The US stock market is closed for 10 full holidays and has 2 early closing days in 2026. Both the NYSE and NASDAQ follow the same holiday schedule, so if one is closed, the other is too. Knowing these dates in advance helps you plan trades, manage pending orders, and avoid surprises — especially around long weekends when settlement timelines stretch and options expiration dates may shift.
Below is the complete 2026 schedule for market closures, early closes, bond market holidays, and extended trading hours.
Stock Market Holidays 2026
NYSE and NASDAQ holiday schedule
| Holiday | 2026 Date | Day | Market Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | January 1 | Thursday | Closed |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day | January 19 | Monday | Closed |
| Presidents Day | February 16 | Monday | Closed |
| Good Friday | April 3 | Friday | Closed |
| Memorial Day | May 25 | Monday | Closed |
| Juneteenth | June 19 | Friday | Closed |
| Independence Day | July 3* | Friday | Closed |
| Labor Day | September 7 | Monday | Closed |
| Thanksgiving | November 26 | Thursday | Closed |
| Christmas | December 25 | Friday | Closed |
*July 4, 2026 falls on Saturday; market closed Friday, July 3
Good Friday is the only regularly scheduled NYSE holiday that is not a U.S. federal holiday. Every other closure corresponds to a federal holiday. Note that the stock market stays open on some federal holidays that close banks, most notably Columbus Day and Veterans Day — see the bond market section below for those differences.
When a holiday falls on a Saturday, the market closes on Friday. When it falls on a Sunday, the market closes on Monday. In 2026, Independence Day (July 4) falls on a Saturday, so the market closes Friday, July 3.
Early Closing Days 2026
Market closes at 1:00 PM ET instead of 4:00 PM ET
| Day | 2026 Date | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Day after Thanksgiving | November 27 | Black Friday |
| Christmas Eve | December 24 | Christmas observance |
Early closing days are not official holidays — the market still opens at 9:30 AM ET, but it shuts down three hours early at 1:00 PM ET. Trading volume on these half-days is typically 40–60% below normal, which means wider bid-ask spreads and less liquidity. If you’re executing larger trades, you may want to plan around these dates. Limit orders are particularly important on low-volume days to avoid unfavorable fills.
The bond market also closes early on these dates, but at 2:00 PM ET (one hour later than stocks). After-hours and pre-market sessions on early-close days can be shortened or inactive depending on your brokerage.
Monthly Calendar
This month-by-month view lets you quickly spot upcoming closures before placing trades, scheduling transfers, or rolling options positions. In 2026, three months are completely unaffected by market holidays: March, August, and October — those are fully open trading months with no disruptions. The heaviest holiday cluster is Q1 (three full closures between January and April) and the year-end period (Christmas falls on a Friday, with an early close the day before).
January 2026
| Date | Status |
|---|---|
| Jan 1 (Thu) | Closed - New Year’s Day |
| Jan 19 (Mon) | Closed - MLK Day |
February 2026
| Date | Status |
|---|---|
| Feb 16 (Mon) | Closed - Presidents Day |
March 2026
| Date | Status |
|---|---|
| — | No holidays |
April 2026
| Date | Status |
|---|---|
| Apr 3 (Fri) | Closed - Good Friday |
May 2026
| Date | Status |
|---|---|
| May 25 (Mon) | Closed - Memorial Day |
June 2026
| Date | Status |
|---|---|
| Jun 19 (Fri) | Closed - Juneteenth |
July 2026
| Date | Status |
|---|---|
| Jul 3 (Fri) | Closed - Independence Day observed |
August 2026
| Date | Status |
|---|---|
| — | No holidays |
September 2026
| Date | Status |
|---|---|
| Sep 7 (Mon) | Closed - Labor Day |
October 2026
| Date | Status |
|---|---|
| — | No holidays |
November 2026
| Date | Status |
|---|---|
| Nov 26 (Thu) | Closed - Thanksgiving |
| Nov 27 (Fri) | Early close 1:00 PM ET |
November 2026 has the densest holiday cluster of any month: a full closure Thursday and an early-close Friday mean Wednesday, November 25 is the last full trading day of that week. T+1 settlement means a Thursday trade settles Friday (early close but still a business day). If you need cleared funds for the following Monday, plan any sales for Wednesday or earlier.
