If you’ve ever asked yourself, “How many forex trading days in a year?”, or wondered why the stock markets are open only on certain dates and minus weekends and holidays, you’ve come to the right place. At ThinkCapital, we specialize in breaking down complex market concepts so you can focus on what matters: improving your day trading strategies, knowing the best days of the week to trade, and staying informed about market holidays.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through what trading days are, how to calculate the number of trading days in a year, the difference between regular hours and extended hours, and why it all matters—especially if you’re actively trading in the forex market or stock market exchanges like the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
Table of contents
Understanding Trading Days
Definition of a Trading Day
A trading day is the period when financial markets—such as stock exchanges—are open for buying and selling. It excludes weekend days and recognized public holidays. In the United States, for example, the New York Stock Exchange (often referred to as the “York Stock Exchange” in some contexts) and Nasdaq typically open at 9:30 AM and close at 4:00 PM Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.
By contrast, forex trading sessions operate 24 hours a day, five days a week. This around-the-clock schedule occurs because different trading sessions in major financial hubs (such as London, New York, Tokyo, and Sydney) overlap, allowing the forex market to remain open Monday to Friday, minus weekends and holidays.
Differences Between Trading Days and Calendar Days
- Trading Days: These are the days when stock markets (or other financial markets) are open, typically Monday through Friday. There are approximately 252 trading days in a normal year for U.S. stock market exchanges, though this can vary slightly.
- Calendar Days: This figure includes every day in a year, adding up to 365 (or 366 in a leap year). However, not every date is a trading day—weekends and certain market holidays (like Christmas Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Independence Day) are excluded from live market activity.
Because of these differences, you’ll often see references to “1 year minus weekends” and special holidays when calculating trading days each year.
Number of Trading Days in a Year
Average Number of Trading Days in a Year
If you’ve been wondering how many trading days there are in a year, the short answer is about 252 trading days. This average applies to stock trading days in the United States, but you might find small variations due to factors such as:
- Leap Years – An extra calendar day can shift the schedule slightly.
- Market Holidays – Dates like Martin Luther King Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, or July 4 Independence Day reduce the total count.
Factors Affecting the Number of Trading Days
- Weekends: Markets are open Monday through Friday only, so Saturdays and Sundays don’t count.
- Market Holidays: Days such as Christmas Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Martin Luther King Day take the market offline.
- Leap Years: Adding an extra day to the calendar year can sometimes tweak the exact total of many trading days you have.
Overall, though, you’re looking at approximately 252 trading days out of the 365 or 366 days in a year for U.S. equities.
Trading Sessions and Hours
What Is a Trading Session?
A trading session is simply the block of time during which a financial market is open for buying and selling. In the United States, the regular trading session for the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and Nasdaq runs from 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM Eastern Time.
For forex, the market effectively follows the sun, starting in the Asia-Pacific session (featuring the Tokyo Stock Exchange), rolling into the European session, and wrapping up with the U.S. session.
Regular Stock Market Trading Hours
- Regular Market Hours: 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM ET, Monday through Friday.
- During these trading hours—also called the regular trading session—traders have full liquidity and the broadest access to quotes.
Extended Stock Market Trading Hours
- Pre Market: 4:00 AM – 9:30 AM ET
- After Hours Trading: 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM ET
These regular and extended hours sessions allow traders to act on news releases outside of the standard day schedule. However, hours trading most brokers during these periods might come with lower liquidity, which can result in wider spreads.
Best Times for Trading
What Are the Best Days of the Week for Trading?
Over the years, many traders have observed that some days are more profitable than others. Studies and anecdotal evidence point to Wednesdays and Thursdays as especially fruitful for day trading—you might hear phrases like “money trading on Wednesdays” or “historically Wednesdays and Thursdays are the best.”
Some attribute this to midweek trading volumes and volatility being higher. This can be a big advantage if you’re looking to capitalize on short-term price movements. Of course, no rule is set in stone, and your best approach is to test your strategy.
What is the Best Time of the Year for Trading?
Seasonality in the markets is a recurring conversation. While some traders find that summer tends to be slower, others look at Q3 and Q4 as “hot cycles and cold cycles” for certain asset classes.
Some have found that summer tends to be less volatile overall, but from October to March (covering part of Q4 and Q1), there can be an uptick in momentum. However, you shouldn’t view the market as strictly seasonal—there can be green days even in the summer.
Calculating Trading Days
How To Calculate Trading Days?
If you want to calculate the number of trading days in 2025 (or any other year), one practical approach is:
- Pull daily historical data of a security or index known to trade every trading day (such as the S&P 500).
- Count the stock trading days rows for the year(s) in question.
- Divide by the number of years if you’re averaging across multiple years.
This method will give you a clear snapshot of how many trading days each year has, accounting for actual holidays and weekends.
How Many Trading Days in a Month?
On average, you get 21 trading days per month. This fluctuates because of where weekends and holidays fall within each calendar month. For instance, if Memorial Day (a day Monday) lands on the 31st, that month could have fewer trading sessions.
