The trading day
One clock, three rhythms.
Most major CME futures, including equity index, energy, metals and Treasury contracts, trade electronically on CME Globex nearly 23 hours a day, five days a week.
- Globex electronic session, 6:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Daily break, 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
- US stock market hours, 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
The weekly schedule
| When | Atlanta time (ET) |
|---|---|
| Week opens | Sunday, 6:00 p.m. |
| Daily trading | 6:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. the next day |
| Daily break | 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday to Thursday |
| Week closes | Friday, 5:00 p.m. |
Individual products can differ, and holidays shorten or close sessions. Always confirm a contract's hours on the CME Group product page before trading it.
Key times for day traders
| Atlanta time | What happens |
|---|---|
| 8:30 a.m. | Many major US economic reports are released, such as the jobs report and CPI. Futures can move sharply. |
| 9:30 a.m. | US stock market opens. Volume and volatility in ES and NQ usually jump. |
| 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. | The morning session, often the most active part of the day for index futures. |
| Midday | Typically quieter, with lighter volume and choppier price action. |
| 2:00 p.m. | Federal Reserve rate decisions are announced at this time on FOMC days. |
| 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. | The run into the stock market close, often busy again. |
| 4:00 p.m. | US stock market closes. Index futures keep trading until 5:00 p.m. |
Popular day trading contracts
| Contract | Symbol | What it tracks |
|---|---|---|
| E-mini S&P 500 / Micro | ES / MES | The S&P 500 stock index |
| E-mini Nasdaq-100 / Micro | NQ / MNQ | The Nasdaq-100 stock index |
| Crude oil / Micro | CL / MCL | West Texas Intermediate crude oil |
| Gold / Micro | GC / MGC | Gold |
Chart the right session. In NinjaTrader you choose a trading hours template for each chart, for example the full electronic session or regular stock market hours. NinjaTrader Guru explains the setup step by step.