How Many Trading Days Are in a Year?
If you are a consistent trader, you need to understand the rhythm of the markets. That includes knowing how many trading days there are in a year. You don’t get 365 chances to trade. You get about 252 trading days in a year.
The stock market isn’t open every calendar day. It closes on weekends, shuts down for holidays, and even ends early on some sessions. For futures traders, this affects everything—from volatility patterns to when payouts process. At BluSky, our traders earn payouts Monday through Friday, so it pays to know when those windows are available.
We’ll break down exactly how many trading days you can expect each year, how holidays like Independence Day and Christmas Day affect that count, and how to adjust your trading plan around it.
What Is a Trading Day?
A trading day is any weekday when the stock exchange is open and active during regular hours. For the New York Stock Exchange, that’s 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM Eastern Time. Most U.S. exchanges, including CME (which powers many futures contracts), follow a similar rhythm.
This is not the same as a calendar day. A calendar year gives you 365 days, or 366 during a leap year, but only a portion of those are actual market days.
Weekends are always off. That alone removes over 100 days from the year. Then you subtract federal holidays, some of which are full closures, and others that may end the session early.
For traders, this is more than a trivia fact. It impacts how you time your entries, manage risk, and even when you request payouts if you’re funded through BluSky. We pay out on weekdays only—when the market is open and trades are confirmed.
How Many Trading Days in a Year?
On average, there are about 252 trading days in a year.
That number isn’t fixed, though—it shifts slightly depending on the calendar year and where the weekends and holidays fall. Here’s how it breaks down:
There are 365 days in a regular year.
Weekends (Saturday and Sunday) take away around 104 days.
Market holidays like Independence Day, Labor Day, and Christmas Day remove another 9 to 10 days.
That leaves you with somewhere between 250 and 254 trading days depending on the year.
Example:
In 2025, there are 252 trading days.
In 2024 (a leap year), there were 253.
This number matters more than you think. If you’re aiming for consistent results over time, knowing how many sessions you actually have helps you pace your trading. It keeps you from trying to do too much in too few days—and that’s a mistake many traders make.
If you're funded through BluSky, remember that payouts only process on trading days. Holidays and weekends will delay your withdrawal by at least a business day.
Futures Market Trading Days
The futures market operates on a schedule that’s broader than the typical stock market. While stock market trading days always fall on weekdays—and close for holidays and weekends—futures contracts are available for trading from Sunday evening through Friday afternoon, almost 24 hours a day. This means traders can access the market outside normal stock trading hours, including overnight sessions and during global news events.
In 2025, there 252 official trading days for the U.S. futures market, which matches the stock market calendar since exchanges like CME observe major U.S. holidays for full or partial closures. However, the extended hours mean that unique trading opportunities can arise before and after the traditional session, and volatility often spikes during these periods.
Futures market holiday rules can differ by asset class. While equity index futures may just have shortened sessions on some holidays, agricultural and interest rate futures might be fully closed on those same days. It's important for traders to check specific contract details and know when limited liquidity or special hours apply.
Stock Market Holidays That Reduce Trading Days
The stock market closes on major U.S. holidays, which cuts into the number of available trading days. For futures traders, these days can affect volatility, news flow, and liquidity even before or after the actual closure.
Here are the main holidays that close the New York Stock Exchange and most U.S. exchanges:
New Year’s Day – January 1
Martin Luther King Jr. Day – Third Monday in January
Presidents’ Day – Third Monday in February
Good Friday – Friday before Easter (markets closed even though it’s not a federal holiday)
Memorial Day – Last Monday in May
Independence Day – July 4 (if it lands on a weekend, markets may close the Friday before or Monday after)
Labor Day – First Monday in September
Thanksgiving Day – Fourth Thursday in November
Christmas Day – December 25
Some of these also come with early closes—typically at 1:00 PM ET. This is common for:
Day before Independence Day
Day after Thanksgiving
Christmas Eve (if it’s a weekday)
While these are days off for the stock market, they’re not off for traders who prepare well. Volatility can rise before and after holidays. That’s when experienced traders step in and take advantage of low-volume swings or prep for a gap after the weekend.
Use this time wisely. If the market is closed, it’s a great opportunity to review your trades, journal your progress, and get your mind right. BluSky traders who treat non-trading days as prep days usually perform better over the long run.
Weekends and Non-Trading Days
Every Saturday and Sunday, the stock market is closed. That instantly takes away about 104 days from the calendar year.
This matters for planning. If you’re holding positions over the weekend, you’re exposed to gap risk—where the market reopens at a very different price level than where it closed. That can happen after global news or economic releases during the downtime.
Here’s what to remember:
The financial markets shut down every weekend, no exceptions.
You won’t get fills, data, or volume—just silence.
Any open trades can move hard at Sunday’s open.
Futures traders often see a reaction as early as Sunday evening, when the new trading week begins. This session can be thin and jumpy, especially if the previous week closed with uncertainty.
If you're a BluSky trader, you’re only paid on weekdays when the market is live. No payouts on weekends. And when a holiday hits on a Monday? That pushes things out another business day.
Knowing when the market is truly available helps you avoid overtrading and plan your week with intention. Quality matters more than quantity. Take trades when the market is healthy—not just because it's open.
You won’t get 365 chances to trade in a year—and you don’t need that many. There are around 252 trading days in most years, and smart traders plan around each one. Weekends, holidays, and early market closures shape the rhythm of the financial markets. When you understand how the trading calendar works, you can adjust your strategies, manage your risk, and stay ahead of the game.
At BluSky, we pay out Monday through Friday on profitable trading days. That means your success doesn’t come from trading every possible day—it comes from trading the right days with discipline.
FAQ
How many trading days are there in a year?
Most years have 252 trading days. This can change slightly depending on how weekends and market holidays fall on the calendar.
What counts as a trading day?
A trading day is any weekday when the stock market is open during regular hours (typically 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM Eastern Time).
Are markets open on holidays?
No. Major U.S. exchanges like the New York Stock Exchange close for holidays such as Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving Day, Labor Day, and Independence Day. Some days also have early closes around 1:00 PM.
Do trading days include weekends?
No. Saturday and Sunday are not trading days, even though futures markets reopen Sunday evening. Stock exchanges are closed all weekend.
What happens when a holiday lands on a weekend?
If a holiday like Independence Day or Christmas Day lands on a Saturday, markets often close on the Friday before. If it lands on a Sunday, markets usually close the following Monday.
Is there trading during early market closures?
Yes, but only for part of the day. On early-close days—such as the day after Thanksgiving or Christmas Eve—markets usually shut down around 1:00 PM ET. These are still considered trading days, just with reduced hours and lower volume.
Does BluSky require a certain number of trading days for payouts?
No. Once you’re in a funded brokerage account, there are no minimum trading days required to request a payout—as long as you’re above your initial balance. Just remember that payouts only process on business days.
