You're probably planning your turkey brine or figuring out how to dodge political talk at the dinner table. But if you’ve got a portfolio, you might also be wondering: is stock market open on Thanksgiving Day?
Honestly, the short answer is no. It’s closed. Locked up tight.
Wall Street takes its holidays seriously. Whether you’re looking at the big board at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) or the tech-heavy Nasdaq, the physical and electronic floors are quiet on the fourth Thursday of November. It's one of the few days a year where the "money never sleeps" mantra actually takes a nap.
But there’s a lot more to the story than just a closed door. Between early closures, bond market quirks, and the historical "Thanksgiving effect," navigating this week requires a bit of a strategy.
The 2026 Thanksgiving schedule at a glance
If you're looking at the calendar for 2026, Thanksgiving falls on Thursday, November 26. Here is exactly how the schedule breaks down for the major US exchanges:
- Wednesday, Nov 25: Regular hours (9:30 AM – 4:00 PM ET). No early close for stocks.
- Thursday, Nov 26: Closed. No trading for NYSE or Nasdaq.
- Friday, Nov 27 (Black Friday): Early close at 1:00 PM ET.
It's a common mistake to think the market is closed on Black Friday too. It isn't. It just shuts down early so traders can go buy discounted TVs—or, more likely, start their weekend early. The bond market is even more restrictive. Groups like SIFMA (Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association) usually recommend an early 2:00 PM ET close on Wednesday, a full shut down on Thursday, and another early 2:00 PM ET close on Friday.
Why does the market close at all?
You might think that in an era of 24/7 crypto trading and global digital dominance, a physical holiday seems a bit... old school. And it is.
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The NYSE has been closing for Thanksgiving every year since roughly 1885. In the early days, these closures were about giving the floor traders and clerks a break. Today, even though computers do most of the heavy lifting, the human element—the market makers, the institutional fund managers, and the regulators—still needs a synchronized pause.
Without them, "liquidity" (the ability to buy or sell without moving the price too much) would be terrible. If only three people are trading a stock because everyone else is eating stuffing, the price could jump around like crazy. To prevent that chaos, they just pull the plug for the day.
The day after: Black Friday’s weird trading vibes
While the answer to is stock market open on Thanksgiving Day is a hard no, the answer for the following Friday is a "kinda."
When the market reopens on Friday at 9:30 AM ET, it feels different. It's often the lowest-volume trading day of the year. Most of the "big money" from hedge funds and institutional banks has already checked out for a four-day weekend.
What's left?
Mostly retail traders and algorithms. This leads to a strange phenomenon where the market tends to be more "drift-y." If there’s a little bit of buying pressure, the market might move up more than usual because there aren't enough sellers to keep it in check.
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Does the market usually go up or down?
Historical data from the last several decades shows a "Thanksgiving bias." According to researchers at Stock Trader's Almanac, the market has a statistically significant tendency to rise during the week of Thanksgiving.
Specifically:
- The Wednesday before Thanksgiving is historically bullish.
- The Friday after (Black Friday) often sees small, positive gains.
However, don't bet the house on it. This isn't a "law" of physics; it's just a pattern. In years of extreme economic stress—think 2008 or the tech bubble burst—these holiday patterns usually get crushed by the broader reality of the economy.
Global markets: Does the rest of the world stop?
Nope. This is a uniquely American holiday. While the NYSE and Nasdaq are dark, the London Stock Exchange (LSE), the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE), and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange are all operating on their normal schedules.
If you trade international stocks or ETFs that track foreign markets, you might see their prices moving on your brokerage app. However, because the US is the "engine" of global finance, volume in London or Tokyo is often a bit lighter when Wall Street is out of office. Everyone is waiting to see how the Americans react to the news when they get back to their desks on Monday.
Managing your portfolio during the break
Since you can't trade on Thursday, and Friday is a shortened session, how should you handle your money?
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1. Watch the retail data
Black Friday isn't just a shopping day; it’s a massive data point for the "Consumer Discretionary" sector. Investors keep a hawk-eye on companies like Amazon, Walmart, and Target. If the early reports suggest that people aren't spending, those stocks might take a hit when full trading resumes on Monday.
2. Mind the volatility
Because volume is low on Friday, even a small news event can cause a big price swing. If some crazy geopolitical news breaks on Thursday while you're eating turkey, Friday morning could be very volatile. It’s generally a bad time to place "market orders." If you must trade on Black Friday, use "limit orders" to make sure you don't get a terrible price.
3. The Bond Market Lag
Keep in mind that the bond market (where interest rates are determined) moves on a slightly different rhythm. Since the bond market often closes at 2:00 PM ET on the Wednesday before, any major shifts in interest rate expectations won't be reflected until Friday—and even then, only for a few hours.
Practical next steps for investors
Since the stock market open on Thanksgiving Day isn't happening, use that forced break to your advantage.
First, check your open orders. If you have a "Good 'Til Canceled" (GTC) order sitting out there, remember that it could trigger during the low-volume Friday session. If you don't want a random price spike to fill your order at a weird level, consider pausing it.
Second, review your year-end tax strategy. Thanksgiving is the unofficial "one-month warning" for the end of the year. This is the perfect time to look at "Tax Loss Harvesting"—selling losing positions to offset the taxes you owe on your winners.
Lastly, don't panic-trade on Friday. If the market opens down 1% on Black Friday, it might just be the result of one big fund selling a position into a "thin" market. Wait for the high-volume "pros" to come back on Monday before you make any major moves.
Enjoy your meal. The tickers will still be there on Friday morning.