Trading hours
Euro area shares trade 08:00 to 16:30 UK; Euro Stoxx 50 futures and most EU50 CFDs typically trade from about 00:15 to 21:00 UK, Monday to Friday.
| When | UK time | New York time | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily futures open | 00:10 (CFDs typically 00:15) | 19:10 ET the evening before | Eurex continuous trading in FESX starts at 01:10 Central European time. Many CFDs open a few minutes later. |
| Euro area shares session | 08:00 to 16:30 | 03:00 to 11:30 ET | 09:00 to 17:30 Central European time on the main home exchanges, followed by closing auctions. |
| Daily futures close | 21:00 | 16:00 ET | Eurex FESX trading ends at 22:00 Central European time. CFDs typically stop at the same time. |
| Friday close | 21:00 | 16:00 ET | No weekend trading and no Sunday evening open. |
| Busiest hours | 08:00 to 10:00, and 13:30 to 15:30 | 03:00 to 05:00 and 08:30 to 10:30 ET | Typically the European open, then US data and the US open. |
France, Germany, Spain and the UK change their clocks on the same days (the last Sunday of March and the last Sunday of October), so European exchange times are always one hour ahead of UK time and the UK times on this page stay the same all year. New York changes on different dates (in 2026 the US changed on 1 November, the UK on 25 October; in 2027 the US changes on 14 March and the UK on 28 March). In those gap weeks US data lands an hour earlier in UK time, and a broker whose server clock follows New York can show this market opening an hour earlier or later on your platform even though the market itself has not moved. New York times in the tables are for when New York is 5 hours behind London.
What is Euro Stoxx 50 (EU50)?
The Euro Stoxx 50 is run by STOXX, part of Deutsche Börse Group. It holds 50 of the largest companies in the euro area, from countries such as France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and Italy, weighted by the value of their shares available to trade. That makes it the main single read on large euro area companies.
The member shares trade on their home exchanges, which mostly run 09:00 to 17:30 Central European time. Outside those hours, EU50 at your broker follows Euro Stoxx 50 futures (FESX) on Eurex, one of the most traded index futures in Europe.
The trading sessions
Futures trade with small moves and wider spreads; Asian markets and US futures set the mood.
The main session. The first hour after the share open is typically the busiest.
US data and the US open at 14:30 UK often move European indices.
The market tends to follow US indices, with thinner trade.
Contract facts
One point is a move of 1.0 in the index level (for example from 5,500.0 to 5,501.0).
Lot sizes differ between brokers. A common setup is 1 lot worth 1 euro per point; some brokers use 10 euros per point. Check the contract specification in your platform.
On a CFD where 1 lot is worth 1 euro per point, a 10 point move on 1 lot is worth 10 euros. On one Eurex FESX futures contract a 1 point move is worth 10 euros.
Euro Stoxx 50 index futures (FESX) on Eurex: 10 euros per index point, minimum move 1 point (10 euros), continuous trading from 01:10 to 22:00 Central European time.
How far it usually moves
Varies with conditions; check the Average daily range indicator on WickSpeak for the current figure. We do not publish a fixed number because we could not verify one from an official source.
What moves Euro Stoxx 50 (EU50)
The European Central Bank sets rates for every country in the index, so its decisions move the whole basket.
Inflation, PMI surveys and growth figures shape rate expectations across the euro area.
Large euro area banks are a big weight and react to bond yields and rate expectations.
Many members sell worldwide, so tariffs and Chinese and US demand matter.
US futures and data often set the direction in the European afternoon.
A jump in Italian or French borrowing costs against Germany's can weigh on the index.
Scheduled events to watch
Eight meetings a year; rate changes and guidance move euro area shares and the euro.
The headline price figure that guides ECB expectations.
The first monthly read on euro area business activity.
A monthly read on the largest euro area economy.
Hotter or cooler inflation changes what traders expect from US interest rates, which moves every risk market.
Eight scheduled meetings a year; the decision and the tone of the press conference reset US rate expectations.
What it tends to move with
Usually moves the same way through the day, since German and French firms are a large part of the index.
Tends to follow US futures in the afternoon and on big risk days.
The link is loose; a sharply stronger euro has at times weighed on exporters.
Tips for trading Euro Stoxx 50 (EU50)
Mark the overnight range
Mark the futures range from 00:15 to 08:00 UK. A 5 minute close outside it after 08:00 UK is a breakout idea; a close back inside proves it wrong.
Wait for the first candle
The 08:00 UK open can whip both ways. Wait for the first 15 minute candle to close and trade a break of its high or low; a close back through the opposite side proves it wrong.
Watch the previous close
The previous day's 16:30 UK level often acts as a magnet. A rejection there is a reversal idea; a 15 minute close through it proves it wrong.
ECB days
Keep size small before 13:15 UK on decision days. A move after the decision that fails to hold the morning high or low within 30 minutes is a sign the idea was wrong.
Connect a cTrader account once and EU50 appears on WickSpeak at your broker's own prices. Key levels mark the previous day high and low, pivots, the open and average daily range levels with their distance in points. Every indicator writes a plain-English reading on the live candle, including what would prove it wrong, and a Playbook play can alert you, draw a trade plan, paper trade or, only on a play where you switched live trading on, place a trade inside the guardrails you set.
Related markets
Sources: eurex.com, stoxx.com, pepperstone.com, ecb.europa.eu. Checked 2026-11-05. Broker hours follow your broker's server clock and can differ.
Questions traders ask
What time does the Euro Stoxx 50 open in the UK?
The member shares open at 08:00 UK (09:00 Central European time). Euro Stoxx 50 futures on Eurex start at 00:10 UK, and most EU50 CFDs open around 00:15 UK.
What time does the Euro Stoxx 50 close?
The shares close at 16:30 UK followed by closing auctions. Futures and most CFDs keep trading until 21:00 UK.
What is the difference between the Euro Stoxx 50 and the Stoxx Europe 50?
The Euro Stoxx 50 only includes companies from countries that use the euro. The Stoxx Europe 50 also includes companies from the UK and Switzerland.
How much is a Euro Stoxx 50 futures point worth?
One Eurex FESX contract is worth 10 euros per index point, with a minimum move of 1 point. CFD sizes depend on your broker.
What is the best time to trade EU50?
Typically 08:00 to 10:00 UK after the European open, and 13:30 to 15:30 UK when US data and the US open arrive.