The most confusing part of trading U.S. stocks is the time zone—ultimately, you need to know the U.S. market closure schedule accurately so you can plan properly. Since NYSE, NASDAQ, and AMEX all operate on the same schedule, that’s reassuring. However, because trading takes place at night in Korea and daylight saving time must be considered, it gets complicated.

Regular trading hours are from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, which corresponds to 11:30 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. the next day in Korea. During daylight saving time (from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November), the hours shift one hour earlier, meaning trading runs from 10:30 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. the next morning. Aside from that, there is also the pre-market (4:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Korean time) and the after-market (6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Korean time), so those are worth noting.

The U.S. market closure schedule is also important. For 2026, it includes New Year’s Day, MLK Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. What’s special is that in addition to those U.S. market-closure days, the market closes early at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the day before Independence Day, the day after Thanksgiving, and on Christmas Eve. In Korean time, it closes at 2:00 a.m. the next day, so night traders should be careful.

One more key point is that, unlike Korea, the U.S. stock market has no price limit, so you may find it difficult to respond quickly when prices plunge. So when setting up your trading plan, you should take these characteristics into account. Also, since U.S. market closure schedules or trading hours may change, it’s best to always check the latest information. And remember this as well: settlement is completed 2 business days later, and trading is only done in U.S. dollars.