2025 US Stock Market Trading Hours Full Guide: A Time Difference Comparison Chart Every Chinese Investor Must See

How Chinese Investors Can Seize the US Stock Trading Windows

For Asian investors, the most critical issue isn’t when the US stock market opens but when they can actually trade. In 2025, the United States officially started observing daylight saving time on March 9, which means the trading schedule will change again.

The regular trading hours for US stocks are 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, but converting this to China time becomes complicated—because China does not observe daylight saving time, while the US does. During the adjustments in March and November each year, your trading timetable will automatically “shift.”

Remember this key time point:

• Daylight Saving Time (second Sunday in March to first Sunday in November): US stock regular trading = Beijing Time 21:30 to 4:00 next day
• Standard Time (November to March): US stock regular trading = Beijing Time 22:30 to 5:00 next day

This means that if you work in Beijing, you have no chance to trade during regular US market hours at noon—you can only utilize pre-market trading (4:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. ET) or after-hours trading (4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET).

Detailed Explanation of the Three Major US Stock Trading Sessions

The US stock market is not a single entity but composed of multiple independent exchanges. The main ones include the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), NASDAQ, and the American Stock Exchange (AMEX). Although they operate independently, their opening hours are mostly synchronized.

The real purposes of these three trading sessions:

1. Pre-market Trading (ET 4:00-9:30 / Beijing Time 16:30-21:30 or 17:00-22:30)

• Purpose: Gain early insight into market sentiment, react to overnight events
• Risks: Lower liquidity, wider spreads

2. Regular Trading Hours (ET 9:30-16:00)

• Purpose: Main trading period, highest liquidity, most accurate prices
• For Chinese investors: requires staying up late or using evening hours to participate

3. After-hours Trading (ET 16:00-20:00 / Beijing Time 4:00-8:00 or 5:00-9:00)

• Purpose: Catch up on overnight movements, trade after earnings releases
• Risks: Reduced liquidity, larger price fluctuations

Core Rules You Must Know About US Stock Trading

• Trading Currency: USD
• Trading Units: Starting from 1 share
• Settlement Cycle: T+3 (settlement three trading days after the transaction)
• Transaction Fees: About 1% for manual trades, 0.5%-1% for electronic trades
• Exchange Operation Mode: NYSE mainly relies on electronic trading, but still retains some floor trading for large institutional transactions; NASDAQ is a fully electronic exchange with no trading floor restrictions

Worth noting, the NYSE plans to extend trading hours—NYSE Arca (the fully electronic market under NYSE) may extend trading to 22 hours each trading day, pending approval from relevant authorities.

US Stock Market Holidays in 2025: Plan Your Investment Schedule in Advance

The US has several statutory holidays when the stock market is either completely closed or closes early at 3 p.m. ET. Chinese investors often overlook this, leading to a rush of trading before holidays.

Full holiday closure dates:

• January 1: New Year’s Day
• January 20: Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• February 17: Washington’s Birthday
• April 18: Good Friday
• May 26: Memorial Day
• June 19: Juneteenth National Independence Day
• July 4: Independence Day
• September 1: Labor Day
• November 27: Thanksgiving Day
• December 25: Christmas Day

Early close three hours before:

• July 3 (day before Independence Day): close at 3:00 p.m. ET
• November 28 (day after Thanksgiving): close at 1:00 p.m. ET
• December 24 (day before Christmas): close at 1:00 p.m. ET

Differences and Features of the Three Major US Stock Exchanges

New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) Founded in 1792, it is the world’s largest stock exchange (by total market capitalization of listed companies). Although fully electronic now, it still retains some floor traders for large transactions. Listed companies are mostly traditional industry leaders and mature enterprises.

NASDAQ The second-largest exchange globally and the first fully electronic trading market. Investors can trade via phone or internet without visiting a trading floor. NASDAQ is known for technology stocks (e.g., Microsoft, Apple), with a clear high-tech focus.

American Stock Exchange (AMEX) The third-largest US exchange, similar in trading mode to NYSE but mainly listing small- and mid-cap stocks. It is the only US exchange that allows trading of stocks, futures, and derivatives simultaneously.

Comparing Global Market Opening and Closing Times: Expand Your Investment Horizons

If you only focus on US stocks, you might miss opportunities in other markets. Here is a comparison of major global stock exchanges relative to China time:

By comparing, if you invest in both US stocks and other markets, you can achieve round-the-clock trading coverage—trading A-shares and Hong Kong stocks during Asian daytime, US stocks at night, and European markets in the early morning. However, this high-frequency trading demands excellent risk management and mental resilience.

Final Recommendations

The complexity of US stock market opening times mainly stems from daylight saving adjustments. Chinese investors are advised to:

1. Mark the adjustment dates on the calendar in March and November
2. Make full use of pre-market and after-hours trading to supplement regular trading
3. Pay attention to annual holiday schedules to avoid missing key information before holidays
4. Consider diversification rather than concentrating on a single market or time slot