2025 US Stock Market Trading Hours Complete Guide: From Pre-Market to Regular Hours in Korea Standard Time

AirdropHunter420 · 2026-01-04T11:28:28+00:00

This essay explains the trading hours and regulations of the US stock market, including pre-market, regular, and after-market sessions, as well as 2025 holidays and early closure dates. It emphasizes the importance of understanding time zones and risk management for investors.

AirdropHunter420

2026-01-04 11:28:28

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Introduction

If you are an investor trading US stocks, it is essential to understand not only the regular trading hours but also the pre-market and after-market hours. Especially, the US pre-market hours offer proactive trading opportunities before the official market opens, and due to daylight saving time adjustments and the time difference with Korea, accurately understanding the trading schedule is very important. This article provides a comprehensive overview of all US stock market trading hours, holiday schedules for 2025, and opening and closing times of international stock markets, organized according to Korea Standard Time.

Overview of the Three Major US Stock Exchanges

The US stock market mainly operates through three exchanges: the New York Stock Exchange(NYSE), NASDAQ(NASDAQ), and the American Stock Exchange(AMEX). Understanding the characteristics of each exchange can help in formulating effective investment strategies.

The New York Stock Exchange, established in 1792, is the largest stock exchange in the world, listing approximately 2,400 companies with a total market capitalization of about $23 trillion. It primarily trades large, traditional companies such as Berkshire Hathaway and Johnson & Johnson.

NASDAQ, founded in 1971, is the second-largest exchange globally. It is composed mainly of IT and technology companies, including innovative firms like Apple, Microsoft, and NVIDIA.

The American Stock Exchange mainly lists mid-sized and small companies and is one of the three major US stock exchanges.

US Stock Market Trading Hours: From Pre-market to Regular Hours

System of Regular Trading Hours and Pre-market Hours

The US stock market trading is divided into three main sessions. The pre-market(Pre-market) occurs before the official opening, regular trading(Regular trading hours) are the official trading hours, and after-market(After-market) takes place after the market closes.

Pre-market hours

Eastern Time (ET): 04:00~09:30
Korea Time: 18:00~23:30 (During daylight saving time: 17:00~22:30)

Regular trading hours

Eastern Time (ET): 09:30~16:00
Korea Time: 23:30~06:00 (During daylight saving time: 22:30~05:00)

After-market hours

Eastern Time (ET): 16:00~20:00
Korea Time: Next day 06:00~10:00 (During daylight saving time: 05:00~09:00)

Trading Regulations and Characteristics

NYSE, NASDAQ, and AMEX follow the same trading regulations. All trades are conducted in US dollars(USD), and stocks can be bought or sold in units of one share. An important point is that the US stock markets do not have price limit rules. This means there are no trading restrictions during sharp price movements, unlike the Korean market, so investors should consider this risk when developing their trading strategies.

Settlement occurs two business days after the trade(T+2), and fees vary depending on the brokerage and intermediary firms.

2025 US Market Holidays and Early Closings

Full Market Holidays

The US stock market holidays in 2025 are as follows:

Date	Reason for Holiday
January 1 (Wed)	New Year’s Day
January 9 (Thu)	National Day of Mourning for former President Jimmy Carter
January 20 (Mon)	Martin Luther King Jr. Day
February 17 (Mon)	Presidents’ Day
April 18 (Fri)	Good Friday
May 26 (Mon)	Memorial Day
June 19 (Thu)	Juneteenth Day
July 4 (Fri)	Independence Day
September 1 (Mon)	Labor Day
November 27 (Thu)	Thanksgiving Day
December 25 (Thu)	Christmas Day

Early Market Closings

On certain dates, the market closes earlier than usual.

Date	Reason for Early Close and Time
July 3 (Thu)	Day before Independence Day - closes at 1 PM ET (Next day morning 2 AM Korea time)
November 28 (Fri)	Day after Thanksgiving - closes at 1 PM ET (Next day morning 3 AM Korea time)
December 24 (Wed)	Christmas Eve - closes at 1 PM ET (Next day morning 3 AM Korea time)

Major Global Stock Exchanges Trading Hours

For investors trading in Korea, Japan, the UK, and China, here is a summary of the main stock exchange hours.

Exchange	Local Time	Korea Time	Notes
Korea Exchange	09:00~15:30	09:00~15:30	-
Tokyo Stock Exchange	09:00~15:00	10:00~16:00	Break from 11:30~12:30
London Stock Exchange	08:00~16:30	17:00~01:30 (During daylight saving time: 16:00~00:30)	During daylight saving time
Hong Kong Stock Exchange	09:30~16:00	10:30~17:00	Break from 12:00~13:00
Shanghai Stock Exchange	09:30~15:00	10:30~16:00	Break from 11:30~13:00

Key Tips for Successful US Stock Market Trading

Accurately understanding the regular trading hours, including the pre-market hours, is fundamental for profitable trading. Especially for Korean investors, since most trading occurs from evening to early morning due to time zone differences, planning your trading schedule in advance is crucial.

Note that daylight saving time shifts the trading hours forward by 1 hour from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November in Korea time. Also, regularly check the exchange holidays and early closing schedules to avoid unexpected disruptions in your trading plans.

The US stock market’s trading regulations, particularly the absence of price limit rules, mean both significant profit opportunities and substantial risks. Always prioritize risk management when trading.

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