practical Strategies for U.S. Stock Investors

Avoid trading on U.S. market holidays and understand the exact trading hours to prevent losses. Since pre-market and after-hours trading are highly volatile, approach them cautiously.

By understanding trading rules and characteristics by time zone, you can develop more effective investment plans and better seize opportunities in the U.S. stock market. Always verify the latest information and make careful trading decisions.