Futures Market Trading Hours: All Regular & Holiday Schedules

Understanding futures Trading hours, Regular Trading Hours and Trading Holidays is vital for every futures traders. Unlike the stock market, the futures market operates nearly 24 hours a day, offering opportunities for traders around the globe.

This comprehensive guide will provide you with everything you need to know about futures trading market hours, from the Weekly schedule to holiday closures and global exchange timings. Knowing when you can trade is a fundamental part of managing risk and developing a successful trading strategy.

I) Futures Trading Hours by Asset Class

Futures Market Hours Time Zone Converter

Futures Trading Hours Holiday 2025 (CME Group)

Below is a table showing the main US trading holidays observed by the CME Group, the biggest futures market Exchange in the world, and their typical impact on futures trading. This is a general guideline, and the precise schedule for each contract should be confirmed on the CME Group website.

General Principles of Trading Holiday Closures

Generally, holiday closures in the futures market follow a few key patterns. On major holidays like Christmas and New Year’s Day, markets are typically closed entirely. On other holidays, such as Martin Luther King, Jr. Day or Presidents’ Day, some markets may have shortened trading hours, while others might be closed. It’s important to remember that different asset classes may have different holiday schedules. For instance, agricultural futures might be closed on a day when equity index futures have a shortened session.

Finding Official Futures Market Hours Holiday

The most reliable source for holiday market hours is the official website of the relevant exchange. Here are links to the holiday calendars of major futures exchanges:

• CME Group: CME Holiday Hours
• ICE: ICE Holiday Hours
• Eurex: Eurex Trading Calendar

Detailed Breakdown of Futures Markets Hours

Equity Index Futures: ES & NQ Futures Trading hours

Equity index futures, such as the E-mini S&P 500 (ES), E-mini Nasdaq 100 (NQ), E-mini Dow (YM), and E-mini Russell 2000 (RTY), and their micro versions are among the most actively traded futures contracts. They track the performance of major stock market indices.

At the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, E-mini futures market hours are generally from 5:00 PM to 4:00 PM CT, Sunday through Friday, with short breaks. The core trading session, often referred to as the cash session or regular trading hours (RTH), aligns with the US stock market hours (8:30 AM – 3:15 PM CT). This is where the highest volume of the day happens. Official CME Equity Index Hours

Interest Rate Futures: Bond Futures Market Hours

Interest rate futures, including Treasury bond futures (ZB) and Treasury note futures (ZN, ZF, ZT), are contracts based on US government debt. The CBOT (Chicago Board of Trade), part of the CME Group, is the main exchange.

These contracts trade nearly 24 hours a day, but their cash session, representing the most active trading period, typically runs from 7:20 AM to 2:00 PM CT. These times are crucial because they coincide with the release of major economic data and Treasury auctions. Official CME Interest Rate Hours

Energy Futures: Crude Oil Futures Trading Hours

Energy futures, such as crude oil (CL) and natural gas (NG), are traded on the NYMEX (New York Mercantile Exchange), also part of the CME Group.

These contracts reflect the global energy market and trade virtually around the clock, from 5:00 PM to 4:00 PM CT, Sunday to Friday. Official CME Energy Hours

Metals Futures: Gold Futures Trading Hours

Metals futures, including gold (GC), silver (SI), and copper (HG), are traded on the COMEX (Commodity Exchange), a division of the CME Group.

These contracts, particularly gold, are often seen as safe-haven assets. Like energy futures, they have a near-24-hour trading schedule, running from 5:00 PM to 4:00 PM CT, Sunday through Friday. Official CME Metals Hours

Agricultural Futures: Corn Futures Market Hours

Agricultural futures, like corn (ZC), soybeans (ZS), and wheat (ZW), are traded on the CBOT. These have a unique schedule, reflecting the agricultural growing season and the release of key crop reports.

