Trading Days in a Year
The numbers you need to plan your trading year.
Knowing exactly how many trading days exist helps you set realistic goals, plan reviews, and build sustainable routines. Here's everything you need.
The Quick Answer
trading days in a typical year
US stock markets (NYSE/Nasdaq). Range: 250-254 depending on holiday placement.
The Breakdown
Why This Matters for Traders
Realistic Goal Setting
Want to make $50,000/year? That's ~$200/day, not $136 (365 days). Know the real number.
Review Scheduling
Plan weekly reviews every ~5 days, monthly reviews every ~21 days. Keep cadence consistent.
Risk Budgeting
If you can afford to lose 10% learning, that's ~$40/day on a $100k account over 252 days.
Sample Size Thinking
At 1 trade/day, you need nearly a year for 200+ trade sample size. Plan accordingly.
Trading Days by Year
| Year | Trading Days | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 252 | Standard year |
| 2024 | 252 | Leap year, holidays fell favorably |
| 2023 | 250 | Some holidays fell on weekdays |
| 2022 | 251 | Near average |
| 2021 | 252 | Standard year |
US Market Holidays (2025)
Markets close early (1 PM ET) on the days before some holidays. Check the NYSE calendar for specifics.
Using Trading Days for Planning
Annual Goals → Daily Targets
But remember: you won't trade every day. Account for sick days, vacation, and days you sit out.
Realistic Adjustments
- Active trading days: ~200-220 (vacation, sick, mental health days)
- Quality setup days: ~150-180 (not every day has A+ setups)
- Profitable days: ~90-120 (even good traders win 50-60% of days)
The Real Math
If you want $60,000/year and you'll realistically trade 200 days, you need $300/day average, not $238.
But you won't profit every day. If you profit 55% of days (110 days), you need to average $545 on winning days to hit your target (assuming breakeven on losing days).
This is why risk management matters. Limiting losses on losing days increases what you keep from winning days.
FAQ
Do half-days count?
Yes. Markets close early (1 PM ET) on some days but they still count as trading days. Adjust your expectations. Liquidity dries up after noon on these days.
Are futures open when stocks are closed?
Sometimes. Futures have different holiday schedules. CME Globex may be open (often with reduced hours) when NYSE is closed. Check the CME holiday calendar.
What about unexpected closures?
Rare, but they happen (national mourning, extreme events). The last significant unscheduled closure was September 2001. Plan for the expected 252.
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