Futures trading hours are the scheduled periods when a futures contract can be bought or sold. Most major U.S. futures trade nearly 24 hours a day, from Sunday evening through Friday afternoon.

For popular contracts traded on CME Globex, the typical schedule is:

  • Open: Sunday at 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time
  • Close: Friday at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time
  • Daily maintenance break: 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Thursday

In 2026, selected CME contracts also support weekend trading. Those contracts are exceptions to the standard Sunday-evening-to-Friday-afternoon schedule.

The exact hours depend on the contract, exchange, holiday calendar and trading platform.

Futures Trading Hours at a Glance

Futures market Typical electronic trading hours Daily break
E-mini S&P 500, Nasdaq-100 and other CME equity-index futures Sunday 6:00 p.m. to Friday 5:00 p.m. ET 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET
CME gold futures Sunday 6:00 p.m. to Friday 5:00 p.m. ET 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET
CME FX futures Sunday 6:00 p.m. to Friday 5:00 p.m. ET 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET
Selected newer CME contracts 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except for scheduled maintenance Varies by contract

CME generally publishes its hours in Central Time. Its standard schedule of 5:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Central Time converts to 6:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

When Do Stock-Index Futures Trade?

Popular stock-index futures trade on CME Globex from Sunday evening through Friday afternoon, with a daily one-hour maintenance break.

The E-mini S&P 500 futures contract, ticker ES, and E-mini Nasdaq-100 futures contract, ticker NQ, follow this schedule.

Trading continues outside the regular U.S. stock-market session. Futures prices can respond to overnight news, international markets, economic releases and company announcements before the U.S. stock market opens.

Activity is usually highest when futures overlap with the regular U.S. stock-market session, particularly after 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time. Volume still varies by contract and market conditions.

When Do Commodity Futures Trade?

Many widely traded commodity futures use a similar near-24-hour schedule.

COMEX Gold futures trade on CME Globex from Sunday at 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time through Friday at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. They have a daily break from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

CME FX futures follow a similar schedule. CME lists standard FX futures hours as Sunday through Friday from 5:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Central Time, with a 60-minute break beginning at 4:00 p.m. Central Time.

Other commodity contracts can use different hours, so check the individual contract before trading.

Do Futures Markets Close Overnight?

Most major futures markets do not close overnight. They pause briefly for daily maintenance and settlement instead.

For a standard CME equity-index future:

  1. Trading begins Sunday evening.
  2. Trading continues through the week.
  3. The market pauses from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time each weekday from Monday through Thursday.
  4. Trading ends Friday at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
  5. The market reopens Sunday evening.

Some contracts have different breaks, shorter trading windows or separate settlement periods. The contract specification is the authoritative source for the schedule.

Are Any Futures Available 24 Hours a Day, 7 Days a Week?

Yes. CME introduced selected futures contracts with weekend trading in 2026.

CME 1-Ounce Gold futures trade continuously on Globex except for scheduled maintenance from 2:00 a.m. to 4:00 a.m. Central Time on Saturdays and brief weekday maintenance windows. 10-Barrel WTI Crude Oil futures also support continuous trading, subject to maintenance windows.

These products are exceptions. Most traditional futures contracts still follow the Sunday-evening-to-Friday-afternoon schedule.

Do Futures Trade on Holidays?

Futures may be closed, open for reduced hours or close early on U.S. holidays such as:

  • New Year's Day
  • Martin Luther King Jr. Day
  • Presidents Day
  • Good Friday
  • Memorial Day
  • Juneteenth
  • Independence Day
  • Labor Day
  • Thanksgiving
  • Christmas Day

Holiday hours vary by exchange and product. CME Group publishes a yearly Globex holiday schedule, but the exchange notes that holiday hours may be finalized close to the holiday and can change.

How Can You Find the Exact Trading Hours for a Futures Contract?

Check these four details before placing an order:

  1. Contract symbol: For example, ES, NQ, CL or GC.
  2. Exchange: CME, CBOT, COMEX, NYMEX, ICE or another venue.
  3. Trading platform: Globex, an exchange floor, block-trade facility or broker platform.
  4. Holiday schedule: Regular hours may not apply on holidays or shortened sessions.

For most popular U.S. futures, expect near-24-hour trading from Sunday evening through Friday afternoon, with a daily maintenance break. Confirm the individual contract's specification because trading hours are not identical across every futures market.