How Many Trading Days In a Year? Plan Your Trades for 2026
There will be around 251 trading days in 2026 in the US stock and forex market. Discover why understanding how many trading days in a year matters to you.
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If you ask a beginner, they will tell you the market is open for roughly 250 days a year. If you ask a pro, they will tell you: It doesn’t matter how many days the market is open. It only matters how many days are profitable.
For 2026, the trading calendar is slightly different for our clients in the United States (NYSE) versus those in the United Kingdom (LSE).
But here is the good news for working professionals in both countries: You don’t need to quit your job to trade. You just need to know when your two worlds collide.
Being a reputable Broker, Beirman Capital wants our clients to have proper knowledge of the financial market. In this article, we will have a detailed overview of trading days considering different markets. So let’s get started.
What is a Trading Day?
A trading day is a day on which the financial market remains open so that traders can buy or sell the asset.
The financial market does not remain open on all calendar days. There are 365 days in a year. However, the market remains open for some days. These days are known as trading days.
How many Trading Days in a year?
| Market | Total Trading Days (2026) | Market Status |
| US Stock Market (NYSE/Nasdaq) | 251 Days | Strict 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM EST sessions. |
| UK Stock Market (LSE) | 253 Days | Slightly more opportunity due to fewer bank holidays. |
| Forex Market (Global) | ~261 Days | Open 24/5. The best choice for employees. |
| Crypto Market | 365 Days | Never sleeps (but liquidity drops on weekends). |
The financial market generally stays closed on holidays and weekends, which reduces the total number of working days available for trading. In the year 2026, there will be around 251 trading days, excluding weekends and holidays.
So, how many trading days are in a year? The number 251 trading days per year is the approximate figure in major markets like the U.S. stock market. This figure represents the number of trading days in a year, excluding weekends and holidays. However, it differs depending on the country and market type. Let’s have a look at the trading days number respective to major markets:
How Many Days a Year Is the Stock Market Open ?
The stock market opens for a few hours a day from Monday through Friday, excluding weekends and official market holidays. Many traders often ask, “How many days a year is the stock market open?” or “How many stock trading days in a year?” The answer is essential for planning and executing trading strategies effectively.
In the United States, major stock exchanges such as the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the NASDAQ (National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations) open from 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM Eastern Time. These hours represent the core stock market trading session. However, traders also benefit from pre-market and after-hours trading, offering more flexibility to buy and sell outside regular hours.
How Many Days Is the Stock Market Open in a Year?
For the year 2026, the US stock market is expected to be open for approximately 251 trading days, factoring in 52 weekends and 10 official holidays. So if you’re wondering, “How many days is stock market open in a year?” or “How many days per year is the stock market open?” the answer is around 251 days.
The US market drives global volatility. Even if you are in London trading the FTSE, you must watch these dates because when New York is closed, global volume dries up.
1. US Market Holidays 2026 (NYSE & Nasdaq)
New Year’s Day: Thursday, Jan 1
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day: Monday, Jan 19
Presidents’ Day: Monday, Feb 16
Good Friday: Friday, April 3 (Closed)
Memorial Day: Monday, May 25
Juneteenth: Friday, June 19
Independence Day: Friday, July 3 (Observed)
Labor Day: Monday, Sept 7
Thanksgiving: Thursday, Nov 26
Christmas Day: Friday, Dec 25
⚠️ The “No-Trade” Warning: On Nov 27 (Black Friday) and Dec 24 (Christmas Eve), the US markets close early (1:00 PM EST). Volume is historically thin. Our Advice: Take these days off.
So if you’re calculating, “how many days stock market open in a year,” you start with the total number of days in a year (365), subtract 104 weekend days (52 weeks × 2), and subtract 10 public holidays. That leaves you with about 251 trading days.
2. UK Market Holidays 2026 (London Stock Exchange)
London is the capital of the Forex world. When the LSE is closed, currency pairs like GBP/USD and EUR/GBP often “flatline.”
New Year’s Day: Thursday, Jan 1
Good Friday: Friday, April 3
Easter Monday: Monday, April 6 (Note: US is OPEN this day)
Early May Bank Holiday: Monday, May 4
Spring Bank Holiday: Monday, May 25 (Aligned with US Memorial Day – Expect ZERO volatility globally)
Summer Bank Holiday: Monday, Aug 31
Christmas Day: Friday, Dec 25
Boxing Day (Substitute): Monday, Dec 28
3. The Golden Overlap: How to Trade While Working 9-to-5
This is the most important section for working professionals. You don’t need to trade all day. You only need to trade the Overlap.
The London-New York Overlap is the 4-hour window where the world’s two biggest financial centers are open simultaneously. This is when 70% of the day’s volatility happens.
The Golden Window (2026 Schedule):
For UK Traders: 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM (London Time)
Strategy: You can trade during your lunch break or early afternoon.
For US Traders: 8:00 AM – 11:00 AM (EST)
Strategy: You can trade before work or during your morning coffee.
Why trade this window?
Speed: Price moves happen fast. You can hit your profit target in 20 minutes.
Liquidity: Spreads (costs) are at their lowest because volume is high.
Freedom: You finish your trading day in 2-3 hours, leaving you free to work your main job.
4. The Income Planner for 2026
Stop guessing. Let’s calculate exactly what you need to earn.
