So, you’ve got your morning coffee, the laptop is humming, and you’re ready to check your watchlists. Then it hits you. It’s the second Monday in October. You see the mail truck isn't running and the local bank has a "Closed" sign taped to the glass. Naturally, you panic a little. You start wondering if you're about to have a forced day off or if the tickers will still be blinking red and green.
Is the stock market open Monday Columbus Day? The short answer: Yes. Honestly, it’s one of those weird quirks of the American financial system where the "rules" for banks don't match the rules for the pits. While federal employees are sleeping in and the post office is locked up tight, the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the Nasdaq are typically running at full throttle.
Why the Stock Market Stays Open When Banks Close
It feels like a glitch in the matrix. We’re taught that federal holidays mean everything stops. But the equity markets are private entities, and they don't always follow the federal government's lead.
The NYSE and Nasdaq have a very specific list of holidays they observe. They close for things like Christmas, Thanksgiving, and even the relatively newer Juneteenth holiday. But Columbus Day—which many now recognize as Indigenous Peoples' Day—doesn't make the cut.
If you are looking at the calendar for Monday, October 12, 2026, the stock market will be open for regular trading hours. That means 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. No early close. No late start. Just a normal, boring Monday in the trenches of the S&P 500.
But wait. There is a massive catch that catches retail traders off guard every single year.
The Bond Market Is a Different Story
This is where things get messy. While the stock market is open, the U.S. Bond Market is closed.
👉 See also: Getting a music business degree online: What most people get wrong about the industry
Because the bond market is so closely tied to federal government operations and the Federal Reserve, it follows the federal holiday schedule to the letter. Organizations like SIFMA (Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association) recommend a full close for fixed-income securities.
This creates a lopsided trading environment. You can buy 100 shares of Apple, but you can't easily trade Treasury bonds.
- Stocks: Open.
- Bonds: Closed.
- Federal Reserve: Closed.
- Commercial Banks: Mostly closed.
What does this mean for you? Liquidity might feel a bit... "off." Without the bond market providing cues on interest rates, some institutional players sit on the sidelines. You might notice lower trading volume than a typical Monday. When volume is low, price swings can sometimes feel more erratic. It's like trying to play a game of pickup basketball with half the players missing; things still move, but the rhythm is wonky.
Navigating the 2026 Holiday Calendar
If you're planning your trades for the year, you've gotta keep the specific dates in mind. For 2026, the second Monday of October falls on October 12.
I've talked to plenty of traders who get "holiday brain" and assume a three-day weekend is coming. They wake up at 10:00 a.m. only to realize they missed a major morning move. Don't be that person.
Interestingly, the stock market also stays open on Veterans Day (Wednesday, November 11, 2026), another day when the bond market and banks take a hike. It’s basically a tradition of the equity markets to stay open unless it’s a "major" blockbuster holiday.
✨ Don't miss: We Are Legal Revolution: Why the Status Quo is Finally Breaking
The Settlement Delay Trap
Here is something nobody talks about. Even though you can trade stocks on Columbus Day, the banking holiday affects your money.
In the world of "T+1" settlement (which is the current standard where trades settle one business day after the transaction), a bank holiday acts like a speed bump. Since the banks are closed and the Fed's wire system is resting, your "settlement" might be delayed.
If you sell a stock on Friday, you'd usually expect that cash to be "settled" and ready for withdrawal soon. But because Monday is a federal holiday, that day doesn't count as a settlement day for most clearinghouses. Your money stays in limbo for an extra 24 hours. If you’re a day trader living on tight margins or someone who needs to transfer cash to a checking account for rent, this matters. A lot.
Practical Moves for Monday, October 12
Since you now know the answer to is the stock market open Monday Columbus Day, how should you actually play it?
First, check your broker. While the exchanges are open, some smaller boutique brokerage firms might have limited support staff. If you have a complex issue with your account, you might be talking to a skeleton crew.
Second, watch the spreads. On low-volume holidays, the "bid-ask spread"—the gap between what sellers want and what buyers offer—can widen. This is especially true for penny stocks or low-cap companies. Basically, you might pay a slightly higher "hidden tax" to get in or out of a position because there are fewer people trading against you.
🔗 Read more: Oil Market News Today: Why Prices Are Crashing Despite Middle East Chaos
Third, remember the global context. Just because it's a holiday in the U.S. doesn't mean London, Tokyo, or Hong Kong are stopping. International markets will be humming along. Often, the U.S. market on Columbus Day ends up just reacting to whatever happened overnight in Europe since there isn't much domestic "news" or bond data to drive the narrative.
What Most People Get Wrong
The biggest misconception is that "Federal Holiday = Market Holiday."
It’s just not true. The NYSE actually used to close for more holidays than it does now, but in the hyper-competitive world of global finance, being closed means losing money to overseas exchanges. They want those doors open as much as humanly possible.
The only thing that truly shuts the market down these days—outside of the big holidays like Christmas or New Year's—is a literal catastrophe or a scheduled day of mourning (like for a President's funeral). A mid-October holiday just doesn't carry enough weight to stop the gears of capitalism.
Actionable Next Steps for You
- Mark your calendar: Ensure October 12, 2026, is labeled as "Market Open" so you don't miss the opening bell.
- Plan for liquidity: If you're planning a massive exit or entry, consider doing it the Tuesday after, when the bond market returns and volume picks back up.
- Check your transfers: If you need cash in your bank account by mid-week, initiate your transfers by the Thursday prior to avoid the "holiday settlement" lag.
- Monitor the Fed: Since the Federal Reserve is closed, don't expect any major interest rate announcements or "Fed Speak" on this day. It’s usually a quiet day for macro-economic news.
The stock market is a grind, and it doesn't take many breaks. While your neighbors might be enjoying a parade or a day at the park, the market will be waiting for you to place your next trade. Just keep an eye on that settlement date—it's the one thing that'll trip you up if you aren't careful.