They have two distinct trading sessions: an evening session from 7:00 PM to 7:45 AM CT, and a daytime session from 8:30 AM to 1:20 PM CT, Monday through Friday. This split schedule is crucial for farmers, hedgers, and speculators to react to overnight news and daytime market developments. The day session is the cash session where most of the volume is done.Official CME Agricultural Hours

Currency Futures Trading Hours

Currency futures, such as the Euro FX (6E), Japanese Yen (6J), and British Pound (6B), are traded on the CME.

The foreign exchange (forex) market is the largest and most liquid financial market in the world. Currency futures reflect this, trading nearly 24 hours a day, from 5:00 PM to 4:00 PM CT, Sunday to Friday. Official CME FX Hours

Cryptocurrency Futures (Bitcoin, Ethereum)

Cryptocurrency futures such as the Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH), are traded on the CME. They also have a near-24-hour trading schedule, running from 5:00 PM to 4:00 PM CT, Sunday through Friday. Official CME Cryptocurrencies Hours

Other Main Futures

There are a variety of other futures contracts available, reflecting different indices and commodities.

For instance, the DAX futures (DAX) and EURO STOXX 50 futures (STOXX) trade on Eurex. And The US Dollar Index futures (DX) is traded on the ICE. It’s important to research the specific hours for each contract on the relevant exchange’s website.

II) Global Futures Exchanges and Trading Hours

The futures market is a global marketplace, with major exchanges operating in various time zones. This section provides an overview of the trading hours futures for key exchanges outside the United States.

Canadian Futures Exchange (Montreal Exchange TMX)

Montreal Exchange (TMX) is Canada’s main derivatives exchange, offering a range of futures contracts on interest rates, equity indices, and individual stocks.

TMX exchange operates in Eastern Time (ET) and follows a regular trading schedule with overnight sessions for some products.

Equity Index Futures (S&P/TSX 60 Index Futures – SXF)

• Regular Trading Hours: 6:00 AM – 4:30 PM ET (5:00 AM – 3:30 PM CT)
• Extended Trading Hours: 8:00 PM – 5:30 AM ET (7:00 PM – 4:30 AM CT)

Interest Rate Futures (BAX – 3-Month Canadian Bankers’ Acceptance)

• Regular Trading Hours: 6:00 AM – 4:30 PM ET (5:00 AM – 3:30 PM CT)

10-Year Government Bond Futures (CGB):

• Regular Trading Hours: 6:00 AM – 4:30 PM ET (5:00 AM – 3:30 PM CT)
• Overnight Session: 8:00 PM – 5:30 AM ET (7:00 PM – 4:30 AM CT)

The Montreal Exchange follows Canadian public holidays, meaning futures trading may be closed or operate on reduced hours during holidays such as Canada Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

Canadian futures market operates with extended trading hours for key products like equity index and bond futures, allowing international traders to participate in overnight sessions.

European Futures Market Hours (Eurex, ICE Futures Europe)

Eurex, based in Frankfurt, Germany, is a major European derivatives exchange. It offers a wide range of products, including futures on European indices (like the DAX and EURO STOXX 50), interest rates, and more. Eurex trading hours for most futures run from 08:10 AM to 10:00 PM Central Europe Time (1:10 AM – 3:00 PM CT, 2:10 AM – 4:00 PM ET).

London Futures Market Hours

ICE Futures Europe, based in London, is another significant European exchange, particularly for energy and soft commodities. The main futures regular trading hours at ICE Futures Europe are 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM UTC (02:00 AM – 10:30 AM CT, 03:00 AM – 11:30 AM ET)

Asian Futures Market Hours (SGX, JPX, HKEX)

Asia is home to several important futures exchanges. The SGX (Singapore Exchange) offers diverse trading instruments, including equity index futures, interest rate futures, and commodity futures.

In Japan, the JPX (Japan Exchange Group) includes the Tokyo Stock Exchange and the Osaka Exchange, offering futures on Japanese indices and government bonds.

And third major exchange, the HKEX (Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing) is a major exchange for trading Chinese and Asian derivatives. These exchanges operate in different time zones, creating trading opportunities throughout the day and night for global investors. Checking each exchange’s website for detailed hours is essential.

