Question: YM and ES Trading Hours?

Discussion in 'Index Futures' started by pjones2012, Mar 3, 2009.

  1. pjones2012

    pjones2012

    When I look up the trading hours for the YM and the ES I get the following:

    Monday - Thursday:

    3:30 PM to 4:30 PM (C.S.T.) and 5:00 PM to 3:15 PM (C.S.T.) the next day.

    The shut down period is 4:30 PM to 5:00 PM. (C.S.T.)

    Sunday and Holidays 5:00 PM to 3:15 PM (C.S.T.).

    My question is what happens between 3:15 PM to 3:30 PM C.S.T. Monday through Friday???

    Thank you for your response.
     
    #1     Mar 3, 2009
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  2. Stosh

    Stosh

    The current day ends at 3:15, and the next day begins at 3:30. So, there is a 15 minute shut down in between.
    On Friday, trading ends at 3:15 as usual, but no more trading until 5 pm on Sunday when the Monday trading day begins.
    As you mentioned, there is also a 30 min interruption Mon-Thur from 4:30 to 5. Stosh
     
    #2     Mar 3, 2009
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  3. pjones2012

    pjones2012

    Thank you for your response Stosh!

    This Elite Trader site is awesome!

    Within minutes of posting a question I get a quality answer.

    Now my follow-up question - if I may.

    If the next trading day starts at 3:30 PM C.S.T., then help me understand and put into perspective the following observation:

    When I am looking at a day chart with a candle charting style at Midnight I notice a new bar forming.

    For example right now it is 1:04 AM E.S.T. 03.04.2009. I have on my charts (Ninja Trader Platform with Zen-Fire) a new day candle (bar) that started forming an hour ago. The data box indicates the previous bar is 03.04.09 and the new bar is 03.05.09.

    How do I look at this in order to put it into a perspective so I can understand what is going on here???

    Once again thank you Stosh - any and all responses are greatly appreciated.
     
    #3     Mar 4, 2009
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  4. rcj

    rcj

    Trading "day" and calendar day are not the same!

    For, say Ym, NQ, ES:
    trades made from tues 3:30p cst until wed 3:15p cst the next day are recorded as Wednesy's trades. Sun is handled in a similar fashion i.e. Sun nite trades go on the books as Mon activity.

    rj

    Edit: Ive noticed several Jones handles lately. Doesnt feel so lonely now. :)
     
    #4     Mar 4, 2009
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  5. pjones2012

    pjones2012

    Thank you for your response rcj!

    Incredible - once again I post a question (even in the early morning hour) and within minutes I get the answer.

    Elite Trader and its traders are surprisingly amazing!

    Within your first sentence - the perspective I needed clicked the second I read it - i.e. "trading day" vs. "calendar day".

    Your Tuesday/Wednesday example as well as the the Sunday/Monday example gave me the further clarity that I needed to see how this works - thanks again.

    Now I see I did not do a good job in outlining the second part of my question. Maybe you did answer it, but I did not get it yet - if that is the case - I apologize for being for being such a slow study.

    I'll try again. When I was writing my post to which you responded, it was Wednesday morning (1:04 AM E.S.T.) which according to your very helpful response would indicate that this new bar (candle) and time was:

    Trading day = Wednesday (03.04.09),
    Calendar day = Wednesday (03.04.09).

    Now my challenge is that when I place my cross hair curser over this new bar (candle) it says that the date is Thursday (03.05.09). I would think based upon my new understanding (thank you) the Thursday (03.05.09) "Trading Day" should not start until 3:30 PM C.S.T. Wednesday (03.04.05) i.e. later today after 3:30 PM C.S.T.

    rcj thanks again for your very helpful response - anyone's response to help me understand this is greatly appreciated.
     
    #5     Mar 4, 2009
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