Stock Market Hours: When Does Trading Close Today?

• U.S. stock markets resume normal trading hours today, closing at 4 p.m. ET.
• Christmas Eve featured an early closure at 1 p.m. ET with significantly reduced trading volume.
• Markets remain closed on Christmas Day before reopening fully today.
• The next early closure occurs on New Year's Eve at 1 p.m. ET.

Investors returning after the Christmas holiday will find U.S. exchanges operating on a standard schedule today. Trading concludes at the regular 4 p.m. Eastern Time cutoff. This follows consecutive days of holiday-adjusted hours that disrupted normal market activity. Understanding these schedule changes remains critical for year-end portfolio management.

What Time Does the Stock Market Close Today?

Major U.S. stock exchanges operate under normal hours today. The NYSE and Nasdaq will close at 4 p.m. Eastern Time. This full session resumes after Christmas Day's complete market closure. Trading volume and liquidity return to typical levels as institutional participation rebounds. Bond markets also follow standard hours today after their early Christmas Eve finish.

How Did Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Affect Market Hours?

U.S. equities markets closed early at 1 p.m. ET on December 24. Trading volume plummeted to approximately 33% of normal levels during this abbreviated session. The subsequent full closure on Christmas Day halted all trading activity. These adjustments limited opportunities and increased potential price volatility. Global exchanges in London and Hong Kong implemented similar holiday schedules, compounding worldwide inactivity.
Bond markets ceased trading earlier at 2 p.m. ET on Christmas Eve. The liquidity reduction occurred because major financial institutions scaled back participation significantly. Investors needed to position portfolios ahead of these closures to navigate limited execution windows. Electronic trading networks halted operations during the official closures.

When Are the Next Market Holiday Closures?

Stock markets face another early closure on December 31 for New Year's Eve. Trading will end at 1 p.m. ET that day, mirroring the Christmas Eve schedule. Exchanges remain fully closed on January 1 for New Year's Day. Bond markets will shutter at 2 p.m. ET on December 31 before the full closure.
These upcoming adjustments create similar liquidity challenges as the Christmas period. Financial institutions may operate reduced hours on December 31, requiring investors to confirm specifics with brokers. Proactive positioning helps avoid execution difficulties during these abbreviated sessions. The pattern underscores the importance of calendar awareness for strategic portfolio management.