December 2026
| Date | Status |
|---|---|
| Dec 24 (Thu) | Early close 1:00 PM ET |
| Dec 25 (Fri) | Closed - Christmas |
The early close on December 24 and full closure on December 25 compress year-end trading significantly. Wednesday, December 23 is the last full trading day before Christmas. December 31 (New Year’s Eve) is a full trading day in 2026 but historically sees very thin volume — many institutional desks have closed out positions and locked in year-end performance by then. Because New Year’s Day falls on Friday, January 1, 2027, markets are closed that day. Trading resumes Monday, January 4, 2027.
The longest stretch without a market holiday in 2026 is mid-June through early September — about eleven weeks. August has no market holidays at all. Markets can still be thinner around summer holidays, with wider spreads and more volatile price swings on lighter volume.
Stock Market Hours (Regular Days)
| Exchange | Open | Close | Timezone |
|---|---|---|---|
| NYSE | 9:30 AM | 4:00 PM | Eastern |
| NASDAQ | 9:30 AM | 4:00 PM | Eastern |
The regular trading session runs 6.5 hours per day, 5 days per week. In 2026, with 10 full closures and 2 early closes, there are approximately 251 regular trading days — roughly 1,626 hours of market time.
Extended Hours
| Session | Time (ET) |
|---|---|
| Pre-market | 4:00 AM - 9:30 AM |
| Regular | 9:30 AM - 4:00 PM |
| After-hours | 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM |
Extended-hours trading is available through most major brokerages, but comes with important caveats. Liquidity is lower than during the regular session, which means wider spreads and more slippage. Price discovery is less reliable, and large market orders can move prices substantially. Most index funds and mutual funds don’t trade during extended hours at all; only individual stocks and ETFs are available.
Extended hours are most active around earnings announcements (when companies report after the close or before the open) and major economic data releases. If you’re a long-term dollar-cost averaging investor rather than an active trader, extended hours are rarely necessary.
What Happens on Market Holidays?
| Activity | Availability |
|---|---|
| Stock trading | No |
| ETF trading | No |
| Options trading | No |
| Mutual fund orders | Processed next business day |
| Bank transfers (ACH) | May be delayed |
| Wire transfers | May be delayed |
| Crypto trading | Yes (24/7) |
When the stock market is closed, you cannot buy or sell stocks, ETFs, or options on any US exchange. However, you can still place orders through your brokerage account — they’ll queue and execute at market open the next trading day. Be careful with market orders placed over a holiday or weekend: prices can gap up or down at the open, so a limit order gives you more control over your execution price.
Mutual fund orders placed on a holiday are processed at the next business day’s closing NAV (net asset value). If you submit a mutual fund buy order on Thanksgiving Thursday, it executes at Friday’s close (or Monday’s close if Friday is also a holiday or early close).
Bank transfers: ACH transfers don’t process on weekends or federal holidays. If you initiate a transfer to your brokerage on a Wednesday before Thanksgiving, it likely won’t settle until the following Monday or Tuesday. Plan deposits ahead of time if you want funds available for trading after a holiday.
Cryptocurrency markets operate 24/7/365 with no holidays, which is one key structural difference from traditional stock markets. However, crypto liquidity can still drop noticeably during US holidays as fewer American traders are active.
Bond Market Holidays 2026
The bond market (SIFMA-recommended schedule) observes more holidays and early closes than the stock market. This matters if you hold bonds or bond funds — pricing and settlement behave differently on these days.
| Date | Bond Market |
|---|---|
| Jan 1 | Closed |
| Jan 19 | Closed |
| Feb 16 | Closed |
| Apr 3 | Early close 12:00 PM ET |
| May 22 | Early close 2:00 PM |
| May 25 | Closed |
| Jun 19 | Closed |
| Jul 2 | Early close 2:00 PM |
| Jul 3 | Closed |
| Sep 7 | Closed |
| Oct 12 | Closed (Columbus Day)* |
| Nov 11 | Closed (Veterans Day)* |
| Nov 25 | Early close 2:00 PM |
| Nov 26 | Closed |
| Dec 24 | Early close 2:00 PM |
| Dec 25 | Closed |
*Bond market closed; stock market open
The two dates where the bond and stock markets diverge are Columbus Day (October 12) and Veterans Day (November 11). On these days, you can trade stocks normally on the NYSE and NASDAQ, but the bond market is closed. This also means many regularly scheduled Treasury auctions are rescheduled, and bond ETF pricing may be based on stale underlying bond prices. If you’re rebalancing your portfolio with a mix of stocks and bonds, be aware of these mismatched schedules.
