NYSE Market Holidays and Early Closes

Which days the stock market closes

U.S. stock exchanges, including the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and Nasdaq, close for a set list of holidays each year. The NYSE publishes its schedule several years ahead on its hours and calendars page, and the dates on this site are taken from there.

The NYSE holidays are:

• New Year’s Day
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• Washington’s Birthday (Presidents’ Day)
• Good Friday
• Memorial Day
• Juneteenth National Independence Day
• Independence Day
• Labor Day
• Thanksgiving Day
• Christmas Day

Good Friday is the odd one out

Good Friday is not a federal holiday, but the stock market closes for it. Government agencies may publish economic data on Good Friday, so a report can be released on a day when stocks are not trading, and the reaction in stocks has to wait until the next session.

Federal holidays when stocks trade

The reverse also happens. Columbus Day (also observed as Indigenous Peoples’ Day) and Veterans Day are federal holidays, but they are not on the NYSE holiday list, so stocks trade normally. Government offices are closed, so no federal economic data come out, and the bond market can follow a different holiday schedule from stocks.

When a holiday falls on a weekend

The NYSE’s published schedule shows how weekend holidays are handled:

• A holiday that falls on a Saturday is usually observed on the preceding Friday.
• A holiday that falls on a Sunday is observed on the following Monday.

There is an exception for New Year’s Day. When January 1 falls on a Saturday, the market does not close on the preceding Friday, December 31, which is the last trading day of the year. In that case no New Year’s holiday is observed.

Early closes

On a few days each year, the stock market closes early, at 1:00 PM Eastern Time, with eligible options trading until 1:15 PM. Early closes typically fall on:

• the day after Thanksgiving;
• Christmas Eve, when it falls on a weekday and is not itself the observed Christmas holiday;
• the day before Independence Day in some years, depending on the day of the week.

The exact list varies from year to year and is published by the NYSE. On early-close days, trading volume is usually light.

Unscheduled closures

On rare occasions the exchanges close outside the published schedule, for example for a national day of mourning or because of an emergency. These closures are announced by the exchanges at the time and cannot appear on a calendar in advance.

How holidays affect other catalysts

Holidays ripple through the rest of the calendar:

• Weekly jobless claims, normally released on Thursdays, can move to a different day in a holiday week. See jobless claims.
• Options expiration moves to the preceding business day when the exchange is closed on the third Friday, most often because of Good Friday. See options expiration.
• ISM reports follow a business-day rule, so a holiday at the start of the month can push them back. See the ISM Manufacturing PMI.
• Government releases are rescheduled around federal holidays by the agencies themselves. The guide on how release dates get moved explains more.

How markets commonly behave around holidays

Market folklore holds that trading around holidays is quieter and that prices behave differently in the sessions before a long weekend. Volume is often lighter, especially on early-close days and in the week between Christmas and New Year. Whether prices follow any pattern is a different question, and there is no dependable holiday effect to rely on. Lower volume can mean that unexpected news has a larger impact than usual.

Common misreadings

• Assuming all markets close together. Stock, bond, futures and currency markets each have their own schedules.
• Assuming no data come out when stocks are closed. Good Friday is the main example.
• Forgetting settlement. Holidays can affect when trades settle and when funds become available; the details depend on the broker.

Frequently asked questions

Is the stock market open on Good Friday?

No. The NYSE and Nasdaq close on Good Friday, even though it is not a federal holiday.

Is the stock market open on Veterans Day and Columbus Day?

Yes. Both are federal holidays, but U.S. stock exchanges stay open. Federal agencies do not publish economic data on those days.

What time does the stock market close on early-close days?

At 1:00 PM Eastern Time, with eligible options trading until 1:15 PM.

What happens when a holiday falls on a weekend?

A Saturday holiday is usually observed the Friday before and a Sunday holiday the Monday after. When New Year’s Day falls on a Saturday, no holiday is observed.

Explainer updated November 13, 2026.