FUTURES TRADING HOURS & SESSIONS
Plain English
Most futures trade nearly 24 hours a day, 5 days a week. This means you can trade overnight, react to news from Asia and Europe, and aren't stuck waiting for the US stock market to open. Each futures market has its own hours — know them before you trade.
Going deeper
Futures trading hours (all times ET): CME Equity Index Futures (ES, NQ): Sunday 6:00 PM – Friday 5:00 PM (with 1-hour break 4:00–5:00 PM daily). Energy Futures (CL, NG): Sunday 6:00 PM – Friday 5:00 PM. Metals (GC, SI): Sunday 6:00 PM – Friday 5:00 PM. Treasury Futures (ZN, ZB): Sunday 6:00 PM – Friday 5:00 PM. Grains (ZC, ZW, ZS): Sunday 7:00 PM – Friday 7:45 AM, then 8:30 AM – 1:20 PM (RTH session). The overnight (Globex) session often sets the tone for the US open. Key events to watch in extended hours: Asian market closes, European market opens, and major economic data releases.
Examples
Overnight Gap Opportunity
China publishes weaker-than-expected GDP at 3:00 AM ET. Oil futures immediately drop 2% in overnight trading. Traders who monitor global sessions can position before the US market opens at 9:30 AM and potentially catch the full move.
Grain Market Peculiarity
Unlike financial futures, grain futures (corn, wheat, soybeans) close from 7:45 AM to 8:30 AM ET and again at 1:20 PM ET. Major USDA reports often release at 12:00 PM ET — within the regular trading session — for immediate price discovery.