Forex Trading Days
How Many Forex Trading Days Are There in a Year?
If you’re specifically asking how many forex trading days in a year, you’ll get a slightly different number. Forex trading effectively spans from Sunday evening (EST) to Friday afternoon, giving you around five full days per week. Over a full year, this translates to around 250 forex trading days.
- Sundays can be considered trading days depending on time zone.
- The forex market is technically open 24/7 in different parts of the globe, but the widely accepted “start” is Sunday evening (New York time) and “end” is Friday afternoon (New York time).
Trading Strategies and Insights
The 80/20 Rule of Trading
Many traders find that 80% of their profit comes from just 20% of their trading days. This is reminiscent of the Pareto Principle and can create a challenge when planning vacations because you don’t want to miss those high-volume, potentially profitable days—often Wednesdays and Thursdays.
In fact, some traders make an effort to avoid missing those days whenever possible. It’s the day when the stock could make an explosive move, or the day Monday might be quiet, but Wednesday ignites the market.
How to Use Trading Calendars and Schedules to Your Advantage
A solid trading calendar will show you all the market open days, weekend days, and even identify those “days are typically clustered” around certain holidays. Most stock exchanges (including the New York Stock Exchange and the Tokyo Stock Exchange) provide this information well in advance.
Leveraging such tools helps you see if the markets are open Monday (e.g., if Martin Luther King Day falls on a Monday, the market closes) or if there’s an upcoming half day before Christmas Day or Thanksgiving Day.
Market Holidays and Trading Hours
Major Public Holidays in the US
U.S. stock market holidays that affect trading hours include:
- New Year’s Day – January 1
- Martin Luther King Day – around January 15 or January 16 (e.g., January 15 Martin Luther, 16 Martin Luther King)
- Presidents’ Day – Third Monday in February
- Memorial Day – Last Monday in May
- Monday June 19 Juneteenth – June 19
- Independence Day – Tuesday July 4 Independence or July 4, depending on the day of the week
- Labor Day – First Monday in September
- Thanksgiving Day – Fourth Thursday in November (e.g., November 28 Thanksgiving Day)
- Christmas Day – December 25
Missing these holidays in your calculations can lead to confusion about how many trading days each year are actually available.
How to Stay Informed About Market Open Days and Trading Hours
- Stock market exchanges include official calendars on their websites. For instance, the NYSE and Nasdaq each post an annual schedule showing regular market hours and closings.
- You can also use financial news websites that highlight upcoming closures, early closings, and extended hours changes.
Conclusion
Why Understanding Trading Days Is Essential for Traders
Knowing how many trading days you have each year—and the times those markets are open Monday through Friday—can vastly improve your trading approach. From managing your schedule to optimizing hot cycles and cold cycles, being aware of trading sessions and market holidays helps you plan effectively.
In the U.S., there are typically 252 trading days a year (give or take), once you account for weekends and holidays like Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. For forex, it’s roughly 250 because the market trades continuously Monday through Friday.
Armed with this knowledge, you’ll be more agile in setting your goals and focusing on the best days of the week—possibly Wednesdays and Thursdays—for your day trading strategies, without missing out on the crucial 20% of days that deliver 80% of your profits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How many days can you trade forex in a year?
A: Typically, around 250 forex trading days, as forex markets run from Sunday evening to Friday afternoon EST.
Q: How many trading days are there in 2025?
A: Some might say there are 251 trading days in 2025, but that’s not accurate. The correct figure is likely 252, calculated by taking the total number of weekdays in the year and subtracting the public holidays when the stock markets are closed.
Q: What is the 90% rule in forex?
A: The “90% rule” informally states that 90% of new traders lose 90% of their capital in 90 days. It’s a cautionary note on risk management and realistic expectations.
Q: Are there always 252 trading days?
A: While 252 trading days is an average, some years have 251 or 253, depending on where weekends and holidays land.
Q: What is the 5-3-1 rule in forex?
A: This rule suggests picking one major currency pair, focusing on a consistent timeframe (like the 5-minute chart), and using one trading strategy, to build discipline.
Q: What is the 10 am rule in stocks trading?
A: Traders sometimes avoid making decisions right at the market open and wait until 10 AM for the initial volatility to settle, though this is more a guideline than a strict rule.
Q: How many trading days are there in a month?
A: On average, there are 21 trading days in a month, varying by where weekends and holidays fall.
By staying on top of market holidays, regular market hours, and extended hours availability, you’ll know how many trading days each year you can capitalize on. Remember that while some “hot cycles and cold cycles” may seem to repeat, it’s always best to stay flexible and informed. Whether you’re trading in the New York Stock Exchange, the Tokyo Stock Exchange, or diving into forex, planning around these schedules will give you the edge you need to meet your trading objectives.
Happy trading from all of us at ThinkCapital!
Disclaimer:
Trading involves high risk, and retail investor accounts can lose money rapidly due to leverage. This article is for educational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Always do your own research and consider your financial situation before making any investment decisions. Effective risk management is essential in Forex trading to protect your capital and manage risk appropriately.
