You're probably ready to fire up the grill, but if you've got a portfolio to manage, the long weekend creates a bit of a scheduling headache. It’s a classic question that pops up every May. Honestly, it’s one of those things where the answer seems obvious until you realize different assets play by totally different rules.
The short answer? No. The stock market is not open on Memorial Day.
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For 2026, Memorial Day falls on Monday, May 25. On that day, the heavy hitters like the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the Nasdaq completely shut down. No opening bell. No closing bell. Just a lot of quiet servers in New Jersey and a bunch of traders hopefully remembering to wear sunscreen.
The 2026 Memorial Day Trading Schedule: A Quick Reality Check
If you try to place a market order on Monday, May 25, 2026, it’s just going to sit there. It won't execute until the Tuesday morning "Core Trading Session" kicks off at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time.
But it’s not just the stocks.
The bond market—which is basically the engine room of the global economy—is even more restrictive. While the NYSE and Nasdaq just close on Monday, the bond market (following SIFMA recommendations) usually checks out early. In 2026, the bond market is expected to have an early close at 2:00 p.m. ET on Friday, May 22, before shutting down entirely for the holiday on Monday.
Why do they close, anyway?
Memorial Day is a federal holiday. It's about honoring the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. Because the federal government and most banks are closed, the plumbing of the financial world—the clearinghouses and wire transfers—basically stops working.
Trading without banks is like trying to run a restaurant without a kitchen. It just doesn't work.
What about Futures and Crypto?
This is where people get tripped up. Most people think "the market" is one giant entity. It's not.
If you're into Bitcoin or Ethereum, you know that crypto never sleeps. It's the "3 a.m. on a Sunday" of the financial world. Crypto exchanges like Coinbase or Kraken will stay open on Memorial Day. You can trade 24/7. However, keep in mind that "traditional" money moves slow. If you need to move USD from your bank to an exchange on Memorial Day, you're out of luck until Tuesday.
Futures are the middle ground.
CME Group usually runs on an abbreviated schedule.
- Sunday, May 24: Markets open at their usual time (6:00 p.m. ET).
- Monday, May 25: Most equity and interest rate futures halt early, often around 1:00 p.m. ET.
- Monday Night: They usually reopen for the Tuesday session at 6:00 p.m. ET.
It's a weird "halftime" situation. You can see the prices moving, but the liquidity is thin. Trading during these thin holiday windows is kinda risky because a small trade can move the price way more than it would on a normal Tuesday.
Common Misconceptions About Holiday Trading
I've seen people get really frustrated when their "After Hours" trades don't go through on a holiday. Remember, "Pre-market" and "After-hours" are extensions of the trading day. If there is no trading day, there is no extension.
Another thing? The "Friday before."
Some people assume the market closes early on the Friday before Memorial Day. For stocks, that’s a myth. The NYSE and Nasdaq will run a full day on Friday, May 22, 2026, right up until 4:00 p.m. ET. Only the bond market tends to cut out early to beat the traffic.
Global Markets Don't Care About US Holidays
If you're trading international stocks, the London Stock Exchange (LSE) or the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE) won't necessarily be closed just because it's a holiday in the States. They have their own calendars. However, because the U.S. is the "Big Kahuna" of global finance, volume in London or Hong Kong is often much lower when Wall Street is dark. It’s like a party where the guest of honor didn't show up—people are still there, but the energy is low.
Preparation for the Long Weekend
Since you can't trade on Monday, what should you do?
Most pros use the Friday before a long weekend to "de-risk." They don't want to be caught holding a massive, leveraged position while the markets are closed. A lot can happen in three days. Geopolitical news doesn't take a holiday. If something big happens on Sunday night, you can't exit your stock position until Tuesday morning. That "gap down" risk is real.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Check your stops: Ensure your stop-loss orders are set before the close on Friday, May 22.
- Review your margins: If you're trading on margin, make sure a weird Sunday night futures move won't trigger a margin call you can't answer.
- Confirm Bond holdings: If you trade Treasury notes or ETFs like TLT, remember that the underlying bond market closes at 2:00 p.m. ET on Friday.
- Automate: If you use bots or automated strategies for crypto, double-check your API connections, as holiday volatility can sometimes trigger weird edge cases in code.
Take the day off. The charts will still be there on Tuesday. Enjoy the break, honor the day, and let the servers rest.