FTSE 100 opening and closing times: when can you trade?

What are the opening and closing times of the FTSE 100?

The FTSE 100 opens at 8am and closes at 4.30pm UK time (GMT), Monday to Friday. This is in line with the London Stock Exchange (LSE) opening and closing times. There is no lunch period during which trading ceases.

With IG, you can trade the FTSE 100 non-stop between 11.02pm on Sunday and 10pm on Friday. We also offers exclusive weekend trading hours for the FTSE 100, meaning you can trade the index on a Saturday and Sunday with us. We’re the only UK provider to offer this service. Read more about weekend trading hours.

Above is a breakdown of the index’s trading hours. The FTSE 100’s exchange hours are based on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) opening times. The LSE is the stock exchange that manages the FTSE 100 index and where its constituents are listed. These hours are most relevant to investors looking to buy FTSE 100 ETFs or shares.

FTSE 100 futures continue to trade outside of the FTSE 100 exchange’s hours and allow traders to get greater exposure to the index through derivatives. They are priced according to the spot value of the underlying market, plus any spread or commission that you pay for executing your trade.

IG’s FTSE 100 market is derived from futures hours and pricing but are longer, giving traders even more opportunity to realise a profit. Note that the market is priced differently if you trade FTSE 100 futures compared to trading the index out of hours. FTSE 100 weekend prices are quoted separately to its weekday counterpart.

_{Data is based on analysis of the FTSE 100 offering from prominent UK competitor websites and is correct to the best of our ability as of 26 March 2020. Table for comparative purposes only. Data is subject to change.}

Note that you can’t trade the FTSE 100 on Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, Good Friday, or other days which are holidays in the UK. And, if these holidays fall on a Monday, you can’t start trading again on the preceding Sunday night. For trading hours specific to FTSE 100 constituents, open the IG trading platform and check the ‘market info’ tab on the deal ticket of the individual share.

Open an IG account to start trading the FTSE 100 today

FTSE 100 pre and post-market trading hours

IG offers pre- and post-market trading hours for the FTSE 100, from 11.02pm on a Sunday to 10pm on a Friday. We also offer weekend trading hours, from 8am on Saturday to 10.40pm on Sunday (UK time).

Positions open at 10.40pm on a Sunday will roll over into weekday positions when the market resumes at 11.02pm on Sunday. Any stops or limits on weekend positions will remain in place during the roll-over.

Weekend trading enables you to speculate on market developments over the weekend without having to alter your weekday positions. And, if there is any breaking news about ongoing issues or central bank announcements, you don’t have to wait until markets open on a Monday to trade.

The FTSE 100 weekend market is called ‘Weekend UK100’, whereas the weekday equivalent is simply called ‘FTSE 100’. Further, the weekend prices for the FTSE 100 are quoted separately to its weekday counterpart. As a result, you can use these markets to hedge against risk on your weekday positions.

When is the best time to trade the FTSE 100?

Typically, the best time to trade the FTSE 100 is when the market is most active. This is often just after the open of the London Stock Exchange at 8am (UK time). At this time, liquidity and volatility will likely be high as traders begin interacting with each other.

The FTSE 100 also tends to be more liquid and volatile following earnings announcements of companies within the index. Keep an eye on our economic calendar for other developments that may impact the index.

Another point to keep in mind is that the FTSE 100 will be more liquid when there is a crossover between trading hours in different geographic locations. This is especially true during the overlap between the UK and European markets, which are open during almost identical hours.

Remember, some traders prefer high volatility, while others do not. Regardless of your trading style and when you choose to trade the FTSE, it’s important to follow your trading plan and have a risk management strategy in place.

What are the ways to take a position on the FTSE 100?

There are different ways to take a position on the FTSE 100, depending on your personal preference and risk tolerance. Trading is the only way to get direct exposure to the index’s price movements. If you want to gain exposure to the FTSE 100, you can use spread bets or CFDs to speculate on upward or downward price movements.

Alternatively, you can invest in the index by either buying shares in ETFs that track the price of the index or shares of individual constituents. Your aim will be to make a profit when you sell these shares at a later date.

Get the details on trading and investing in the FTSE 100 here.

¹ Based off FTSE 100 futures pricing.
² IG’s ‘weekend UK 100’ market is a separate market to the weekday ‘FTSE 100’ market and prices are quoted separately.