The Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX) is one of the major financial centres in Asia and worldwide. It hosts names such as AIA Group, Tencent, HSBC, BYD and Alibaba.

Its benchmark index is the Hang Seng Index (HSI).

Hong Kong is a bridge between the Chinese markets and international capital. Many mainland Chinese companies are listed there (H-shares), accessible to foreign investors without going through the mainland’s regulated access channels.

Hong Kong Stock Exchange Trading Hours

The HKEX runs two sessions with a one-hour lunch break.

Session	HKT (UTC+8)	London (winter)	London (summer)
Pre-open (auction)	9:00 – 9:30 AM	1:00 – 1:30 AM	2:00 – 2:30 AM
Morning	9:30 AM – 12:00 PM	1:30 – 4:00 AM	2:30 – 5:00 AM
Lunch break	12:00 – 1:00 PM	4:00 – 5:00 AM	5:00 – 6:00 AM
Afternoon	1:00 – 4:00 PM	5:00 – 8:00 AM	6:00 – 9:00 AM
Closing auction	4:00 – 4:10 PM	8:00 – 8:10 AM	9:00 – 9:10 AM

Hong Kong is always at UTC+8, with no daylight saving time. In winter, London is 8 hours behind Hong Kong; in summer, 7 hours.

The afternoon session ends at 4:00 PM HKT, i.e. 8:00 AM London time in winter, which means the final minutes of the HKEX coincide with the opening of the European exchanges.

2026 Holiday Calendar (HKEX)

Hong Kong observes a mix of Chinese and British holidays.

Date	Holiday	Session
Thursday 1 January 2026	New Year’s Day	Closed
Monday 16 February 2026	Lunar New Year’s Eve	Half-day (close ~12:10 PM)
Tuesday 17 February 2026	Lunar New Year	Closed
Wednesday 18 February 2026	Lunar New Year (2nd day)	Closed
Thursday 19 February 2026	Lunar New Year (3rd day)	Closed
Friday 3 April 2026	Good Friday	Closed
Monday 6 April 2026	Easter Monday	Closed
Tuesday 7 April 2026	Substitute holiday (Ching Ming/Easter)	Closed
Friday 1 May 2026	Labour Day	Closed
Monday 25 May 2026	Day after Buddha’s Birthday	Closed
Friday 19 June 2026	Tuen Ng (Dragon Boat)	Closed
Wednesday 1 July 2026	HKSAR Establishment Day	Closed
Thursday 1 October 2026	National Day (China)	Closed
Monday 19 October 2026	Day after Chung Yeung	Closed
Thursday 24 December 2026	Christmas Eve	Half-day (close ~12:10 PM)
Friday 25 December 2026	Christmas Day	Closed
Thursday 31 December 2026	New Year’s Eve	Half-day (close ~12:10 PM)

The Lunar New Year (Chunjie) falls in January or February depending on the lunar calendar. Hong Kong usually closes for 3 days around this time.

Asian Exchanges Compared

The HKEX is part of the Asian block. Here is how it lines up against the region’s other major venues:

Exchange	Open	Close	Benchmark	Timezone
🇭🇰 HKEX (Hong Kong)	9:30 AM	4:00 PM	Hang Seng	HKT (UTC+8)
🇯🇵 Tokyo (JPX)	9:00 AM	3:30 PM	Nikkei 225	JST (UTC+9)
🇰🇷 Seoul (KRX)	9:00 AM	3:30 PM	KOSPI	KST (UTC+9)
🇨🇳 Shanghai (SSE)	9:30 AM	3:00 PM	SSE Composite	CST (UTC+8)
🇸🇬 Singapore (SGX)	9:00 AM	5:00 PM	STI	SGT (UTC+8)
🇦🇺 Sydney (ASX)	10:00 AM	4:00 PM	ASX 200	AEST/AEDT (UTC+10/+11)

See all 18 world exchanges →

Best Times to Trade the Hang Seng

HSI volumes concentrate at the open, on the afternoon restart and into the close — the last window arriving just before the European open.

Hong Kong vs the European and US Sessions

In winter, the HKEX closes right as Europe opens (4:00 PM HKT = 8:00 AM London): the two sessions touch without overlapping. In summer, the final hour of the HKEX (8–9 AM London) covers the European open.

Slot (London)	Active markets
1:30 – 4:00 AM	Hong Kong (morning) only
5:00 – 8:00 AM	Hong Kong (afternoon) only
8:00 AM – 2:30 PM	Europe only
2:30 – 4:30 PM	Europe + US
4:30 – 9:00 PM	US only

This handover, where the Asian close shortly precedes the European open (around 8:00 AM London), is watched closely: news from China often shapes the first prints in Europe.

HKEX Indices and Markets

The HKEX combines major indices, several compartments of Chinese stocks and an active derivatives market.

• The indices. The Hang Seng Index (HSI) is the market’s benchmark: over 90 Hong Kong and mainland Chinese stocks. The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index (HSCEI) tracks the large Chinese companies listed in HK, and the Hang Seng TECH covers the 30 largest tech names.
• The Chinese stocks. H-shares are mainland Chinese companies listed in Hong Kong, accessible to foreign investors. On top of these are the dual listings of tech giants such as Alibaba, JD.com or NetEase, listed both in the US (NYSE/Nasdaq) and in Hong Kong.
• The derivatives. The HKEX is also known for its very liquid futures and options market, notably on the HSI.

Other Asia-Pacific Exchanges

FAQ

Is the Hong Kong Stock Exchange open on weekends?

No. The HKEX is closed on weekends and public holidays; it operates Monday to Friday. Since 23 September 2024, however, the market stays open during typhoons (signal No. 8 or higher) and black rainstorms: this is “Severe Weather Trading”. Previously, these warnings suspended trading.

What is the difference between HKEX and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange?

HKEX (Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited) is the company that operates the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (Stock Exchange of Hong Kong, SEHK). “HKEX” and “Hong Kong Stock Exchange” are used interchangeably in everyday language.

Can you trade Chinese stocks through the HKEX?

Yes. Through the Stock Connect programme, foreign investors can access the Shanghai and Shenzhen markets from Hong Kong, and vice versa. It is one of the official access channels to Chinese A-shares.

Why does Hong Kong have a lunch break?

The one-hour break (12:00–1:00 PM HKT) follows the same tradition as Tokyo. It was 2 hours before 2011, then cut in stages to 1 hour in March 2012, partly to align better with the mainland Chinese exchanges’ hours. The HKEX has considered removing it, but it remains in place.