Most traders fail because they don’t have a daily target. They just “want to make money.” Let’s fix that.
The Formula:(Annual Goal) ÷ (Trading Days) = Daily Target
Real-Life Example: You want to earn an extra $50,000 (£40,000) this year.
You trade the US/UK Overlap (approx. 250 days).
You take 4 weeks off for holidays (minus 20 days).
Active Days: 230 Days.
$50,000 ÷ 230 Days = $217 (£170) per day.
Ask yourself: Is it easier to “make a million” or is it easier to make $217 today? With a standard lot size, $217 is often just 20 pips. That is one good trade during the Overlap.
How to Calculate Stock Days?
If you’re a beginner or looking to plan your trading calendar, you might wonder, “How to calculate stock days?” It’s simple:
- Total days in a year: 365
- Weekends (Saturdays & Sundays): 104 days
- Market holidays: 10 days
- Trading days = 365 – 104 – 10 = 251
This calculation gives you an accurate count of how many days the stock market is open a year. Keep in mind, the exact number might vary slightly depending on leap years or additional holiday observances, but 251 days is the commonly accepted average.
Whether you’re a seasoned trader or a beginner, knowing how many days a year is the stock market open gives you an edge. By staying updated on the stock trading calendar, you can align your strategies with market activity, liquidity, and volatility levels.
Forex Market:
The foreign exchange is a global market that operates 24 hours a day, from Monday through Friday. It has four sessions in London, New York, Tokyo, and Sydney. At any point in a day, at least one session remains, allowing traders to trade around the clock.
The forex trade day differ from currency pairs and their countries. From the US perspective, the number of trading days in forex is 252, quite similar to the US stock market. Even the market holidays lie on the same dates. So you can refer to the above holiday chart to find out when the market will remain closed.
Crypto Market:
Crypto is a decentralized market that remains open 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. Traders can even trade cryptocurrencies on weekends and major holidays.
It means that the crypto market operates 365 days in year. However, the liquidity and trading volume are comparatively low on weekends and holidays.
How to Determine Trading Days in a year
Determining how many trading days are in a year is quite easy. You just need to subtract the holidays and weekends from the total days to get the exact number.
For example, in the year 2026, the total days are 365, the number of holidays is 10, and the weekends are 104. So trading days are 252, {365-10-104}.
You can even use tools such as an economic calendar to determine trading days, holidays, and weekends. You can also change the time frame.
To do so, you just need to search the economic calendar on Google. Click on a trusted link and enter the time frame, such as year, week, or day, for which traders can select a specific date.
In one click, you will get information on influential events and holidays, including date, time, day, and importance. Economic calendars will give you more specific and clear data according to your requirements.
Best Time to Trade in a year
In all three financial markets, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays are regarded as the best trading days in a week. The mid-days observe most activities in the financial market.
In the stock market, the days of November and March to July are considered ideal for trading. Meanwhile, in the forex market, the days of the month from January to May are considered best.
The above days and months are ideal because most traders are active during that time. It results in high liquidity, low volatility, and significant trading opportunities. The overall market condition is excellent during this time.
How Many Trading Days in a Month?
There are usually 20 to 22 trading days in a month, depending on how holidays and weekends fall. So if you’re wondering, “How many trading days in a month?”check a monthly economic calendar or simply count weekdays minus any holidays.
How Many Trading Days Left This Year?
If you’re reading this year and wondering, “How many trading days left this year?”you can easily check an economic calendar or count weekdays minus holidays between today’s date and December 31. This helps traders make the most of the remaining trading days in year.
There are 251 trading days in the US and 253 in the UK. But you don’t need all of them. You just need the right ones.
Beirman Capital helps working professionals turn these “Golden Overlap” hours into a second income stream. Open your account today and be ready for the next opening bell.
Conclusion
Financial trading is all about identifying the right trading opportunity at the right time. The trading time directly affects the profit or loss from a trade.
Some trading days offer the best market conditions, and some are the worst days to trade. Understanding how many trading days are in a year helps you in many ways.
You can customize your strategy, select ideal trading instruments, and decide when to open or close a trade. Explore our blog section to get an overview of the different financial markets.
FAQs
There are around 250 to 252 trading days in a year, excluding weekends and holidays.
In 2026, there will be around 252 trade day in the US Stock and forex market.
There are around 1 to 2% of profitable day traders in the financial market which is very low.
Around 80 to 90% of traders quit trading within the first 12 months.
The 3-5-7 rule in trading is a risk management guideline helping traders stay disciplined by limiting risk: 3% maximum risk per trade, 5% maximum total exposure across all open trades, and aiming for at least a 7% profit-to-loss ratio (or 7:1 reward-to-risk), though the “7” can also mean a 7% overall portfolio stop-loss, emphasizing small, calculated risks to survive losing streaks and build capital steadily.
The 90/90/90 rule in trading is a harsh statistic stating that 90% of new traders lose 90% of their money within the first 90 days, primarily due to lack of strategy, emotional decisions, unrealistic expectations (getting rich quick), and poor risk management, rather than a lack of knowledge. To overcome this, successful traders focus on building a solid plan, managing risk (stop-losses), controlling emotions (discipline), starting small, and treating trading as a long-term skill, not a lottery
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