The most confusing thing when trading U.S. stocks is the time zone, so I’ve organized it this time. The U.S. stock market trades from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, which is from 11:30 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Korean time. From March to November, when daylight saving time is in effect, it shifts one hour earlier, so it’s from 10:30 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. the next day. At first, I couldn’t plan my trades properly because of these hours, but once I got used to it, it was okay.

You also need to pay attention to U.S. market holidays. For 2026, the market is closed on January 1, January 19 (Martin Luther King Jr. Day), February 16 (Presidents’ Day), April 3 (Good Friday), and on holidays like Memorial Day (May 25), Juneteenth (June 19), Independence Day (July 3), Labor Day (September 7), Thanksgiving (November 26), and Christmas (December 25). Be especially careful around the day before or after U.S. holidays, as the market may close early.

All three exchanges—NYSE, NASDAQ, and AMEX—have the same trading hours, and pre-market (from 4 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time) and after-hours trading (from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.) are also available. In Korea, pre-market runs from 6 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., and after-hours from about 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. the next day. All trading is conducted in U.S. dollars, and settlement is completed two business days later.

Unlike Korea, the U.S. has no price limit, which is important because trading happens at night in Korea time, making it difficult to respond quickly to sharp declines. Therefore, it’s a good idea to check U.S. holidays and major economic indicator release times in advance and plan your trades accordingly. For those starting to trade U.S. stocks, I recommend familiarizing yourself with these time zones and holiday schedules before trading.