Futures trading hours (Globex, RTH and ETH)

What it is

CME's equity index futures (ES, NQ, YM, RTY and the micros) trade on the Globex platform from Sunday 18:00 to Friday 17:00 New York time, with a one-hour break every day from 17:00 to 18:00. Most energy and metals contracts keep similar hours. Holidays shorten or close sessions, and the hours vary by product, so check CME's holiday calendar.

Regular trading hours (RTH) are 09:30–16:00 New York time, matching the US stock market; the rest is extended or overnight trading (ETH). Many traders chart RTH only, which creates gaps at each 09:30 open, while others use the full session. The two give different highs, lows, VWAPs and profiles, so be consistent.

How to spot it

• The daily 17:00–18:00 New York break shows as a gap or a flat spot on 24-hour charts.
• RTH-only charts open with a gap most days.

How to use it

• Mark the overnight high and low as levels for the RTH session.
• Know your prop firm's rules on holding through the daily break, the weekend and news.

Common mistakes

• Comparing levels from an RTH chart with a full-session chart.
• Forgetting holiday hours and holding into a closed market.

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