Futures market hours: When do futures open and close?

A big announcement lands after the market closes. Can you still adjust your futures trading position, or will you have to wait until trading resumes?

The answer depends on the contract you hold: some futures trade almost around the clock during the week, while others have shorter sessions or remain open over the weekend.

This article is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial or investment advice. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

What are the futures market trading hours?

There’s no single opening bell for all futures. Each exchange sets trading hours for its contracts, and products on the same exchange can follow different schedules.

For example, CME Euro FX futures trade from Sunday evening through Friday afternoon, with a one-hour break between weekday sessions. CBOT Micro Corn futures have separate overnight and daytime sessions, with longer gaps between them.

You’ll also see references to regular and extended trading hours. Regular hours generally mean the main daytime session; extended hours are the trading time outside it. A maintenance break is a scheduled pause for the exchange’s systems, during which trades cannot execute.

Here’s how selected contracts compare on CME Globex, CME Group’s electronic trading platform. These are normal weekly schedules; holidays can change them.

When do futures open on Sunday?

CME E-mini S&P 500 futures normally open at 6 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. CT on Sunday. This begins Monday’s trading session, even though it’s still Sunday on the calendar.

Sunday matters because it’s when many futures markets reopen after the weekend. Traders can start responding to news before exchanges open on Monday, although contracts such as Micro Corn begin later in the evening.

Daily breaks and Friday closing times

A daily break temporarily stops trading; a Friday close can leave the market shut until Sunday. For example, Micro WTI and Euro FX normally close on Friday at 5 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. CT, while Micro Corn finishes at 2:20 p.m. ET / 1:20 p.m. CT.

Order handling during a break depends on the exchange’s rules. CME’s pre-open phase allows traders to submit, change and cancel orders before trading starts. During its paused phase, only cancellations are allowed. Your platform may have additional restrictions.

Trading hours vs settlement and expiration

A session ending doesn’t mean your contract has expired. Daily settlement is when the exchange establishes an official price to calculate gains and losses on open positions, and trading can continue afterward.

Expiration is the end of a dated contract’s life. Any remaining position is handled according to its cash-payment or delivery rules, so the last trading date needs a separate check.

How do commodity and currency futures hours differ?

Even contracts tied to the same commodity can have different schedules. COMEX expanded its 1-Ounce Gold futures to seven-day trading in July 2026, so a general search for “gold futures hours” may not tell you what you need.

Agricultural contracts can have longer daytime closures, as Micro Corn shows. Currency futures such as Euro FX have their own exchange hours too, so don’t assume a spot-forex schedule applies.

Do crypto futures and perpetuals trade 24/7?

Some crypto derivatives trade seven days a week, but scheduled breaks still matter. CME’s expanded crypto schedule includes a two-hour Saturday break and two-minute weekday pauses, as shown in its operational timetable.

Perpetual futures generally have no scheduled expiration. That doesn’t mean they’re always available to trade: maintenance, outages or trading halts can interrupt access. Check the particular contract and platform rather than assuming “perpetual” means uninterrupted trading.

How do holidays and time zones affect futures hours?

Holidays can bring early closes, longer breaks or changed reopening times. Check the contract’s exchange holiday calendar.

Eastern Time is one hour ahead of Central Time. Both follow US daylight saving changes, so readers elsewhere should convert times for the actual date, especially when countries change their clocks on different weekends.

Why do trading hours matter when managing a position?

Being able to trade doesn’t guarantee you’ll find the price or trade size you want. Liquidity, or how easily you can buy or sell without moving the price much, can vary throughout the day. With fewer orders available, the gap between buying and selling prices can widen.

Before holding a position through a break, useful checks include:

• When trading stops and resumes.
• Whether you can change or cancel orders during the break.
• How limit orders set an acceptable price but may remain unfilled.
• How a different reopening price could affect your position and margin.

When can you trade crypto perpetual futures on OG.com?

OG.com’s crypto perpetual futures trade around the clock, including evenings and weekends, subject to platform availability and maintenance.

That means you can respond to crypto price moves outside traditional market hours, whether you’re opening a position or closing an existing trade. Here are the practical steps to get started:

1. Create an account: Sign up and complete identity verification. Access to perpetual futures is subject to eligibility.
2. Explore crypto perps: Choose an available cryptocurrency contract and review its margin requirements, fees and funding arrangements.
3. Review and trade: Fund your account, choose your position size and decide whether to go long or short. A limit order lets you set the highest price you’ll pay or the lowest price you’ll accept, but execution isn’t guaranteed.
4. Monitor your position: Track price movements, funding payments and your margin balance. Leverage amplifies gains and losses, and insufficient margin can lead to liquidation.

FAQs about futures market hours

Are futures markets open on weekends?

Some are. Many contracts reopen on Sunday evening after closing on Friday, while CME crypto futures also trade on Saturdays, apart from maintenance.

Can I place a futures order when the market is closed?

Sometimes. Your platform or the exchange may accept an order before trading resumes, but that doesn’t mean it has executed.

Do futures trade on US public holidays?

Some trade shorter sessions, some close, and others follow seven-day schedules. The exchange calendar gives the product-specific details.

Important Information: OG.com provides technology in order to onboard and trade products on OG.com’s CFTC-regulated exchange and clearinghouse: North American Derivatives Exchange, Inc., which does business under the brands OG.com Markets and OG.com Prediction Markets, as well as, through OG.com’s CFTC-registered Futures Commission Merchant (Foris DAX FCM LLC or OG.com Broker).

OG.com Markets offers both prediction market event contracts (Prediction Markets Contracts), as well as margined derivatives, including single stock futures and perpetuals (Futures) (Prediction Markets Contracts and Futures are collectively referred to as OG.com Markets Products). Prediction Markets Contract can be accessed directly on OG.com Markets or through a CFTC-registered FCM, including OG.com Broker, or an Introducing Broker (IB). Futures must be accessed through a CFTC-registered FCM, including OG Broker or an IB.

Trading OG.com Markets Products involves risk and may not be appropriate for all. By trading you risk losing your cost to enter any transaction, including fees. You should carefully consider whether trading OG.com Markets Products is appropriate for you in light of your investment experience and financial resources. Any trading decisions you make are solely your responsibility and at your own risk.