How many days a year are financial markets open?
There are typically 252 trading days in a year for the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the NASDAQ. However, this number can vary slightly depending on holidays and other factors. For example, the NYSE has only 251 trading days in 2025.
The NYSE and NASDAQ average about 252 trading days a year. This is from 365.25 (days on average per year) * 5/7 (proportion work days per week) - 6 (weekday holidays) - 4*5/7 (fixed date holidays) = 252.03 ≈ 252. The holidays where the stock exchange is closed are New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr.
The regular trading hours for the U.S. stock market, which includes the Nasdaq Stock Market (Nasdaq) and the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), are 9:30 am to 4 pm, except on stock market holidays.
Other markets usually run 4 days a week. Then there come the holidays, days we get sick, days the market declines. So out of the 365 when you deduct this volatility issue the possible number of days for trading ranges from 251 to 253 which gives you a highly probable 252 trading days annually.
NSE or National Stock Exchange is open on the weekdays from Monday to Friday and is closed on Saturdays & Sundays, except for any special trading sessions that are announced. Here's the complete list of NSE Holidays in 2024.
A cycle can last anywhere from a few weeks to a number of years, depending on the market in question and the time horizon at which you look. A day trader using five-minute bars may see four or more complete cycles per day while, for a real estate investor, a cycle may last 18 to 20 years.
| Market | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| 🇺🇸 New York Stock Exchange NYSE | M-F, 9:30 am - 4:00 pm (EDT) | Go |
| 🇺🇸 NASDAQ Stock Exchange NASDAQ | M-F, 9:30 am - 4:00 pm (EDT) | Go |
| 🇨🇳 Shanghai Stock Exchange SSE | M-F, 9:30 am - 11:30 am, 1:00 pm - 2:57 pm (CST) | Go |
| 🇯🇵 Tokyo Stock Exchange JPX | M-F, 9:00 am - 11:30 am, 12:30 pm - 3:00 pm (JST) | Go |
With 6.5 trading hours on regular days and 3.5 on short days, there are a total of 127 trading hours for that month. There are exactly 252 trading days in 2024: out of a possible 366 days, there are 10 holiday closures and 104 Saturdays and Sundays.
The NYSE and NASDAQ are open Monday-Friday 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
There are generally four main trading sessions: the Sydney session, Tokyo session, London Session, and the New York session. Both the Sydney and Tokyo sessions are customarily referred to as Asian sessions.
How many days stock market open in a week?
The National Stock Exchange (NSE) and the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) remain open from Monday to Friday only and are shut on Saturdays and Sundays, except for any special trading sessions as announced by these exchanges. On festivals such as Diwali, market participants participate in Muhurat Trading.
In March 1945 Hitler ordered his last propaganda command: send all 15 and 16-year old boys to defend the fatherland. 47 DAYS tells the true story of Günter and Helmut, best friends, who dared to defy and disobey. Without knowing how long the war might continue, they spent 47 harrowing days as fugitives on the run.
There are some who believe that certain days offer systematically better returns than others, but over the long run, there is very little evidence for such a market-wide effect. Still, people believe that the first day of the workweek is best. It's called the Monday effect or the weekend effect.
Financial markets observe 10 official holidays plus 3 early closings. The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) closes for 10 holidays in 2024, including Good Friday, and the Nasdaq Stock Market follows the same schedule.
The U.S. stock market is closed on New Year's Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents Day (Washington's Birthday), Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth National Independence Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.
Wyckoff's observations on price action coalesced into what's known as the Wyckoff market cycle. It's a theory that outlines key elements in price trend development that are marked by periods of accumulation and distribution. Four distinct phases comprise the cycle: accumulation, markup, distribution, and markdown.
What determines stock prices? The price of a stock is largely determined by supply and demand. If demand is high, the price tends to go up, and if supply is high, the price tends to go down.
S&P 500 Index
But the early days of 2024 swept away this uncertainty as the S&P 500 reached its highest level ever, signaling we've been in bull territory for quite a while -- since the index started rebounding from its bear market low in late 2022.
Most share trading hours will run from Monday-Friday, five days a week. There are no regular trading hours for stocks on Saturdays or Sundays. So, if you see news about stocks being up or down over the weekend, it's most likely stock futures – which begin trading at 23:00 on Sunday night (UTC).
Most stock markets around the world will be open for trading from Monday to Friday, and will be closed on the weekends. Some stock exchanges such as a majority of those in Asia stop for a lunch break, while others – including those in Europe and North America – do not.
Which market is open on weekends?
The most notable one is the Forex market, which operates 24 hours a day, five days a week. This means that it remains open even during weekends, allowing traders to engage in currency trading activities.
In 2024, there will be 251 trading days.
The S&P 500 still has 30% upside between now and the end of 2025, according to Capital Economics. "Our end-2025 forecast of 6,500 for the index is premised on its valuation reaching a similar level to its peak during the dot com mania," Capital Economics said.
| Year | Open, $ | Close, $ |
|---|---|---|
| December 2024 | 45370 | 46983 |
| December 2027 | 58509 | 56472 |
| January 2028 | 56472 | 59561 |
| April 2028 | 56165 | 53195 |
While normal market hours end at 4 p.m. EST, stocks can and do continue to trade. Though participating in after-hours markets can benefit investors and traders who want to trade news like earnings releases that are announced after the close.
