You’re sitting there at 9:31 a.m. on a random Monday, coffee in hand, ready to dump that lagging tech stock or ride a pre-market surge. You refresh your brokerage app. Nothing. The charts are flat lines. The ticker isn't moving. You check your Wi-Fi, then you realize it: it's a holiday you completely forgot existed, or maybe one you didn't think "counted" for Wall Street.
Knowing what days are stock market closed isn't just about avoiding a minor morning annoyance. It’s actually pretty vital for managing your liquidity. If you need to settle a trade to pay for a house closing or a car on a Tuesday, but the market was closed Monday, your cash might not be where it needs to be. Settlement cycles ($T+1$ in 2026) don't move forward when the exchange doors are locked.
The schedule isn't always intuitive. Did you know the stock market stays open on some days when your mail isn't even delivered? Or that it shuts down for a religious holiday that isn't a federal holiday at all? It's a bit of a maze.
The 2026 Cheat Sheet: What Days Are Stock Market Closed?
For 2026, the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and Nasdaq have aligned their calendars. They almost always do. If one is closed, the other is too, because having one major exchange open while the other is dark would cause absolute chaos for liquidity and pricing.
Here is the "dark day" list for 2026.
Start the year with New Year’s Day on Thursday, January 1. Then we hit Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Monday, January 19. February gives us Washington’s Birthday (most of us call it Presidents' Day) on Monday, February 16.
Then comes the curveball: Good Friday. In 2026, this falls on April 3.
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Wait. Good Friday isn't a federal holiday. Your post office is open. Your garbage man is probably coming. But the NYSE is closed. This is a massive point of confusion for new traders. Historically, this dates back decades as a traditional "pause" for the markets, and it remains one of the few days where the government is working but the floor is empty.
Moving into the summer, we have Memorial Day on Monday, May 25. Then there's Juneteenth National Independence Day on Friday, June 19. Independence Day actually falls on a Saturday in 2026, so the market observes it on Friday, July 3. This means you get a three-day weekend, but the actual 4th of July will have zero trading anyway because it's a Saturday.
The rest of the year rounds out with Labor Day on Monday, September 7, and Thanksgiving Day on Thursday, November 26. Finally, we finish with Christmas Day on Friday, December 25.
Early Outs and The Half-Day Hustle
Sometimes the market isn't fully closed, but it leaves early. These are often the lowest-volume trading days of the year. It's basically the "ghost town" session. Professional desks are usually manned by junior traders or automated algorithms while the big players are already at the airport.
In 2026, you’ll see the 1:00 p.m. ET "Early Close" on these dates:
- Friday, November 27 (The day after Thanksgiving / Black Friday)
- Thursday, December 24 (Christmas Eve)
Interestingly, because Independence Day is observed on Friday, July 3, the market is closed that whole day. In some years, we get an early close on July 3rd, but not when it's the official observed holiday.
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The Weird Gap Between Banks and Stocks
This is where people get burned. There is a fundamental difference between a "Bank Holiday" and a "Market Holiday."
Take Columbus Day (October 12, 2026) and Veterans Day (November 11, 2026). On these days, the bond market is often closed or closes early. The banks are definitely closed. Your ACH transfers won't move. However, the stock market is wide open. You can buy 100 shares of Nvidia all day long, but if you try to transfer the profit to your local bank account that afternoon, nothing is going to happen until the banks wake up the next morning.
The bond market, governed by SIFMA (Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association), is much more conservative. They take more days off. If you are a bond trader, you’re looking at a much more relaxed calendar than an equity trader.
Why the Market Actually Closes
You might wonder why, in an era of 24/7 crypto trading and global digital connectivity, we still shut down for 10 days a year.
Part of it is tradition, sure. But the bigger reason is systemic stability. Markets need "circuit breakers" and pauses to prevent cascading failures. On a more human level, the clearing houses and the people who run the plumbing of Wall Street—the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC)—need synchronized downtime to update systems and settle the books without new data flying in at 1,000 miles per hour.
Sam Stovall, a well-known chief investment strategist, has often noted that three-day weekends are sort of the maximum "safe" limit for market closures. Anything longer and "investor angst" starts to build up. If a major world event happens on a Saturday and the market doesn't open until Tuesday, the "gap" in price can be violent and destructive. By keeping closures short and predictable, the exchanges manage that psychological pressure.
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What Happens to Your Orders?
If you place a "limit order" on a Sunday or a holiday, it just sits in a queue. It doesn't exist to the world yet. The moment the opening bell rings at 9:30 a.m. ET on the next business day, your order is sent to the exchange.
The danger? The "Opening Gap."
Let’s say a stock closed at $100 on Friday. Over the weekend, the company announces a massive merger. On Monday (a holiday), the news digests. On Tuesday morning, the stock might open at $115. If you had a "market order" sitting in the system, you aren't getting $100. You're getting $115. This is why most pros avoid leaving "resting" orders over a holiday weekend unless they are "limit" orders that specify the exact price they are willing to pay.
Actionable Steps for the Next Market Holiday
Don't let a closed market catch you off guard. If you see a holiday approaching on the calendar, do three things:
- Check your liquidity: If you need cash by Wednesday, and Monday is a holiday, you must sell your positions by Friday morning. With the $T+1$ settlement, you need that business day for the cash to actually become "settlable" and ready for withdrawal.
- Review your "GTC" (Good 'Til Canceled) orders: If you have an order to sell a stock if it hits a certain high price, remember that a lot can happen over a long weekend. Re-evaluate if that price still makes sense given the extra time for news to break.
- Watch the Futures: Even when the NYSE is closed, "S&P 500 Futures" often trade on a limited schedule or on international exchanges. Checking the futures on a Sunday night or a Monday holiday afternoon will give you a "weather report" for how Tuesday morning is going to look.
The stock market is a machine that needs its rest. Just make sure you aren't trying to pull the lever when the power is out.