Operating hours on the Spanish Stock Exchange: a complete guide for traders

Stock market activity in Spain revolves around the Madrid Stock Exchange, a fundamental institution that coordinates trading through the SIBE (Spanish Interconnection Stock Market). This system integrates four stock exchanges: Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, and Bilbao, with Madrid being the epicenter where the most important companies in the country are concentrated.

For any operator wishing to participate in the Spanish Stock Exchange without limitations, it is essential to know the exact operating hours, especially considering that the IBEX 35 index is built on this exchange, serving as a reference for the 35 companies with the highest market capitalization in the Spanish-speaking market.

▶ What time does the Spanish Stock Exchange open and close?

The Madrid Stock Exchange conducts its regular activity from Monday to Friday. The trading session on the Spanish Stock Exchange begins at 9:00 am (local time CEST) and ends at 5:30 pm of the same time zone. This eight and a half hour window represents the main opportunity to execute trades on the most relevant Spanish securities.

Previously, there is an opening auction period that starts at 8:30 am and extends until 9:00 am. During this pre-market phase, the system processes pending orders from the previous session along with new instructions, thus determining the opening price. Similarly, after the regular close, a closing auction occurs between 5:30 pm and 5:35 pm, where orders that did not find a counterparty during the regular session are executed.

▶ Trading calendar and non-operational days

The Madrid Stock Exchange operates only from Monday to Friday. Saturdays and Sundays are closed. For the year 2025, the dates when it will be closed include:

◆ January 1 (New Year) ◆ April 18 (Good Friday) ◆ April 21 (Easter Monday) ◆ May 1 (Labor Day) ◆ December 25 (Christmas) ◆ December 26 (St. Stephen’s Day)

Occasionally, there are days with shortened sessions, information about which is published through the official trading calendar.

▶ History and composition of the Spanish Stock Exchange

The Madrid Stock Exchange was established on September 10, 1831, by decree drafted by jurist Pedro Sainz de Andino. The first transactions took place on October 20 of the same year, with initial assets being banks, railway companies, and steel companies.

The integration of the Spanish stock market system was gradual. Bilbao joined in 1890, Barcelona in 1915, and Valencia did not join until 1980. The four exchanges were unified under the SIBE starting in 1995, and since 2001, its management has been under Bolsas y Mercados Españoles (BME). The IBEX 35 index was created on January 14, 1992, as a thermometer of the Spanish market.

▶ Notable companies on the Spanish Stock Exchange

The Madrid Stock Exchange lists Spanish corporations with the greatest international projection. Among them are: globally relevant financial entities such as BBVA and Banco Santander; construction companies with a worldwide presence like ACS, Ferrovial, and Acciona; as well as Inditex, the leading representative of Iberian retail.

This concentration of high-level companies makes the Madrid Stock Exchange a particularly attractive trading space for international investors, especially those interested in exposure to Latin American economies, where these corporations maintain significant operations.

▶ Time conversion based on geographic location

For investors located in different Spanish-speaking countries, it is useful to know the time equivalence:

CITY SPANISH STOCK EXCHANGE OPENING SPANISH STOCK EXCHANGE CLOSING
Caracas (Venezuela) 3:00 am 11:30 pm
Lima (Peru) 2:00 am 10:30 pm
Buenos Aires (Argentina) 4:00 am 12:30 pm
Mexico City (Mexico) 1:00 am 9:30 pm
Santiago (Chile) 3:00 am 11:30 pm
Bogotá (Colombia) 2:00 am 10:30 pm
La Paz (Bolivia) 3:00 am 11:30 pm
Quito (Ecuador) 2:00 am 10:30 pm
Montevideo (Uruguay) 4:00 am 12:30 pm

This information allows Latin American operators to adapt their strategies according to their time zone.

▶ Getting started with trading

For those wishing to begin participating in the markets:

1. Register on an authorized trading platform
2. Deposit the necessary funds
3. Execute trades on Spanish Stock Exchange securities