Trading Schedule

 Does London Stock Exchange Close For Lunch?

The London Stock Exchange Group does not close for lunch. Most stock markets in Asia close for lunch and a few exchanges in the Middle East do as well. Stock exchanges in most of the rest of the world remain open continuously from the Opening Bell to the Closing bell. Our Stock Market Countdown takes lunch hours into account for all Stock Exchanges.

 Is London Stock Exchange Open on Weekends?

The London Stock Exchange is not open on weekends. Stock Exchanges in America, Europe, and Asia follow the typical Monday to Friday schedule. However, in the Middle East the work week typically runs from Sunday through Thursday.

Stock exchanges in Middle Eastern countries like Qatar and Abu Dhabi are closed on Friday and open on Sunday. The Tehran Stock Exchange in Iran is open Saturday through Wednesday and closed Thursday and Friday.

 How Long is London Stock Exchange Open?

The London Stock Exchange is open 42.5 hours per week which is above average. Most stock exchanges are open 25 to 35 hours per week with 5 days of trading per week. There are several exchanges that are only open 4 days per week and one exchange that is only open 2 days per week. The Deutsche Börse is open more than any other stock exchange.

Limited trading hours help to reduce volatility in stock prices but also limits the liquidity of stocks. When trading hours are shorter more news reports and earnings reports are published while the markets are closed. As a result, investors have more time to process new information and general make fewer knee-jerk reactions. Read more about how trading hours vary around the world.

 Does Daylight Saving Time Affect the London Stock Exchange?

London Stock Exchange Group follows the Europe/London timezone which does observe Daylight Saving Time. Daylight Saving Time (DST) is currently in effect for this region. As a result, the timezone offset is now GMT+01:00. Daylight Saving Time for Europe/London will end on October 27, 2019 at 2:00 AM. At this time, the region will fall back one hour.

 London Stock Exchange Extended Hours Trading

Stocks can always be traded on the London Stock Exchange during regular trading hours (listed above).

But there are also Extended Hours Trading during which trades may be made. There is significantly less trading volume during extended hours. Lower volume results is a larger spread, bigger price jumps, more volatility, and more risk. Extended Hours Trading allows investors to act quickly on information that comes out after markets closed.

In the past, only large institutional investors could participate in Extended Hours Trading. Due to the emergence of electronic trading platforms, individual investors are now able to trade during extended hours as well. Depending upon your broker, you can usually choose to execute trades during pre- or after-hours or only during regular trading.

London Stock Exchange Opening Hours for 2020

The London Stock Exchange (LSE) is a stock exchange located in London, United Kingdom1.

The London Stock Exchange is open five days per week for eight hours per day and is closed for ten holidays per year.

All holidays listed below are the observed date, not the actual date. For example, if Christmas Day falls on a weekend many stock exchanges will close on the Friday before or the Monday after. Exchanges sometimes close multiple days for a holiday or have modified hours instead of fully closing.

This section contains holidays for all years from 2019 to 2016. Click the tabs below to navigate to different years.

Most traders never even need to contact the London Stock Exchange directly. Today most trades can be executed online without ever setting foot on the floor of the London Stock Exchange. But there are still a number of reasons you might need to contact, visit, or send mail to the London Stock Exchange.

Below is the contact information you will need in order to reach the London Stock Exchange: