Complete Schedule Guide: What Time Does the Madrid Stock Exchange Close?

The Madrid Stock Exchange is the most relevant stock market in Spain and a benchmark for all national financial activity. To operate efficiently in this market, it is essential to understand its operating schedule, including trading periods, auctions, and the exact closing time of the exchange.

Trading Sessions at the Madrid Stock Exchange

The Spanish market operates under a structure of three distinct moments during the trading day:

Opening Period: Begins with the initial auction between 8:30 am and 9:00 am (local time CEST). During this period, residual orders from the previous session along with new buy-sell instructions are processed, determining the initial trading price.

Regular Trading: The regular session runs from 9:00 am to 5:30 pm, during which the exchange maintains its main activity of continuous trading. Most transactions on the most important securities are executed during these hours.

Closing Auction: At the end of the regular session, between 5:30 pm and 5:35 pm, the closing auction takes place, establishing a equilibrium price for orders that did not find a counterparty during regular hours.

Weekly Schedule and Extended Hours

The Madrid Stock Exchange operates regularly from Monday to Friday:

The indicated hours correspond to the CEST (Central European Summer Time) time zone.

Institutional Framework: SIBE and Market Structure

It is important to understand that although colloquially referred to as the “Madrid Stock Exchange,” Spain has a more complex structure called SIBE (Spanish Interconnection System). This system coordinates the activity of four regional exchanges: Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, and Bilbao.

The Madrid Stock Exchange is the oldest and most prominent of these institutions, founded on September 10, 1831, through the Law of Creation of the Madrid Stock Exchange drafted by jurist Pedro Sainz de Andino. Stock trading began on October 20 of the same year, with transactions involving banks, steel companies, and railway firms.

Regional exchanges gradually integrated into the SIBE system starting in 1995, with Bolsas y Mercados Españoles (BME) assuming its management since 2001.

The IBEX 35 Index: Barometer of the Spanish Market

Created on January 14, 1992, the IBEX 35 index groups the 35 companies with the highest market capitalization in the Spanish market. This index includes internationally relevant corporations such as BBVA and Banco Santander in the financial sector, major construction firms like ACS, Ferrovial, and Acciona, as well as Inditex, the leading retailer in the market. These companies generate significant economic projection, especially in Latin American markets.

Time Conversion for Spanish-speaking Markets

For investors located in different time zones, the following table shows the correspondence between the Madrid Stock Exchange schedule and the main Spanish-speaking capitals:

Stock Market Holidays 2025

The Madrid Stock Exchange publishes its annual Trading Calendar specifying the days when activity is suspended:

• Wednesday, January 1
• Friday, April 18
• Monday, April 21
• Thursday, May 1
• Thursday, December 25
• Friday, December 26

Additionally, there may be days with reduced trading hours, which are communicated in advance to market participants.

Importance of Knowing Operating Hours

Having precise knowledge of when the exchange opens and closes is essential for any operator wishing to execute strategies without time restrictions. The Madrid Stock Exchange brings together the main Spanish economic actors with a global presence, making it a key market for investment decisions both domestically and internationally.