Many institutional desks monitor Sunday futures opens for liquidity signals. If volume is unusually high right when futures open at 6:00 PM ET, it often hints at significant upcoming moves in underlying stocks. Alix Goolden Performance Hall is in a 135-year-old building that was once a church, and was damaged when people were camping up against it. A trader works on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., April 2, 2025. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights , opens new tab Analysts watch the Sunday open for futures to measure implied volatility shifts before cash markets. The “when do futures open” detail becomes vital ahead of rate decisions or geopolitical headlines.
