Do international stock exchanges like the London or Tokyo Stock Exchange have different hours today compared to the US markets?

Freeman's answer to: Are global stock market hours different today?

Summary: Wondering if global stock market hours are different today? This article will walk you through how to check today’s trading hours across major international exchanges, why they differ from the US market, and how to avoid common pitfalls. I’ll share my own missteps, expert opinions, and show you exactly how to find and interpret this information in real time. Plus, we’ll look at how countries handle "verified trade" differently, with a handy comparison table and a real-life scenario from the cross-border finance world.

What Problem Does This Solve?

Let’s be honest, figuring out whether the London or Tokyo stock market is open today isn’t as simple as checking your local NYSE clock. National holidays, daylight saving shifts, and local quirks mean that just because Wall Street is open doesn’t mean everyone else is. If you’re trading, investing internationally, or just trying to keep up with markets, knowing global stock market hours is crucial—especially today, when a random holiday in Japan can throw you off.

How I Check Global Stock Market Hours (And Why It’s Not Always Straightforward)

If you’re like me, you probably started by Googling “stock market hours today.” The results? A mix of outdated blog posts, US-centric calendars, and sometimes, conflicting info. Let’s break down a better way to do this, step by step, and highlight where I’ve tripped up in the past.

Step 1: Identify the Major Exchanges You Care About

United States: NYSE, NASDAQ
Europe: London Stock Exchange (LSE), Euronext, Deutsche Börse
Asia: Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE), Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX), Shanghai Stock Exchange (SSE)
Australia: ASX

Pro tip: Each exchange sets its own calendar. For example, the Tokyo Stock Exchange observes Japanese national holidays, which don’t align with the US or Europe at all.

Step 2: Use Official Sources for Today’s Market Status

Forget random blogs—go straight to the exchange’s website. For example, here’s what I did this morning when I wanted to check if the London Stock Exchange was open:

Visited the official LSE trading calendar.
Checked the “Holiday Dates” section for 2024. Sure enough, today isn’t a holiday, so LSE is open.
Compared this to the NYSE holiday calendar—both markets are open, but their hours differ (LSE: 08:00–16:30 London time, NYSE: 09:30–16:00 Eastern time).

Screenshot example (from a previous check, since I forgot to grab one today):

Step 3: Cross-Check for Daylight Saving/Time Zone Changes

This is where I’ve messed up. Did you know the US and Europe don’t switch to daylight saving on the same dates? One year, I scheduled a live trade at what I thought was London’s opening, only to find myself an hour late. Now, I use timeanddate.com’s world clock to double-check current local times and avoid this trap.

Step 4: Watch for Local Holidays

International exchanges can close for holidays you’ve never heard of. Real example: The Tokyo Stock Exchange closes for the Emperor’s Birthday (February 23)—a day when the US markets are open as usual. The only way to be sure is to check the TSE’s official calendar every time you plan a cross-border trade.

How Today’s Market Hours Differ Across Countries (With a Real Case Study)

Let’s say today is June 15, 2024. Here’s how I’d check whether major global markets are open:

NYSE (US): Open (unless it’s a US federal holiday—check here).
LSE (UK): Open (check here).
TSE (Japan): Closed if it’s a Japanese holiday—see official calendar.
HKEX (Hong Kong): Open, unless it’s a Hong Kong public holiday—see here.

In practice, I’ve sometimes been caught out by “partial trading days” (when an exchange closes early, like on Christmas Eve). Always check the notes on the calendar, not just the open/close status!

Expert Voice: What Do the Pros Say?

Spoke with Daniel Y., a cross-border asset manager, who said: “We rely on Bloomberg’s exchange status tool and always have a backup—one year, our whole team missed a trade because we assumed London’s May Bank Holiday matched the US Memorial Day. It didn’t.”

Bloomberg, Reuters, and official exchange feeds are the gold standard for institutions, but for individuals, the free calendars above work well enough.

Why These Differences Matter: The “Verified Trade” Angle

Here’s where it gets nerdy (but crucial for compliance and risk management): Not only do trading hours differ, but so do rules for what counts as a “verified trade”—especially when stocks are cross-listed or traded via international platforms.

Comparison Table: “Verified Trade” Standards by Country

Country	Name	Legal Basis	Enforcement/Execution
USA	Reg NMS, SEC Rule 611	SEC Regulation NMS	Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
UK	MiFID II Best Execution	FCA MiFID II	Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)
Japan	Financial Instruments and Exchange Act	FSA FIEA	Financial Services Agency (FSA)
EU	MiFID II	ESMA MiFID II	European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA)
Australia	ASIC Market Integrity Rules	ASIC MIRs	Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC)

These rules mean that even if two countries’ markets are open at the same time, what counts as a “verified” or “executed” trade can differ. For example, the US’s “trade-through” rule (Reg NMS) doesn’t exist in Japan, so trades executed simultaneously in both markets may not be treated equally under each country’s law (SEC, 2005).

Case Example: A US-Japan Cross-Listing Dispute

A few years ago, a US investor tried to arbitrage a cross-listed stock—trading on both NYSE and TSE—on a day when TSE closed early for a holiday. The US trade was accepted, but the Japanese side was rejected due to mismatched trading hours. This led to a compliance review, and the broker cited Japan’s FIEA as a reason for the trade’s invalidation. This example shows why knowing today’s trading hours is not just about convenience, but also about legal and operational risk.

Industry Expert Insight: What Happens When You Get It Wrong?

Had a chat with Linda M., a compliance director at a multinational bank, who told me: “We’ve had to unwind trades before because our New York desk assumed the same settlement rules applied in Tokyo, not realizing the market there was closed for a local holiday. It’s embarrassing and costly.” Her tip: Always check both the market calendar and the local “verified trade” rules before executing cross-border trades, especially on days when the US and Asia might diverge.

Personal Experience: How I Double-Check Now

After a few embarrassing mistakes (once buying a Hong Kong ETF on a day when HKEX was closed, oops), I now keep a spreadsheet of major holidays for each exchange, and I check official exchange sites each morning if I plan to trade internationally. It sounds old school, but it saves headaches. If I’m unsure, I call my broker, who usually has instant access to the latest calendars.

Summary and Next Steps

So, are global stock market hours different today? Almost always, yes—depending on which country and which exchange you’re looking at. International exchanges like the London or Tokyo Stock Exchange often have unique holidays and hours, which may differ from the US markets. Don’t trust memory or generic calendars; always check official exchange sites or reliable data services for up-to-the-minute info.

And if you’re doing anything more complicated than checking prices—like executing trades or dealing with cross-listed stocks—get familiar with each country’s “verified trade” rules. Even a simple oversight can mean your trade is invalidated, or worse, you run afoul of compliance rules.

Next time you’re planning a global trade, take a few moments to verify both the calendar and the local legal standards. You’ll save yourself (and your compliance team) a lot of trouble.