What time does the Madrid Stock Exchange close? Complete guide to hours and operations

Main Operating Hours of the Madrid Stock Exchange

The Madrid Stock Exchange operates from Monday to Friday with a defined trading calendar. The regular session begins at 9:00 am (CEST) and closes the main trading at 5:30 pm of the same schedule.

Prior to the official opening, there is an auction phase from 8:30 am to 9:00 am, where pending orders are accumulated. At the end of the day, between 5:30 pm and 5:35 pm, the closing auction is executed to set an equilibrium price.

Weekly Schedule:

• Monday to Friday: Full session (9:00 am - 5:30 pm)
• Saturdays and Sundays: Market closed
• Holidays: According to the official trading calendar

Why monitor trading hours

Knowing exactly what time the Spanish stock exchange closes is essential for any investor who wishes to operate in Spanish securities without interruptions. The Madrid Stock Exchange concentrates the main Iberian corporations with global reach, including financial giants like BBVA and Banco Santander, leading international construction companies such as ACS, Ferrovial, and Acciona, as well as the global retail leader Inditex.

This stock market coordinates its activity under the SIBE (Spanish Interconnection System), an infrastructure linking four Spanish markets: Madrid, Valencia, Barcelona, and Bilbao. The IBEX 35 index, composed of the 35 largest-cap companies, reflects the pulse of the Spanish economy and serves as a benchmark indicator.

Historical structure and market relevance

The institution was founded on September 10, 1831, under the enactment of the Madrid Stock Exchange Creation Law. The first transactions took place on October 20 of the same year, involving banks, steel companies, and railway firms.

The development of the securities market in Spain was gradual: Bilbao joined in 1890, Barcelona in 1915, and Valencia only in 1980. The integration of the four markets under the SIBE occurred in 1995, consolidating centralized management through Bolsas y Mercados Españoles (BME) since 2001. The IBEX 35 index was created on January 14, 1992, as a performance measure of blue-chip stocks.

Pre-market and post-market sessions

Before formal trading begins, the opening auction allows orders to be entered from 8:30 am that will cross at the start of the session. This mechanism incorporates unexecuted orders from the previous session plus new orders during the auction period, generating the opening price.

Similarly, after the regular closing time, the closing auction (5:30 pm to 5:35 pm) executes orders at the calculated equilibrium price, benefiting positions that did not find a counterparty during continuous trading.

Reference schedule table

Schedule in CEST (Central European Summer Time)

Non-trading days in 2025

The official trading calendar excludes the following periods:

• January 1 (Wednesday)
• April 18 (Friday)
• April 21 (Monday)
• May 1 (Thursday)
• December 25 (Thursday)
• December 26 (Friday)

Additionally, half-session days with reduced hours may be scheduled according to the exchange’s announcements.

Time correspondence according to Latin American zones

For investors located in Spanish-speaking territories, this table facilitates converting Madrid Stock Exchange hours:

First steps to operate

1. Register on your preferred platform
2. Deposit funds using available methods
3. Start trading with Spanish securities or access to the IBEX 35

Knowing precisely what time the Spanish stock exchange closes helps optimize entry and exit strategies, coordinating operations with continuous trading or taking advantage of the closing auctions to execute specific orders.