For all our rules, a trading day is one CME session: from 6:00 PM ET to 5:00 PM ET the next day. It is not a calendar day, so one trading day can cover two calendar dates.
What is a trading day?
The CME session runs Sunday to Friday, from 6:00 PM ET to 5:00 PM ET the next day.
There is a daily break from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM ET. A new trading day starts when the next session opens at 6:00 PM ET.
All open positions are closed automatically at 4:45 PM ET, Monday to Friday, at market price. Auto close is never a breach.
Every trade lives inside one session.
How the trading day affects your rules
Rule | Where it applies | How the trading day is used |
Consistency Rule | Evaluation only (40% BrightCore, 50% BrightPlus) | Your best trading day net profit divided by your total net profit. It is recalculated at the end of each trading day. |
Winning days | BrightCore | A winning day is a trading day with net profit from closed trades of at least $100 (25K), $200 (50K), $300 (100K) or $300 (150K). There is a maximum of one winning day per trading day. |
One payout per trading day | BrightPlus | A maximum of one approved payout per trading day. |
Inactivity | SIM Funded | At least 1 new trade every 7 trading days. Holidays do not count. The Evaluation uses 30 calendar days instead. |
Minimum Trade Duration | Evaluation and SIM Funded | It looks at how long your winning trades were held (more than 15 seconds), not at trading days. In SIM Funded, only trades closed since the last approved payout count. |
Inactivity
In the Evaluation you need at least 1 new trade every 30 calendar days. In SIM Funded you need at least 1 new trade every 7 trading days, and holidays do not count. Only opening a new trade counts. Missing it is always a hard breach.
Holidays
On some holidays CME closes earlier. We announce the earlier cut-off to traders in advance. Holidays do not count in the 7 trading days of the SIM Funded inactivity rule.
Examples
Scenario: one trading day, two calendar dates
You close a trade at 8:00 PM ET on Monday, and another trade at 10:00 AM ET on Tuesday.
👉 Both trades belong to the same trading day, because they fall inside the same session (Monday 6:00 PM ET to Tuesday 5:00 PM ET).
Scenario: when the next trading day starts
At 4:45 PM ET on Tuesday, auto close closes all open positions at market price. The session ends at 5:00 PM ET, and the daily break runs until 6:00 PM ET.
👉 A trade you open at 6:15 PM ET on Tuesday belongs to the next trading day, because the new session has opened.
Scenario: a BrightCore winning day on a 50K account
You close a trade with +$120 at 8:00 PM ET on Monday and another with +$150 at 10:00 AM ET on Tuesday.
👉 Both are in the same trading day, so the net profit is $270. That is at least $200, so it counts as 1 winning day, not 2.
⚠️ If the net profit of that trading day had been $150, it would not count as a winning day, because the amount for 50K is $200.
Rule Summary
Trading day: 6:00 PM ET to 5:00 PM ET the next day, not a calendar day
Daily break: 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM ET
Auto close: 4:45 PM ET, Monday to Friday, never a breach
Used by: the Consistency Rule, BrightCore winning days, the BrightPlus one payout per trading day limit and the SIM Funded inactivity rule (7 trading days, holidays do not count)
Early CME closes on some holidays: announced in advance
Frequently asked questions
Is a trading day the same as a calendar day?
No. A trading day is one CME session, from 6:00 PM ET to 5:00 PM ET the next day.
What time does a new trading day start?
At 6:00 PM ET, when the CME session opens after the daily break from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM ET.
Does auto close at 4:45 PM ET end the trading day?
No. Auto close closes your open positions at market price and is never a breach. The trading day ends at 5:00 PM ET.
Can I get two winning days in one trading day?
No. There is a maximum of one winning day per trading day, and winning days apply to BrightCore only.
Can I get two approved payouts in one trading day on BrightPlus?
No. BrightPlus allows a maximum of one approved payout per trading day.
Is there a minimum number of trading days to pass the Evaluation?
No. There is no minimum trading days rule.
Do holidays count in the SIM Funded inactivity rule?
No. In SIM Funded you need at least 1 new trade every 7 trading days, and holidays do not count.
What happens on a holiday when CME closes early?
We announce the earlier cut-off to traders in advance.
Where to go next
Trading hours and auto close at 4:45 PM ET
Can I hold trades overnight or on weekends?
Inactivity rules
Trading rules at a glance