2026 US Holiday Investor Essential Guide - Korea Time-Based Trading Schedule and Holiday Information

2026-02-25 06:01:12

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If you are starting to invest in U.S. stocks, you must know when the U.S. market holidays are. Especially since there is a 13-14 hour time difference with Korea, if you don’t know exactly when U.S. market holidays are in Korean time, your trading plans could be disrupted. This guide summarizes the 2026 U.S. stock market holidays, trading hours, and early closing schedules converted to Korean time.

Which exchange does the U.S. stock market trade on?

You need to understand the three major U.S. stock exchanges first. Each exchange lists different types of companies.

New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is a historic exchange operating since 1792 and is the largest in the world by market capitalization. About 2,400 companies are listed, including major firms like Berkshire Hathaway, Johnson & Johnson, Visa, and Walmart.

NASDAQ Stock Market was established in 1971, focusing on tech companies and growth stocks. Most technology giants like Apple, Microsoft, and Nvidia are listed here, making it the second-largest exchange in the world after NYSE.

American Stock Exchange (AMEX) is a marketplace for mid-sized and small companies, with smaller firms compared to NYSE.

When are the regular trading hours of the U.S. stock market in Korean time?

All three exchanges operate during the same hours, but daylight saving time (DST) affects the schedule by shifting the time by one hour.

Regular Trading Hours

U.S. Eastern Time: 09:30–16:00
Korean Time: 23:30–06:00 (during DST: 22:30–05:00)

Pre-market (before opening)

U.S. Eastern Time: 04:00–09:30
Korean Time: 18:00–23:30 (during DST: 17:00–22:30)

After-hours (after close)

U.S. Eastern Time: 16:00–20:00
Korean Time: next day 06:00–10:00 (during DST: 05:00–09:00)

2026 U.S. market holidays – check before planning your investments

In 2026, the U.S. markets will be closed on the following days. All three exchanges—NYSE, NASDAQ, and AMEX—do not operate on these dates.

Date (U.S. local time)	Holiday reason
January 1 (Thu)	New Year’s Day
January 19 (Mon)	Martin Luther King Jr. Day
February 16 (Mon)	Presidents’ Day
April 3 (Fri)	Good Friday
May 25 (Mon)	Memorial Day
June 19 (Fri)	Juneteenth Day
July 3 (Fri)	Independence Day (observed)
September 7 (Mon)	Labor Day
November 26 (Thu)	Thanksgiving Day
December 25 (Fri)	Christmas Day

Besides holidays, there are early closing days

In addition to holidays, there are days when the market closes early. On these days, trading ends at 2 a.m. Korean time (1 a.m. during DST).

Date (U.S. local time)	Early close reason
July 2 (Thu)	Day before Independence Day
November 27 (Fri)	Day after Thanksgiving
December 24 (Thu)	Christmas Eve

Important: Differences in trading regulations between the U.S. and Korea

There are key differences between U.S. and Korean exchanges. The most significant is no price limit in the U.S. markets. Korea limits daily price fluctuations to prevent extreme volatility, but the U.S. does not. This means stock prices can surge or plunge sharply on big news, so caution is necessary.

Also, U.S. stocks settle two business days after the trade date, and all transactions are conducted in U.S. dollars (USD).

Comparison of trading hours of major global stock markets

For investors trading in multiple countries, the following information is helpful.

Exchange	Local Time	Korean Time
Korea Exchange (KRX)	09:00–15:30	-
Tokyo Stock Exchange	09:00–15:00 (break 11:30–12:30)	10:30–16:30 (break 13:00–14:00)
London Stock Exchange	08:00–16:30	17:00–01:30 (DST: 16:00–00:30)
Hong Kong Stock Exchange	09:30–16:00 (break 12:00–13:00)	10:30–17:00 (break 13:00–14:00)
Shanghai Stock Exchange	09:30–15:00 (break 11:30–13:00)	10:30–16:00 (break 12:30–14:00)

Conclusion: Check U.S. market holidays first and plan your trading strategy

To succeed in U.S. stock investing, it’s essential to know exactly when the holidays are and how the trading hours translate to Korean time. Especially for Korean investors trading overnight, carefully check U.S. holiday schedules and daylight saving time changes to plan your trades. Regularly visit the official exchange websites for the latest holiday information.

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