You’re staring at your trading dashboard, coffee in hand, wondering why the tickers aren't moving. It’s a Monday in February. You might have forgotten that today honors George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Or maybe you just need to know if you can offload that tech position before the week gets crazy.
Honestly, the short answer is no. Is the stock market open Presidents Day? No, it isn't.
The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the Nasdaq observe Washington’s Birthday—the official federal name for the holiday—as a full market holiday. This means the big floors in Manhattan are quiet. No opening bell. No frantic shouting. Just empty hallways and blinking servers.
But finance is never quite that simple, is it? While the main equity markets take a breather, the world of money doesn't totally hit the brakes. If you're trading futures or looking at international markets, the rules change. It’s frustrating when you're ready to trade and the gate is locked, but understanding the rhythm of the holiday calendar is basically "Trading 101."
Why the NYSE and Nasdaq Close for Washington's Birthday
The U.S. markets follow the federal holiday schedule fairly closely, though not perfectly. Presidents Day always falls on the third Monday of February. It’s one of the nine days a year when the US stock market shuts down completely.
Think of it as a forced reset. The Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA) usually recommends a full close for bond markets too. This creates a liquidity vacuum. Because the big institutional players are out at brunch or skiing, there’s no volume to sustain healthy trading.
If the markets stayed open while the banks were closed, things would get weird. Settlement cycles (like the T+1 rule) would be thrown into chaos because the Fedwire Funds Service, which moves the actual cash, is offline. You can't really trade stocks effectively if the money can't move between banks.
What Happens to Futures and Crypto?
Here is where it gets a little nuanced. If you're a crypto trader, you're probably laughing. Bitcoin doesn't care about George Washington. The crypto markets are decentralized and run 24/7/365. If you want to trade Ethereum at 3:00 AM on Presidents Day, go for it.
💡 You might also like: What is the S\&P 500 Doing Today? Why the Record Highs Feel Different
But for traditional assets, look at the CME Group (Chicago Mercantile Exchange). They usually run a truncated schedule.
- Equity Futures: They often trade until around 1:00 PM ET on the holiday before pausing.
- Oil and Gold: Similar deal. You might see some early morning action, but the liquidity dries up fast.
- Foreign Markets: The London Stock Exchange (LSE) and the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE) are wide open. They don't celebrate American presidents. If there is a massive geopolitical event in Europe on that Monday, you’ll see it reflected in the FTSE 100, but you won't be able to react in your Apple or Tesla positions until Tuesday morning.
That creates "gap risk." If something huge happens while you're locked out of the U.S. market, prices might "gap" up or down when the opening bell rings on Tuesday at 9:30 AM ET. It's the nightmare scenario for short-term swing traders who are over-leveraged.
The Bond Market is a Different Beast
Usually, when people ask is the stock market open Presidents Day, they are thinking about stocks. But the bond market is the "smart money" in the room.
The bond market almost always follows the SIFMA recommendations. Since Presidents Day is a federal holiday, the bond market is closed. No Treasury yields to track. No movement in the 10-year. This is significant because mortgage rates and corporate lending often key off these numbers. When the bond market sleeps, the "vibe" of the entire financial system feels static.
Historical Market Performance Post-Presidents Day
Does the market usually go up or down after this break?
Data junkies like to look at the "holiday effect." Historically, the week following Presidents Day hasn't been a guaranteed winner. In fact, some analysts point out that February is often a lackluster month for equities anyway.
According to the Stock Trader’s Almanac, February is frequently a "sideways" month. We’re past the "January Effect" where stocks rally from new year inflows, and we haven't quite reached the spring optimism.
📖 Related: To Whom It May Concern: Why This Old Phrase Still Works (And When It Doesn't)
There's also the "pre-holiday" drift. Sometimes traders sell off on Friday afternoon because they don't want to hold risky positions over a long three-day weekend. Nobody wants to be holding a bag if a crisis breaks out while they're offline.
Real-World Example: The 2020 Pivot
Look back at February 2020. The market was hitting highs right around mid-month. People were asking if the market was open for Presidents Day (February 17 that year). It was closed. But while Americans were enjoying the day off, news about the burgeoning global pandemic was intensifying. When the markets reopened, the volatility started to creep in, eventually leading to the massive March crash.
It serves as a reminder: the market closing doesn't mean the world stops spinning.
Common Misconceptions About Market Holidays
People often get confused about which "minor" holidays close the floor.
- Columbus Day / Indigenous Peoples' Day: The stock market is actually OPEN, even though it's a federal holiday and banks are closed.
- Veterans Day: Again, the stock market is OPEN.
- Good Friday: The stock market is CLOSED, even though it’s not a federal holiday.
Presidents Day is one of the "big ones." It’s a hard stop. If you try to place a market order on Monday, your brokerage (like Robinhood, Schwab, or Fidelity) will just queue it up for Tuesday morning.
Pro tip: Be careful with "Market on Open" orders on Tuesday. Since three days of news have built up, the opening 15 minutes on Tuesday morning are usually incredibly volatile. You might get filled at a much worse price than you expected.
Strategy: What Should You Do Instead?
Since you can't trade, use the time.
👉 See also: The Stock Market Since Trump: What Most People Get Wrong
Review your portfolio. Look at your allocations. Is your tech exposure too high? Are you holding too much cash while inflation eats it?
Most successful traders use holiday breaks to do "deep work." Read a 10-K filing for a company you're interested in. Listen to an earnings call replay from the previous week. The lack of flashing red and green lights on your screen allows you to think more clearly.
Actionable Steps for the Long Weekend
Don't just sit around waiting for Tuesday. Here is how to handle the Presidents Day closure like a pro:
- Check Your GTC Orders: "Good 'Til Canceled" orders stay in the system. If you have a sell limit set, it will stay active and ready for Tuesday’s open. Make sure you still want those prices after any weekend news.
- Watch the Globex: Check the futures markets on Sunday night and Monday morning. Even if you can't trade them easily, they will tell you exactly how the S&P 500 is likely to open on Tuesday.
- Monitor International News: Keep an eye on the Nikkei and the DAX. If global markets are sliding, expect a rough Tuesday morning in New York.
- Audit Your Fees: Use the downtime to look at your brokerage statements. Are you paying too much in margin interest? Is there a cheaper ETF for the index you're tracking?
- Prepare for Volatility: Expect higher-than-normal volume on Tuesday morning. If you don't need to trade in the first 30 minutes, wait for the "price discovery" phase to settle down.
The stock market might be closed for Presidents Day, but your financial education shouldn't be. Use the break to sharpen your edge so that when the bell finally rings on Tuesday, you aren't just reacting—you're executing a plan.
Stay sharp. The markets will be there on Tuesday morning, exactly where you left them, just a little more caffeinated and ready to move.
---