The opening bell rings at 06:30 local time in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, and Vancouver. That is three hours behind the East Coast. Pre-market dealing, where institutional orders are placed, starts at 01:00 PT. After-hours activity runs until 17:00 PT. The regular session is the only window for standard market orders without restrictions.
NYSE and NASDAQ regular dealing window in PT
| Event | Pacific Time |
|---|---|
| Pre-market opens | 01:00 PT |
| Regular session opens | 06:30 PT |
| Regular session closes | 13:00 PT |
| After-hours activity ends | 17:00 PT |
The regular window runs 06:30-13:00 PT. That matches 09:30-16:00 Eastern Time. The first 30 minutes (06:30-07:00 PT) often carry the highest volatility as orders accumulated overnight hit the tape. The last hour (12:00-13:00 PT) sees a volume spike as participants close positions before the bell.
Pre-market and after-hours activity
Pre-market runs from 01:00 PT to the open. Brokers and institutions can enter and cancel orders during this stretch. Retail participants typically cannot execute through standard brokerage accounts until 06:30 PT. After-hours dealing from 13:00 PT to 17:00 PT happens on electronic communication networks (ECNs) at prices that may differ from the closing quote. Liquidity is thinner after the close. Spreads widen.
CME futures and Pacific Time
The Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) operates on Central Time. Its electronic platform hours convert to Pacific Time like this:
- CME electronic dealing opens at 05:00 PT (07:00 CT)
- CME electronic dealing closes at 11:00 PT (13:00 CT)
CME also runs overnight electronic windows for specific products, but the core day window is 05:00-11:00 PT. Agricultural commodities, metals, and energy futures change hands during this block.
When Pacific Time overlaps with forex centers
The forex market runs 24 hours on weekdays, but liquidity concentrates during overlapping business hours. Pacific Time overlaps with the close of Asian markets (Tokyo, Singapore) and the open of London. This overlap runs roughly 17:00-00:00 PT for the Asian close, and 01:00-05:00 PT for the London open. The thinnest liquidity hits between 13:00 and 17:00 PT, when New York has closed and London is still hours from opening.
Cryptocurrency market patterns on Pacific Time
Cryptocurrency markets run 24/7. Volatility patterns still follow US business hours. Price moves are larger during the NYSE/NASDAQ regular window (06:30-13:00 PT) and again during the afternoon overlap with European markets (approximately 02:00-08:00 PT). Weekend volume is lower. Major token price changes often cluster around US economic data releases, which land at 05:30 PT or 08:30 PT on scheduled days.
Earnings calls and data releases in Pacific Time
Earnings calls for US-listed companies are usually scheduled at 13:00 PT (16:00 ET) or 14:00 PT (17:00 ET), after the market close. Major US economic data releases from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Department of Agriculture hit at 05:30 PT (08:30 ET) or 08:30 PT (11:30 ET). The Federal Reserve announces interest rate decisions at 11:00 PT (14:00 ET).
Working the Pacific Time window
Set your calendar to 06:30 PT for the open, 13:00 PT for the close. Use the pre-market window (01:00-06:30 PT) only if you deal through a broker that accepts pre-market orders. Expect wider spreads during after-hours activity. If you need to convert market hours to another US time zone, see the page on Pacific Time to Eastern Time or Pacific Time to Central Time.