What Time Does the Stock Market Open in CT? Central Time Schedule

The NYSE and Nasdaq operate from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. In CT, that's 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM Central Time. Central Time observes daylight saving, shifting between CST (UTC-6) and CDT (UTC-5).

Market Opens

8:30 AM

Market Closes

3:00 PM

Premarket Opens

3:00 AM

After-Hours Ends

7:00 PM

Early Close Time in Central Time

On early close days, markets close at 1:00 p.m. ET instead of 4:00 p.m. ET. In CT, that's 12:00 PM. Early closes occur on Black Friday, Christmas Eve, and the day before Independence Day.

Daylight Saving Time Impact

Central Time observes daylight saving time. In winter (CST, UTC-6), the market opens at 8:30 a.m. and closes at 3:00 p.m. In summer (CDT, UTC-5), the opening and closing times remain the same in local terms because the market is pegged to Eastern Time.

Next Market Holiday

The next scheduled market closure is Thanksgiving on November 26, 2026. See full holiday schedule →

Frequently Asked Questions