Complete Guide to the 2025 US Stock Trading Schedule: Opening and Closing Times and Holiday Checklist in Korea Standard Time

2025-12-24 19:34:25

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Introduction

For traders looking to invest in U.S. stocks today, the first thing to understand is the precise trading hours. The U.S. stock markets operate with varying hours due to daylight saving time, and the significant time difference with Korea means you must know exactly when the markets open and close based on Korean time. This article summarizes the trading schedules, holiday information, and essential trading regulations for major U.S. stock exchanges that Korean investors need to know.

Understanding the Three Major U.S. Stock Exchanges

The U.S. stock market is primarily led by the New York Stock Exchange, NASDAQ, and the American Stock Exchange. Each exchange has its own characteristics, which should be considered when developing your investment strategy.

New York Stock Exchange(NYSE): The world’s largest stock market

Founded in 1792, the New York Stock Exchange is the world’s leading stock exchange in terms of history and size. It lists approximately 2,400 companies with a total market capitalization of about $23 trillion. Major global companies such as Berkshire Hathaway, Johnson & Johnson, Visa, and Walmart are listed here.

NASDAQ(: The hub of tech stocks

Established in 1971, NASDAQ was recognized as an electronic trading platform relatively recently but has grown into the second-largest stock exchange in the world. It mainly lists IT companies like Apple, Microsoft, and NVIDIA.

) American Stock Exchange###AMEX(: Market for mid-sized and small companies

The American Stock Exchange is one of the three major U.S. exchanges, primarily listing mid-sized and small-cap companies. Unlike the NYSE, which focuses on large-cap stocks, it provides access to companies of various sizes.

U.S. Stock Trading Schedule Based on Korean Time

) Regular Trading Hours

All three exchanges operate during the same hours. They are open from 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM Eastern Time, which corresponds to 11:30 PM to 6:00 AM Korean time. During daylight saving time, from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November, trading hours are shifted one hour earlier, from 10:30 PM to 5:00 AM Korean time.

Pre-market Trading### Hours Before Regular Trading(

Pre-market trading is available from 4:00 AM to 9:30 AM Eastern Time, which is 6:00 PM to 11:30 PM Korean time. During daylight saving time, it shifts to 5:00 PM to 10:30 PM.

) After-hours Trading### Hours After Regular Trading(

After-hours trading occurs from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM Eastern Time, which is 6:00 AM to 10:00 AM Korean time. During daylight saving time, it is from 5:00 AM to 9:00 AM.

Essential Regulations for Trading U.S. Stocks

All three U.S. stock exchanges trade in U.S. dollars)USD(, with a trading unit of 1 share. Unlike Korean stocks, U.S. stocks do not have price limit up or down)limit-up/limit-down(. This means rapid price fluctuations can occur, so traders should exercise caution. Settlement for all trades is completed two business days after the transaction.

Item	Details
Trading Currency	U.S. Dollars)USD(
Trading Unit	1 share
Price Limit	None
Settlement Period	2 business days

2025 U.S. Stock Market Holidays Schedule

The U.S. stock market observes holidays for various national and commemorative days. It is important to check these holidays in advance when planning your investments.

Date	Holiday Reason
January 1)Wed(	New Year’s Day
January 9)Thu(	Memorial 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 Close Days

On certain dates, the market closes earlier than usual. The following three dates see an early close at 1:00 PM Eastern Time, which means trading ends early in the morning Korea time the next day.

Date	Reason	Korea Time Close
July 3###Thu(	Day before Independence Day	2:00 AM next day
November 28)Fri(	Day after Thanksgiving	3:00 AM next day
December 24)Wed(	Christmas Eve	3:00 AM next day

Comparison of Trading Hours of Major Global Stock Exchanges

To assist investors who trade stocks from multiple countries, here is a summary of trading hours for major global exchanges.

Exchange	Local Time	Korea Time
Korea Exchange	09:00~15:30	-
Tokyo Stock Exchange	09:00~15:00 )11:30~12:30 Closed(	10:30~16:30
London Stock Exchange	08:00~16:30	17:00~01:30 )Daylight Saving: 16:00~00:30(
Hong Kong Stock Exchange	09:30~16:00 )12:00~13:00 Closed(	10:30~17:00 )13:00~14:00 Closed(
Shanghai Stock Exchange	09:30~15:00 )11:30~13:00 Closed(	10:30~16:00 )12:30~14:00 Closed(

Conclusion

Whether you are starting to trade U.S. stocks today or continuing existing investments, understanding the exact trading hours, holidays, and regulations is the first step toward successful investing. Clear knowledge of market opening and closing times, holidays, and trading rules can help reduce trading errors. Since exchange schedules can change, always make it a habit to verify the latest information.

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