How Many Days Can I Trade the Stock Market in 2025? Every Questions Answered
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Understanding when the stock market is open and closed throughout the year is essential to a stock trader’s success. Planning your trading strategies around highly volatile days can help protect your portfolio from unexpected losses. Many holidays are particularly volatile and can wreak havoc on a trader’s or investor’s portfolio if adjustments aren’t made properly.
Knowing how many trading days are in a year and which days the markets are open and closed takes only a few minutes to log into your phone calendar and set reminders to stay prepared.
In this complete guide, we answer all of these questions and more, including tips for navigating market volatility and preparing for market closures.
Keep reading to set yourself on the right track for 2025.
Table of Contents
- How Many Trading Days in a Year?
- What Time Does the Stock Market Open and Close?
- What Are the Main Stock Market Exchanges?
- Stock Market Holidays for 2025
- Stock Market Shortened Trading Hours for 2025
- Is the Bond Market Closed for Holidays?
- Unplanned Stock Market Closures
- Weekend & Holiday Effect and Market Volatility
- Stock Market Schedule Frequently Asked Questions
- How to Prepare for Market Volatility During Closures
- Final Thoughts
How Many Trading Days in a Year?
The stock market is open an average of 252 trading days per year. This figure accounts for weekends and the holidays observed by the stock market. Typically, the market operates Monday through Friday. However, it closes for 10 holidays annually and has shortened trading days on specific occasions, usually closing around 1 PM EST, such as the day before major holidays.
What Time Does the Stock Market Open and Close?
The regular trading hours for the stock market are from 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM EST. However, trading doesn’t stop there. Traders can also access:
- Pre-Market Trading: 4:00 AM to 9:30 AM EST
- After-Hours Trading: 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM EST
In addition, some brokerages, like Webull, offer 24-hour trading, allowing traders to take advantage of overnight opportunities.
What Are the Main Stock Market Exchanges?
The most common stock market exchanges in the United States are:
- New York Stock Exchange (NYSE)
- NASDAQ
- Over-the-Counter (OTC) Markets
Until its closure in 2006, the Pacific Exchange served as a West Coast stock exchange based in San Francisco, CA.
Stock Market Holidays for 2025
Both the NYSE and NASDAQ observe the following holidays in 2025:
| New Year’s Day: | Wednesday, January 1, 2025 |
| Martin Luther King Day (MLK Day): | Monday, January 20, 2025 |
| Washington’s Birthday (aka Presidents’ Day): | Monday, February 17, 2025 |
| Good Friday: | Friday, April 18, 2025 |
| Memorial Day: | Monday, May 26, 2025 |
| Juneteenth Day: | Thursday, June 19, 2025 |
| Independence Day (Fourth of July): | Friday, July 4, 2025 |
| Labor Day: | Monday, September 1, 2025 |
| Thanksgiving Day: | Thursday, November 27, 2025 |
| Christmas Day: | Thursday, December 25, 2025 |
Stock Market Shortened Trading Hours for 2025
Both the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and NASDAQ have shortened trading hours, closing at 1:00PM EST on the following days:
| The Day Before Independence Day: | Thursday, July 3, 2025 (Closes at 1PM) |
| The Day After Thanksgiving, AKA Black Friday: | Friday, November 28, 2025 (Closes at 1PM) |
| Christmas Eve: | Wednesday, December 24, 2025 |
Is the Bond Market Closed for Holidays?
Unlike stock exchanges, the bond market schedule is determined by the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA). Regular bond market hours are 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM EST, Monday through Friday.
The bond market observes all 10 stock market holidays, plus Columbus Day (Indigenous Peoples’ Day) and Veterans Day, totaling 12 holidays annually.
Bond Market Shortened Hours for 2025
The bond market closes early at 2:00 PM EST on these dates:
| Day Before Good Friday (Maundy Thursday): | Thursday, April 17, 2025 (Closes at 2PM) |
| Friday Before Memorial Day: | Friday, May 23, 2025 (Closes at 2PM) |
| Day before Independence Day: | Thursday, July 3, 2025 (Closes at 2PM) |
| Day After Thanksgiving (AKA Black Friday): | Friday, November 28, 2025 (Closes at 2PM) |
| Christmas Eve: | Wednesday, December 24, 2025 (Closes at 2PM) |
| New Year’s Eve: | Wednesday, December 31, 2025 (Closes at 2PM) |
Unplanned Stock Market Closures
Severe weather, technical issues, or other emergencies can lead to unexpected market closures. Traders should have contingency plans for such disruptions.
Weekend & Holiday Effect and Market Volatility
When the stock market is closed for weekends or holidays, a phenomenon known as the Weekend or Holiday Effect may occur. This often leads to increased volatility when the market reopens. Factors that contribute include:
| Effect | Volatility Increasing Event |
|---|---|
| News Releases | Major news events over the weekend can trigger significant price movements. |
| Economic Updates | Data released outside trading hours may exceed or fall short of expectations. |
| Geopolitical Events | Unexpected events can create uncertainty. |
| Global Events | Natural disasters or severe weather can disrupt markets. |
| Earnings Leaks | Corporate earnings leaked outside trading hours can cause sharp price shifts. |
Riskiest Trading Hours
Typically, the opening and closing hours of the stock market are the most volatile, presenting both risk and opportunity for traders looking to capitalize on significant price movements.
Riskiest Trading Days
Days immediately following major holidays or significant global events tend to be more volatile, as markets react to new information at the same time. As well as markets returning to stabilized trading behaviors.
Most Volatile Months
Historically, months like October have shown higher volatility due to various economic and institutional factors affecting the markets globally.
Stock Market Schedule Frequently Asked Questions
Is a Business Day the Same as a Trading Day?
Technically, yes. A business day and a trading day are the same, as the stock market operates Monday through Friday and is closed on weekends and major holidays.
What Days Is the Stock Market Open for Trading?
The stock market’s normal operating schedule is Monday through Friday, opening at 9:30 AM and closing at 4:00 PM EST.
Can I Buy and Sell Stocks After the Stock Market Closes?
Yes, depending on the brokerage you use. Most major brokerages, such as Webull, offer extended trading hours.
- Pre-Market Hours: 4:00 AM to 9:30 AM EST
- After-Hours Trading: 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM EST
Some brokerages, like Webull, even offer 24-hour trading schedules, Monday through Friday.
How Can I Calculate the Number of Trading Days in a Year?
To calculate the number of trading days in a year:
- Start with 365 days (or 366 in a leap year).
- Subtract 104 days for weekends (52 weeks × 2 days).
- Subtract 10 holidays observed by the stock market.
This leaves approximately 252 trading days in a year.
Does Leap Year Affect the Stock Market?
Leap years happen almost every four years. 2024 was a leap year, and 2028 will be one as well. However, leap years do not alter the total number of trading days unless additional holidays coincide with the year. For instance, 2025 is not a leap year, so there is no change to the standard 252 trading days.
How to Prepare for Market Volatility During Closures
Traders can protect their portfolios by:
- Setting stop-loss orders to mitigate potential losses during market volatility.
- Reducing exposure before weekends or holidays to limit risks.
- Using hedging strategies like options (e.g., covered calls or puts).
Final Thoughts
Understanding how many trading days are in a year, the market’s schedule, and potential risks during closures can empower traders to make informed decisions. Planning for holidays, weekends, and unplanned events ensures traders are better prepared to handle volatility and protect their profits. I personal use Tradezella to track all of my trading history and journaling.
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