Complete Guide: When the Spanish Stock Market Opens and Closes

When Does the Spanish Stock Exchange Close? Key Schedules

The Spanish stock exchange, officially known as Bolsa de Madrid, functions as the main driver of financial markets in Spain. To operate in this market without restrictions, it is essential to know its trading calendar. The regular trading session begins at 9:00 am and ends at 5:30 pm, local time (CEST).

Behind this centralized activity is the SIBE (Sistema de Interconexión Bursátil Español), a structure that coordinates four exchanges simultaneously: Madrid, Valencia, Barcelona, and Bilbao. Although they have operated as a single ecosystem since 1995, the Bolsa de Madrid handles the majority of activity and serves as the basis for the IBEX 35 index, which includes the 35 companies with the largest market capitalization in Spain.

Schedule Structure: Opening Auction, Regular Session, and Closing Auction

The trading day in Spain is divided into three distinct phases:

Pre-opening phase (opening auction): from 8:30 am to 9:00 am. During this period, buy and sell orders are collected, including those not executed from the previous session. The matching of these orders determines the opening price of the day.

Regular trading period: begins at 9:00 am when the opening auction closes, extending until 5:30 pm. This is when most stock transactions occur and prices are adjusted in real time based on supply and demand.

Closing auction: from 5:30 pm to 5:35 pm. In this phase, a final equilibrium price is established to execute orders that did not find a counterparty during the regular trading session.

Weekly Trading Calendar

The Spanish stock exchange operates only from Monday to Friday. On weekends (saturday and sunday), there is no trading activity. The schedule remains consistent throughout the workweek:

• Openings: 9:00 am on all business days
• Closings: 5:30 pm every Friday, Thursday, Wednesday, Tuesday, and Monday

Historical Overview: From 1831 to Modern Integration

The Bolsa de Madrid represents nearly two centuries of financial history. Its official founding date is September 10, 1831, when the Law for the Creation of the Bolsa de Madrid was published, drafted by the Sevillian jurist Pedro Sainz de Andino. Operations began just ten days later, on October 20, 1831, mainly with securities from banks, steel companies, and railroads.

The expansion of the Spanish stock system was gradual. The Bilbao Stock Exchange was created in 1890, over half a century later. Barcelona joined the system in 1915. Valencia came much later, in 1980, completing the four-market system we know today. The integration of these four exchanges under a single system (SIBE) occurred in 1995, significantly modernizing the infrastructure. In 2001, management was transferred to Bolsas y Mercados Españoles (BME), which continues to operate the system today.

The IBEX 35 index was created on January 14, 1992, representing Spain’s largest companies with significant international presence, including renowned financial institutions like BBVA and Banco Santander, leading construction firms such as ACS, Ferrovial, and Acciona, as well as retail giants like Inditex.

Why Knowing the Spanish Stock Market Schedule Matters

The Bolsa de Madrid hosts all major Spanish corporations. These companies are not only relevant domestically; many have a strong business presence in international markets, especially in Latin American economies. Knowing the schedules allows investors and traders to:

• Synchronize their operations with periods of higher liquidity
• Plan entry and exit strategies
• Take advantage of auction phases to execute orders at predetermined prices
• Avoid surprises due to market close

Holidays and Reduced Sessions in 2025

The Bolsa de Madrid publishes its trading calendar annually. In 2025, the holidays with no trading activity are:

• January 1 (New Year)
• April 18 (Good Friday)
• April 21 (Easter Monday)
• May 1 (Labor Day)
• December 25 (Christmas)
• December 26 (St. Stephen’s Day)

Additionally, there may be half-day sessions with reduced hours, announced in advance in the official calendar.

International Time Correspondences

For investors in Spanish-speaking countries, it is useful to know the time equivalents. When the Bolsa de Madrid opens at 9:00 am (CEST), in various Latin American capitals it corresponds to:

• Caracas, La Paz: 3:00 am
• Lima, Bogotá, Quito: 2:00 am
• Buenos Aires, Montevideo: 4:00 am
• Mexico City: 1:00 am
• Santiago de Chile: 3:00 am

Similarly, when the market closes at 5:30 pm (CEST), the respective times are:

• Caracas, La Paz: 11:30 pm
• Lima, Bogotá, Quito: 10:30 pm
• Buenos Aires, Montevideo: 12:30 pm (midday of the following day)
• Mexico City: 9:30 pm
• Santiago de Chile: 11:30 pm

This information is especially valuable given the significant participation of Latin American investors in Spanish markets.

Getting Started with Trading

If you want to start trading on the Bolsa de Madrid:

1. Register on an authorized platform
2. Deposit funds into your trading account
3. Begin trading by leveraging the schedules and strategies described