Bond market early closes are at 2:00 PM ET (one hour later than stock market early closes at 1:00 PM ET). The bond market also has additional early closes — like the Friday before Memorial Day (May 22) — that don’t affect stocks.
International Market Holidays
If you invest internationally or hold international funds, foreign market closures can affect your portfolio. Major markets have their own holiday schedules, and some have significantly more closure days than the US.
| Country | Unique Holidays |
|---|---|
| UK (LSE) | Boxing Day, Easter Monday, Early May Bank Holiday |
| Japan (TSE) | Golden Week (late April–early May), Emperor’s Birthday |
| China (SSE) | Chinese New Year (week), National Day Golden Week |
| Germany (XETRA) | Various regional holidays, Reformation Day |
| India (BSE/NSE) | Diwali, Holi, Republic Day, multiple regional holidays |
Japan and China each have week-long closures (Golden Week) that can reduce volume in global markets. Chinese New Year typically falls in late January or February and shuts down the Shanghai and Shenzhen exchanges for about a week. If you hold emerging market ETFs or China-focused funds, NAV calculations during these closures rely on stale prices.
The London Stock Exchange follows UK bank holidays, which do not always overlap with US holidays. There are trading days each year where the US is open but the UK is closed (and vice versa), which can affect ADR pricing and liquidity.
Holiday Weekend Effects
Historical Patterns
| Holiday | Typical Market Behavior |
|---|---|
| Pre-holiday | Often positive (traders optimistic) |
| Post-holiday | Mixed |
| Summer holidays | Lower volume |
| Year-end | “Santa Claus Rally” possible |
Research on S&P 500 historical returns has documented a “pre-holiday effect,” where the trading day before a market holiday has historically produced slightly above-average returns. One theory is that traders close short positions before long weekends, creating upward pressure. However, the effect is small and inconsistent. It is not a reliable trading strategy.
The “Santa Claus Rally” refers to the tendency for stocks to rise during the last five trading days of December and the first two trading days of January. Historical studies have found a positive tendency during this period, but the exact frequency and average gain depend on the dataset and period studied. This is a historical observation, not a guarantee — and the effect can be overwhelmed by macro events.
Note: Past patterns don’t predict future results. Long-term investors are generally better served by sticking to a consistent investment strategy rather than trying to trade around holidays.
Before a Market Holiday: What to Check
Knowing the schedule is only useful if it changes your behavior. Here is what to review ahead of each market closure, depending on how you invest:
Active traders and options holders:
- Check whether any open positions have options expiring near the holiday. Standard monthly options expire on the third Friday of the month; if that Friday is Good Friday, expiration shifts to the preceding Thursday. In 2026, the April monthly options expire Thursday, April 2.
- Confirm limit orders and stop-losses are still active — some brokerages auto-cancel GTC (good-till-cancelled) orders around holidays; others carry them through. Check your brokerage’s specific policy.
- Account for wider bid-ask spreads on the half-day before and after a holiday. If you plan to enter a large position, the full trading session two days before is typically more liquid than the half-day or the session immediately after the holiday.
Long-term investors (buy-and-hold, index funds):
- If you have a recurring purchase scheduled on a holiday, most brokerages will process it the next business day. No action needed, but be aware if you’re tracking a specific purchase price.
- ACH transfers from your bank take 1–2 business days. If you want funds available for trading on the Tuesday after Labor Day, initiate the transfer by the Wednesday or Thursday before. Holidays don’t pause the transfer clock — but they also don’t count as business days.
Dividend investors:
- If a dividend payment date falls on a market holiday, companies generally announce revised payment dates. Track this if you rely on dividend income for cash flow.
- Ex-dividend dates are not shifted for holidays, but be aware that buying a stock on the day before a holiday and just before ex-date means your trade settles on a potentially delayed timeline.
