When Does the DAX Open in EST? Frankfurt Stock Market Hours in Eastern Time
The short answer: the DAX is calculated from prices on Xetra, Deutsche Börse's electronic trading venue, which opens at 9:00 a.m. Frankfurt time. That is 3:00 AM Eastern Time for most of the year. Xetra's continuous trading ends at 5:30 p.m., or 11:30 AM ET.
Xetra hours in Eastern Time
Germany uses Central European Time (CET, UTC+1) in winter and Central European Summer Time (CEST, UTC+2) in summer.
| Session | Frankfurt time | In ET (most of the year) | In ET (Oct 25–Nov 1, 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opening auction | Before 9:00 a.m. | Before 3:00 AM | Before 4:00 AM |
| Continuous trading | 9:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m. | 3:00–11:30 AM | 4:00 AM–12:30 PM |
| Closing auction | From 5:30 p.m. | From 11:30 AM | From 12:30 PM |
Xetra also holds a short intraday auction around midday.
The two odd weeks
Germany follows the EU clock rules: summer time starts on the last Sunday of March and ends on the last Sunday of October. The US changes on different Sundays, so twice a year Frankfurt is only five hours ahead of New York instead of six:
- October 25 to November 1, 2026: the DAX opens at 4:00 AM ET.
- March 14 to March 28, 2027: the DAX opens at 4:00 AM ET.
Xetra and Börse Frankfurt
German shares also trade on Börse Frankfurt, a separate venue aimed at private investors, from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Frankfurt time (2:00 AM to 4:00 PM ET most of the year). Prices there can move outside Xetra hours, but the official DAX is based on Xetra.
DAX futures trade on the Eurex derivatives exchange for longer hours, which is why you may see the DAX "indicated" before 9:00 a.m.
Holidays
Xetra is closed on New Year's Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, May 1, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, December 26 and New Year's Eve. The exchange publishes its calendar each year.
Following German stocks from the US
US-listed funds such as the iShares MSCI Germany ETF (EWG) trade in New York. The DAX and US markets overlap from 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM ET on most days.
For London, see when the London Stock Exchange opens in EST. For more markets, see our World stock market hours in Eastern Time guide.
Published October 19, 2026. Times reflect Xetra's published trading hours as of that date. Educational information only, not investment advice.