Trading on the Spanish Stock Exchange: complete guide to hours and operation

When does the Spanish stock exchange operate and what time does it close?

If you’re looking to invest in the Spanish market, it is essential to know that the regular session of the Spanish stock exchange runs from 9:00 am to 5:30 pm (local time CEST). These hours apply from Monday to Friday, with Saturday and Sunday being non-trading days.

Complete breakdown of trading hours

Activity on the SIBE (Spanish Interconnection System) is not limited to the regular session. The market operates in different phases:

Pre-opening phase (opening auction): Starts at 8:30 am and ends at 9:00 am, allowing traders to submit orders that will be executed at the opening price of the day.

Regular session: The main trading hours are from 9:00 am to 5:30 pm, when the highest trading volume occurs.

Post-close phase (closing auction): Between 5:30 pm and 5:35 pm, a final order crossing takes place to determine the final equilibrium price.

The heart of the Spanish market: Madrid as the epicenter

The Madrid Stock Exchange represents the main Spanish stock market and hosts the country’s most relevant companies. Although formally there is the SIBE, which has included four exchanges (Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, and Bilbao since 1995), Madrid’s exchange concentrates the most activity and is where the IBEX 35, the index comprising the 35 largest-cap companies in the Iberian market, is traded.

Leading companies listed in Madrid

In this market, we find global financial institutions like BBVA and Banco Santander, internationally significant construction firms such as Ferrovial, ACS, and Acciona, as well as major global retailers like Inditex. This concentration of internationally oriented companies makes the Spanish market relevant not only locally but also in Latin American contexts.

A bit of history: how the Spanish market emerged

The institution dates back to September 10, 1831, when Pedro Sainz de Andino, a Sevillian jurist, drafted the Law for the Creation of the Madrid Stock Exchange. The first transactions were recorded on October 20 of the same year, with banks, railway companies, and steel companies as initial protagonists.

Regional expansion came later: Bilbao in 1890, Barcelona in 1915, and Valencia in 1980. The integration of these four markets into a single system (SIBE) occurred in 1995, and management was transferred to Bolsas y Mercados Españoles (BME) in 2001. The IBEX 35, for its part, debuted on January 14, 1992, as the market benchmark.

What time does the Spanish stock exchange close in different time zones?

For Latin American investors, it is crucial to understand the time correspondence. Below is when the Spanish stock exchange opens and closes according to your location:

Closing calendar: holidays in 2025

The Spanish stock exchange publishes a trading calendar that includes periods of inactivity. For 2025, the non-trading days are:

• January 1 (New Year)
• April 18 (Good Friday)
• April 21 (Easter Monday)
• May 1 (Labor Day)
• December 25 (Christmas)
• December 26

Additionally, on special occasions, the exchange may operate with reduced hours or half sessions.

Why knowing these hours matters

Understanding when the Spanish stock exchange opens and closes is more than an administrative detail. It allows you to optimize your investment decisions, coordinate operations across multiple markets, and avoid surprises when executing orders outside trading hours. Especially if you operate from Latin America, Spanish hours can be challenging, so this information is your guide to not missing trading opportunities.