Retirement account investors (401k, IRA):
- Employer 401(k) contributions made on a holiday may be credited the next business day, but timing depends on the payroll provider, employer, and plan administrator. If your payroll runs on a day that falls on Thanksgiving, check when the contribution actually posts.
- IRA contribution deadlines (tax year) are not affected by market holidays — the deadline is the tax filing deadline (typically April 15), which is a separate calendar.
Settlement Considerations
| Situation | Impact |
|---|---|
| Trade before holiday weekend | Settlement follows normal T+1 rules; holidays do not count as business days |
| Dividends near holiday | Ex-date may shift |
| Options expiration | Still standard schedule |
| Direct deposit / payroll | May arrive a day early |
Stock trades in the US settle on a T+1 basis (one business day after the trade). If you sell a stock on Wednesday before Thanksgiving, it settles on Friday (which is an early-close day but still a business day). If you sell on the Wednesday before a Monday holiday, settlement still follows T+1 and settles on Thursday, because the holiday does not count as a business day.
Dividend ex-dates and record dates don’t change because of holidays, but payment dates might. If a company’s regular dividend payment date falls on a market holiday, the payment is typically made on the preceding business day. This is worth noting if you’re tracking dividend income for cash flow purposes.
Options expiration follows its standard schedule regardless of market holidays. Standard monthly options expire on the third Friday of the month. If that Friday is Good Friday (a market closure), the expiration is moved to the preceding Thursday. In 2026, Good Friday falls on April 3 — so April monthly options expire on Thursday, April 2.
Multi-Year Quick Reference (2026–2029)
Source: NYSE/NASDAQ official holiday schedules. All dates are the market closure date (observed when the holiday falls on a weekend).
| Holiday | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 | 2029 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | Jan 1 | Jan 1 | —† | Jan 1 |
| MLK Day | Jan 19 | Jan 18 | Jan 17 | Jan 15 |
| Presidents Day | Feb 16 | Feb 15 | Feb 21 | Feb 19 |
| Good Friday | Apr 3 | Mar 26 | Apr 14 | Mar 30 |
| Memorial Day | May 25 | May 31 | May 29 | May 28 |
| Juneteenth | Jun 19 | Jun 18* | Jun 19 | Jun 19 |
| Independence Day | Jul 3* | Jul 5* | Jul 4 | Jul 4 |
| Labor Day | Sep 7 | Sep 6 | Sep 4 | Sep 3 |
| Thanksgiving | Nov 26 | Nov 25 | Nov 23 | Nov 22 |
| Christmas | Dec 25 | Dec 24* | Dec 25 | Dec 25 |
*Observed date — holiday falls on a weekend; NYSE observes the adjacent weekday (Friday for Saturday, Monday for Sunday).
†New Year’s Day 2028 falls on Saturday. The NYSE observes Friday, December 31, 2027 — meaning there is no New Year’s Day market closure within the 2028 calendar year.
Early Closes (1:00 PM ET) 2026–2029
Markets open normally at 9:30 AM ET but close three hours early. Applies to NYSE and NASDAQ.
| Session | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 | 2029 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day before Independence Day | —‡ | Jul 2 | Jul 3 | Jul 3 |
| Day after Thanksgiving (Black Friday) | Nov 27 | Nov 26 | Nov 24 | Nov 23 |
| Christmas Eve | Dec 24 | Fully closed§ | — | Dec 24 |
‡In 2026, July 3 is the full-day Independence Day closure (since July 4 is Saturday) — not an early close.
§In 2027, December 24 is the full-day Christmas closure (since December 25 is Saturday) — not an early close. There is no Christmas Eve early close in 2027.
Good Friday’s date shifts the most year-to-year because it is based on the Easter calendar rather than a fixed date or “Nth weekday” formula. It can fall anywhere from late March to mid-April. In 2027, it moves back to March 26; in 2028, it shifts out to April 14 — the latest it appears in this four-year window.
Related: Stock Market Basics | How to Start Investing | Best Brokerage Accounts | S&P 500 Historical Returns | Dollar-Cost Averaging | Options Basics
Sources
- New York Stock Exchange. “NYSE Holidays and Hours.” nyse.com/markets/hours-calendars
- NASDAQ. “Stock Market Hours & Holidays.” nasdaq.com/market-activity/stock-market-holiday-schedule
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