SGX Trading Hours (Singapore Exchange):

• Generally, 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM SGT, which is 7:30 PM to 4:30 AM CT (previous day).

JPX Trading Hours (Japan Exchange Group):

• Day Session: 8:45 AM to 3:15 PM JST, which is 6:45 PM to 1:15 AM CT (previous day).
• Night Session: 4:30 PM to 5:30 AM JST, which is 2:30 AM to 3:30 PM CT.

HKEX Trading Hours (Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing):

• Morning Session: 9:15 AM to 12:00 PM HKT, which is 8:15 PM to 11:00 PM CT (previous day).
• Afternoon Session: 1:00 PM to 4:30 PM HKT, which is 12:00 AM to 3:30 AM CT.
• After-Hours Trading: 5:15 PM to 3:00 AM HKT, which is 4:15 AM to 2:00 PM CT.

Indian Futures Exchanges Trading Hours

India has two primary commodity exchanges: the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) and the National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX). MCX is India’s largest commodity derivatives exchange and focuses on metals, energy, and agricultural commodities. NCDEX specializes in agricultural commodities.

• MCX (Multi Commodity Exchange): Generally, 9:00 AM to 11:30 PM or 11:55 PM IST, which is 10:30 PM (previous day) to 1:00 PM or 1:25 PM CT.
• NCDEX (National Commodity & Derivatives Exchange): Generally, 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM IST, which is 10:30 PM (previous day) to 10:30 AM CT.

Australian Futures Exchanges Open Hours (ASX)

The ASX (Australian Securities Exchange) is the primary exchange for Australian futures and options. Key contracts include the S&P/ASX 200 Index futures and Australian interest rate futures.

Asx Futures trading hours typically run from 5:10 PM to 7:00 AM AEST/AEDT and then re-open from 9:50 AM to 4:30 PM AEST/AEDT. This translates to approximately 2:10 AM to 4:00 PM CT and 6:50 PM to 1:30 AM CT (next day).

III) Understanding the Trading Hours for Futures​

Now that we’ve covered the specific futures markets hours and holiday schedules, let’s delve into the reasons behind these timings.

US Futures Trading Hours Aren’t Like Stock Markets

The most significant difference between us futures trading hours and stock market hours is the near-24-hour operation of the futures market. This stems from the fundamental nature of futures contracts. Futures are derivatives, meaning their value is derived from an underlying asset.

These assets – commodities, currencies, indices – are traded globally, and their prices are constantly influenced by events around the world. A 24-hour market allows for continuous price discovery and risk management, reflecting the global nature of these underlying assets.

In contrast, stock markets primarily focus on trading the shares of individual companies, which are generally tied to a specific geographic location and business hours.

The Daily Break: Settlement and Maintenance

While futures markets operate nearly around the clock, there’s usually a short daily break, typically an hour. This break is crucial for settlement and maintenance.

The settlement price is the average price of the trades during the closing range of a contract, and it’s used to calculate margin requirements and mark-to-market profits and losses. This daily break allows exchanges to calculate these values and ensure the smooth functioning of the market.

The daily break is a key reason why the futures market is almost 24-hours but not literally continuous.

Are Futures Markets Open 24 Hours?

As mentioned above, while the futures market is often described as a 24-hour market, it’s more accurate to say it’s nearly 24 hours.

The daily settlement break, along with specific contract trading hours and holiday closures, means there are periods when trading is not active. However, compared to the stock market, the futures market hours offer significantly extended trading opportunities.

What is Globex?

Globex is the electronic trading platform used by the CME Group. It’s the backbone of the near-24-hour futures market, allowing traders worldwide to access CME Group products electronically.

Understanding Globex is synonymous with understanding the modern futures market, as it’s the primary means by which trades are executed.

