Current Time in Chicago, United States
Check the current local time in Chicago, United States. Chicago uses the America/Chicago time zone, with CST (UTC -6:00) during standard time and CDT (UTC -5:00) during daylight saving time.
Chicago Time Zone
Standard Time
CST
UTC -6:00
Used outside daylight saving time
Daylight Time
CDT
UTC -5:00
Observed during daylight saving time
Next DST Change
DST ends
November 1, 2026
Based on Second Sunday in March / First Sunday in November
About Chicago Time: CST & CDT
Chicago operates on the America/Chicago timezone, alternating between CST (Central Standard Time, UTC −6:00) in winter and CDT (Central Daylight Time, UTC −5:00) from mid-March to early November. As the home of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) and the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) — the world's largest and oldest futures exchanges — Chicago time is the reference timezone for global commodity and derivatives trading.
The CME Group's flagship markets open at 5:00 PM CST on Sunday for electronic trading and run nearly 24 hours through Friday at 4:00 PM CST, with brief daily maintenance windows. This near-continuous schedule means traders in London (GMT), Singapore (SGT), and Tokyo (JST) can all access Chicago's futures markets during their own business days — though the deepest liquidity occurs during Chicago's standard business hours (7:00 AM to 3:00 PM CST).
Chicago vs New York: Chicago is consistently 1 hour behind New York — CST versus EST, or CDT versus EDT. This alignment, combined with Chicago's central US location, makes it the natural hub for mid-continent US operations. From London (GMT), Chicago is 6 hours behind in winter (CST) and 5 hours behind in summer (CDT), offering a workable morning London window for Chicago afternoon calls.
Chicago is also a major hub for the airline industry — O'Hare International Airport handles more daily flights than almost any other airport in the world, reflecting the city's position as the geographic midpoint of US cross-country travel. For business travellers arriving from Asia or Europe, Chicago time often serves as a practical reset point before onward travel to either US coast.
Business Hours & Best Time to Call Chicago
Chicago business hours run 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM CST/CDT, Monday to Friday. Trading firms often operate from 6:00 AM.
- CME trading hours (electronic): Nearly 24/5, peak liquidity 7:00 AM – 3:00 PM CST
- Best time to call from New York (EST): All standard business hours (1 hour gap)
- Best time to call from London (GMT): 2:00–6:00 PM GMT (8:00 AM – 12:00 PM CST)
- Best time to call from Los Angeles (PST): 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM PST (11:00 AM – 5:00 PM CST)
- Best time to call from Singapore (SGT): 9:00–11:00 PM SGT (8:00–10:00 AM CST)
Chicago vs Major Cities
Chicago Stock Exchange Hours
Local Exchange
CME Group
- Regular session (Chicago local time)
- 8:30 AM – 3:15 PM (futures: nearly 24/5)
Chicago Mercantile Exchange — global futures and derivatives hub.
Daylight Saving Time
Clocks change in Chicago in 150 days
DST ends on November 1, 2026. Clocks fall back — sunrise and sunset shift one hour earlier in Chicago.
Other Cities in America/Chicago
These cities share the same time zone as Chicago — when it's 4:46:05 PM here, it's the same local time there.
Other Cities in United States
Major cities in United States — some may be in a different time zone than Chicago if the country spans multiple zones.
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Everything you need to know about Chicago time