Trading hours
Futures and CFDs typically trade from Sunday 23:00 UK to Friday 22:00 UK with a one hour daily break at 22:00 UK; the stock market session that sets the index runs 14:30 to 21:00 UK.
| When | UK time | New York time | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weekly open (Sunday) | 23:00 (22:00 in the gap weeks) | 18:00 ET Sunday | Futures reopen on CME Globex. Many CFD brokers open US500 at 01:00 server time on Monday, which is the same moment. |
| Daily break | 22:00 to 23:00 (21:00 to 22:00 in the gap weeks) | 17:00 to 18:00 ET, Monday to Thursday | A one hour pause each day. No prices print, and spreads are often wide just before and after. |
| Daily close (new trading day starts) | 22:00 (21:00 in the gap weeks) | 17:00 ET | The daily candle on most broker charts closes here. |
| Friday close | 22:00 (21:00 in the gap weeks; CFDs typically stop a few minutes earlier) | 17:00 ET Friday | Many CFD brokers close at 23:55 server time, which is about 21:55 UK. |
| US stock market session (NYSE and Nasdaq) | 14:30 to 21:00 (13:30 to 20:00 in the gap weeks) | 09:30 to 16:00 ET | The stock market session. Opening auction at 09:30 ET and closing auction at 16:00 ET. |
| Busiest hours | 13:30 to 16:00, then 20:00 to 21:00 | 08:30 to 11:00 and 15:00 to 16:00 ET | Typically the most movement comes around US data at 08:30 ET, the cash open at 09:30 ET and the last hour before the cash close. |
Most of the year London is 5 hours ahead of New York, so the UK times above hold. The US and UK change clocks on different Sundays: in 2026 the US moved forward on 8 March and the UK on 29 March, and the UK moved back on 25 October and the US on 1 November. In those gap weeks (roughly the second half of March and the last week of October) London is only 4 hours ahead, so every New York based time on this page happens one hour earlier on a UK clock. In 2027 the gaps run from 14 to 28 March and from 31 October to 7 November. Times on your broker's chart follow its server clock, which is often set to GMT+2 in winter and GMT+3 in summer so that the daily candle closes at 17:00 New York time. Check your broker's own contract page.
What is S&P 500 (US500 / SPX500)?
The S&P 500 is the most widely followed measure of the US stock market. It covers around 500 large US companies across every sector and is weighted by the market value of the shares available to trade, so the biggest companies have the most influence. A committee at S&P Dow Jones Indices decides which companies are included.
The official index is calculated while the US stock market is open. Outside those hours, US500 at your broker follows the E-mini S&P 500 futures (ES) on CME Group, among the most heavily traded futures contracts in the world.
The trading sessions
Typically quieter, with smaller candles. Moves often come from overnight news or Asian markets.
Activity picks up as European traders arrive. Futures can set the day's first real high or low here.
Typically the busiest stretch: US data at 13:30 UK, the cash open at 14:30 UK and both centres trading at once.
The stock market session. Moves tend to slow around midday New York time and pick up again into the 21:00 UK close.
Contract facts
One point is a move of 1.0 in the index level (for example from 6,000.0 to 6,001.0). Prices are usually shown to one or two decimals.
Index CFD lot sizes differ between brokers. A common setup is 1 lot = 1 contract worth 1 unit of the index currency per point, but some brokers use 10 per point or 0.1 per point. Check the contract specification in your platform.
On a CFD where 1 lot is worth 1 US dollar per point, a 1 point move on 1 lot is worth 1 dollar. On one E-mini S&P 500 futures contract a 1 point move is worth 50 dollars.
E-mini S&P 500 futures (ES) on CME Group: 50 US dollars times the index, minimum move 0.25 points. Micro E-mini S&P 500 futures (MES) are 5 dollars times the index.
How far it usually moves
Varies with conditions; check the Average daily range indicator on WickSpeak for the current figure. We have not published a fixed number because we could not verify one from an official source.
What moves S&P 500 (US500 / SPX500)
US interest rate expectations and Federal Reserve decisions.
US inflation and jobs data, through their effect on rates and growth.
Earnings from the largest companies, which carry a big share of the weight.
US Treasury yields: sharp rises tend to weigh on shares.
Business surveys such as ISM, which show whether the economy is speeding up or slowing.
Global risk mood: crises and conflicts tend to push money out of shares.
Large index flows, such as quarterly futures expiry and index rebalancing days.
Scheduled events to watch
What it tends to move with
NAS100: usually the same direction, with NAS100 often making the larger percentage move.
US30: usually the same direction through the day.
VIX (the volatility index): tends to rise when the S&P 500 falls sharply.
US 10 year Treasury yields: sharp rises in yields have tended to weigh on the index.
Tips for trading S&P 500 (US500 / SPX500)
Use the 14:30 UK open as a reference. A close above the first 15 minute high is a long idea; a close back inside the range proves it wrong.
On FOMC days, expect quieter trade before 19:00 UK and fast moves after. Wait for the 19:00 UK candle to close before acting.
Set stops in points beyond a recent swing, and keep the distance sensible compared with the average daily range.
Watch round numbers and the previous day's close. A rejection at the previous close from below is a short idea; a 5 minute close above it proves it wrong.
Remember the 22:00 to 23:00 UK break. Do not leave tight stops that the reopening spread could catch.
Connect a cTrader account once and US500 appears on WickSpeak at your broker's own prices. Trades are placed only from a Playbook play where you switch live trading on; otherwise WickSpeak just reads the chart. Key levels show the previous day high and low, pivots, VWAP, round numbers and average daily range levels with their distance in points, and session separators mark the cash open. Every indicator writes a plain-English reading on the live candle, including what would prove it wrong.
Related markets
Sources: spglobal.com, cmegroup.com, cmegroup.com, nyse.com, pepperstone.com, bls.gov, federalreserve.gov. Checked 2026-11-05. Broker hours follow your broker's server clock and can differ.
Questions traders ask
What time does the S&P 500 open in the UK?
The US stock market session opens at 14:30 UK. S&P 500 futures and most US500 CFDs trade almost all day, opening on Sunday at 23:00 UK. In the gap weeks when US and UK clocks change on different dates, both are one hour earlier on a UK clock.
What time does the S&P 500 close in the UK?
The stock market session closes at 21:00 UK. US500 futures and CFDs keep trading until 22:00 UK, pause for an hour, then start the next trading day at 23:00 UK.
What is the difference between US500, SPX500 and SPX?
SPX is the official S&P 500 index. US500 and SPX500 are broker names for CFDs that follow it, using futures prices outside US stock market hours. The prices are close but not always identical.
How many companies are in the S&P 500?
Around 500 large US companies. The exact count of shares is slightly above 500 because a few companies have more than one class of share. A committee at S&P Dow Jones Indices chooses the members.
What is the best time to trade the S&P 500?
Typically 13:30 to 16:00 UK, when US data is released and the stock market session opens. The last hour before the 21:00 UK close is also often active.