Electronic Trading Hours (ETH) vs. Regular Trading Hours (RTH)

Electronic Trading Hours (ETH) refers to the full, nearly 24-hour trading session available on electronic platforms like Globex. This encompasses the entire period from Sunday evening to Friday afternoon, including the overnight and pre-market sessions.

Regular Trading Hours (RTH), on the other hand, typically refers to the “cash” or “pit” trading hours, which historically were the hours when trading occurred in the physical trading pits.

While most futures trading is now electronic, the term RTH is still used, often to denote the period of highest liquidity and volume. This usually coincides with the underlying asset’s main trading hours (e.g., US stock market hours for equity index futures).

It’s the time where you can expect to have the most volume during the day. So the futures trading can be traded during regular market hours, which is known as the cash session.

IV) Time Zone Impact and Conversion

Because futures markets operate globally, understanding time zones is essential. Traders need to be able to interpret trading hours in their local time zone and understand how different markets overlap.

Central Time (CT) as the Benchmark

The CME Group, being the largest futures exchange, is based in Chicago, and therefore Central Time (CT) is often used as the benchmark time zone for hours futures trading.

Many trading platforms and resources will list hours in CT. The hours provided in the summary table at the beginning are listed in Central Time as reference.

Converting to Your Local Time Zone

To effectively trade futures, you need to know when markets are open in your time zone. The interactive selector in the summary table at the top of this guide allows you to do this automatically. However you will still need to take day light saving into consideration. You may also have situation where you would need to convert yourself.

Asian and European Market Hours

Understanding the trading hours of Asian and European markets is particularly important for traders who want to participate in global markets or who trade products heavily influenced by international events.

For example, a trader in New York might want to trade European index futures on Eurex, or a trader in California might be interested in Asian equity index futures on the SGX or JPX. Knowing when these markets open and close relative to US hours is important for timing trades and managing risk.

V)Trading Different Hours of The Futures Market

Finally, let’s consider some advanced topics related to futures market hours and risk management.

After-Hours Trading: Opportunities and Risks

After-hours trading in the futures market refers to trading that occurs outside of the regular trading hours (RTH). While this offers flexibility, it also comes with increased risk.

Liquidity is typically lower during after-hours trading, meaning there are fewer buyers and sellers. This can lead to wider bid-ask spreads and increased volatility. Price swings can be more dramatic, potentially triggering margin calls or stop-loss orders.

Traders should exercise caution and use appropriate risk management strategies when trading after hours.

Overnight Positions and Margin Requirements

Holding a futures contract overnight exposes you to the risk of price movements that occur while you’re not actively monitoring the market. Because of leverage, these overnight price changes can have a significant impact on your account balance.

If the market moves against your position, you may receive a margin call, requiring you to deposit additional funds to maintain your position.

It’s crucial to understand the margin requirements for the contracts you’re trading and to have a plan for managing overnight risk, such as using stop-loss orders or adjusting your position size.

Best tools to plan futures trading week

Several tools can help you stay organized and informed about futures market hours:

• Exchange Websites: The official websites of exchanges (CME Group, ICE, Eurex, etc.) are the definitive source for trading hours and holiday schedules.
• Trading Platforms: Most futures trading platforms (e.g., thinkorswim, NinjaTrader, Tradestation) display market hours and provide alerts for market openings and closings.
• Economic Calendars: Economic calendars, such as those provided by ForexFactory, Investing.com, and Bloomberg, list key economic data releases and events that can impact futures markets. These calendars often include the time of the release and the expected impact.
• News Services: Real-time news services, like Bloomberg and Reuters, can keep you informed of events that might affect market hours or cause volatility.

Conclusion: Becoming a Master of Futures Market Time

Mastering futures market hours is an ongoing process. Markets change, holidays shift, and new contracts are introduced.

By using the resources outlined in this guide, staying informed about exchange announcements, and practicing sound risk management, you can confidently navigate the global futures market and take advantage of its unique trading opportunities. Stay informed, stay disciplined, and use the near-24-hour nature of the futures market to your advantage.