CME Trading Hours for 2025: A Complete Guide for Futures Traders
In this guide, we’ll break down the CME trading hours for 2025, covering major futures contracts, holiday schedules, and best practices for traders.
The Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) is home to some of the most actively traded futures contracts, including the E-mini S&P 500 (ES), Bitcoin Futures (BTC), and Crude Oil (CL). If you're trading via NinjaTrader and automating orders from TradingView through CrossTrade, understanding the exact market hours is crucial to optimizing your trading strategy.
In this guide, we’ll break down the CME trading hours for 2025, covering major futures contracts, holiday schedules, and best practices for traders.
CME Regular Trading Hours (RTH) vs. Extended Trading Hours (ETH)
CME operates in two key sessions:
- Regular Trading Hours (RTH): The primary session when most volume occurs.
- Extended Trading Hours (ETH): Also called the Globex session, covering overnight trading.
For most CME futures, the trading schedule is:
| Market | Open (CST) | Close (CST) | ETH Start (CST) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Equity Futures (ES, NQ, YM) | 8:30 AM | 3:00 PM | 5:00 PM (Sun-Fri) |
| Bitcoin Futures (BTC) | 5:00 PM | 4:00 PM | 5:00 PM (Sun-Fri) |
| Crude Oil (CL) | 5:00 PM | 4:00 PM | 5:00 PM (Sun-Fri) |
| Gold (GC) | 5:00 PM | 4:00 PM | 5:00 PM (Sun-Fri) |
| Treasury Bonds (ZB, ZN) | 5:00 PM | 4:00 PM | 5:00 PM (Sun-Fri) |
Note: The market closes for a 1-hour break between 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM CST each day.
CME Holiday Trading Schedule for 2025
On U.S. holidays, CME markets either close early or remain closed for the entire day. Here’s what traders need to know for 2025:
| Holiday | Date | Trading Hours (CST) |
|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Jan 1, 2025 (Wed) | Closed |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day | Jan 20, 2025 (Mon) | Early close at 12:00 PM |
| Presidents' Day | Feb 17, 2025 (Mon) | Early close at 12:00 PM |
| Good Friday | Apr 18, 2025 (Fri) | Closed |
| Memorial Day | May 26, 2025 (Mon) | Early close at 12:00 PM |
| Independence Day | Jul 4, 2025 (Fri) | Early close at 12:00 PM |
| Labor Day | Sep 1, 2025 (Mon) | Early close at 12:00 PM |
| Thanksgiving | Nov 27, 2025 (Thu) | Early close at 12:00 PM |
| Christmas Day | Dec 25, 2025 (Thu) | Closed |
Early close: On these days, trading stops at 12:00 PM CST, except for a few products with extended schedules.
Best Practices for Trading CME Futures in 2025
- Use Extended Hours to Your Advantage
Many professional traders execute trades overnight to take advantage of pre-market and international movement. Bitcoin Futures and equity indices are particularly active in the ETH session. - Plan for Low Liquidity on Holidays
Holiday weeks often result in lower volume and higher spreads, making execution trickier. If trading automated strategies, consider adjusting risk parameters accordingly. - Sync with Your Broker’s Hours
NinjaTrader and other brokers may have slightly different settlement times. Always confirm that your broker aligns with CME’s schedule. - Use TradingView + CrossTrade for Automation
If you're automating trades from TradingView to NinjaTrader, CrossTrade ensures that alerts execute efficiently even during off-peak hours.
Final Thoughts
Understanding CME trading hours is essential for futures traders looking to optimize their strategy in 2025. Whether you're trading Bitcoin Futures, S&P 500, or Crude Oil, knowing when the market is open – and when liquidity is best – will help you trade more effectively.
For seamless TradingView-to-NinjaTrader automation, use CrossTrade to streamline your trading workflow and capitalize on the best trading hours.
