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🕐 US Market · Trading Hours

Complete Guide to US Stock Trading Hours
— DST and a Korean-Time Conversion Table

The US regular session runs 9:30–16:00 Eastern Time (ET) for both the NYSE and Nasdaq. Korean time shifts by 1 hour depending on daylight saving time, and knowing the premarket and after-hours windows too lets you react quickly to news and earnings.

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💡 Key takeaway — During daylight saving time (March–November), the regular session in Korean time is 22:30–05:00. In winter (November–March): 23:30–06:00. Miss that 1-hour shift and your trading timing gets thrown off.

Regular-Session Hours

The NYSE (New York Stock Exchange) and Nasdaq both open at 9:30am and close at 4:00pm, US Eastern Time (ET). That's a total of 6 hours 30 minutes of regular trading, closed on weekends and US holidays.

SessionUS Eastern Time (ET)Korean Time — DSTKorean Time — Winter
Premarket04:00–09:3017:00–22:3018:00–23:30
Regular session09:30–16:0022:30–05:00 (next day)23:30–06:00 (next day)
After-hours16:00–20:0005:00–09:0006:00–10:00
Watch the fill timing — the first 30 minutes after the open (9:30–10:00 ET) and the last 30 minutes before the close (15:30–16:00 ET) see concentrated volume and high volatility. Confirming direction before reacting is generally safer than a fresh entry there.

What Is Daylight Saving Time (DST)?

Every year, the US moves its clocks forward 1 hour on the 2nd Sunday of March, and back 1 hour on the 1st Sunday of November. This is called Daylight Saving Time (DST).

  • During DST, US Eastern = EDT (UTC-4) → a 13-hour difference from Korea (KST, UTC+9)
  • In winter, US Eastern = EST (UTC-5) → a 14-hour difference from Korea

The key thing to note: Korea does not observe daylight saving time. US market hours shift suddenly at the March and November transition points, so it's worth marking your calendar ahead of time. For the transition rule itself and common mistakes, see the DST transition rules.

Strategy for the First Day of a New Regular Session

If important news broke in the US overnight, a Korean investor is meeting the regular session after the price has already moved significantly in premarket. Check the premarket move first, then watch whether direction stabilizes once the regular session opens. For more detail on premarket and after-hours, see the complete guide to premarket and after-hours.

Holidays and Early Closes

On major US holidays, the entire exchange is closed, and the day before some holidays sees an early close at 13:00 ET (1am Korean DST time). Common early-close days are the day before Independence Day, the day after Thanksgiving (Black Friday), and the day before Christmas. It's worth making a habit of checking the NYSE's official holiday calendar before you plan to trade. For the full 2026 list of market holidays and early closes, see the complete guide to US market holidays and early closes.

  • New Year's Day (Jan 1), Martin Luther King Jr. Day (3rd Monday of January)
  • Presidents' Day (3rd Monday of February), Memorial Day (last Monday of May)
  • Independence Day (Jul 4), Labor Day (1st Monday of September)
  • Thanksgiving (4th Thursday of November), Christmas (Dec 25)

High-Volatility Windows

US economic data releases usually cluster around 8:30am ET (21:30 Korean DST time). A Fed rate decision is released at 14:00 ET (3am Korean time, DST), and the FOMC chair's press conference follows 30 minutes later at 14:30 ET. The VIX fear index can spike during these windows, and the whole market can get shaky. A sudden sharp drop can even trigger a circuit breaker.

Caution — This time information is for reference only. Always confirm DST transition dates and holiday early closes against the official exchange calendar. All trading decisions and their outcomes are your own responsibility.
📮 Daily US Market Morning Brief — We send an analysis of the previous day's top 10 US gainers (TOP10) and what they had in common, every day at 8am (KST). Telegram @dawnbrief · Free · No ads · Not stock recommendations.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the US regular-session time in Korean time?

During DST (2nd Sunday of March – 1st Sunday of November), it's 22:30–05:00 Korean time (next day); in winter without DST, it's 23:30–06:00 (next day). This is the same for both the NYSE and Nasdaq.

When does daylight saving time start?

US daylight saving time (DST) starts on the 2nd Sunday of March and ends on the 1st Sunday of November. During this period, the US and Korea are 13 hours apart (EDT), and 14 hours apart in winter (EST).

What's the difference between premarket and the regular session?

The Regular Session has high liquidity, so spreads are tight and even large orders fill without slippage. Premarket and after-hours have low liquidity, so spreads are wide and volatility is high, but they reflect earnings and news reactions quickly.

When are US stock market holidays?

Major holidays: New Year's Day (1/1), Martin Luther King Jr. Day (3rd Mon of Jan), Presidents' Day (3rd Mon of Feb), Memorial Day (last Mon of May), Independence Day (7/4), Labor Day (1st Mon of Sep), Thanksgiving (4th Thu of Nov), Christmas (12/25). Some days also see an early close (13:00 ET) the day before.
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