Many companies, organizations, and entities close their doors during specific holidays. In many cases, people assume that those holiday schedules will align with the federal holiday closures. However, that isn’t always the case. There is no legal requirement (beyond federal offices) that organizations close when the government does, so every entity has the ability to create their own holiday schedule. When it comes to the stock markets, both the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and NASDAQ use the same closure and short-day schedule, while the U.S. bond market (SIFMA) uses a different one. This creates a degree of confusion about when the stock market will or won’t be open each year.
U.S. Stock Market Holiday Schedule 2023
Both the NYSE and NASDAQ rely on the same holiday closure schedule. Whenever one is closed for the holiday, so is the other. The only times when one will close while the other remains open usually involve technical issues that impact one market and not the other.
If you want to know if the stock market will be open or closed on a particular holiday, here is an overview of the NYSE and NASDAQ stock market holiday schedule, including both short-days and full closures, for 2023:
- New Year’s Day (Observed): Closed on Monday, January 2
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Day: Closed on Monday, January 16
- Washington’s Birthday: Closed on Monday, February 20
- Good Friday: Closed on Friday, April 7
- Memorial Day: Closed Monday, May 29
- Juneteenth: Closed Monday, June 19
- Independence Day: Closed Tuesday, July 4
- The stock market closes early at 1 p.m. EST the day before and the day after 4th of July in 2023.
- Labor Day: Closed Monday, September 4
- Thanksgiving: Closed Thursday, November 23
- Black Friday: Closes early at 1 p.m. EST
- Christmas Eve: Closed Sunday, December 24
- Christmas Day: Closed Monday, December 25
While the stock markets close on most federal holidays, you may notice that there are two where the federal government closes, but the markets do not: Columbus Day and Veterans Day. Additionally, while the federal government doesn’t view Good Friday as a holiday, the NYSE and NASDAQ do. Both of them close in observance of Good Friday close for the day. There are also a few short days that the formal federal government holiday schedule doesn’t include, but the stock markets both use.
Regular Stock Market Trading Hours
Beyond the holiday closures and short-days listed above, the stock markets follow a standard operating schedule. At the NYSE, a normal day runs using the schedule below:
- Pre-opening Session – 6:30 am to 9:30 am ET, Monday through Friday
- Core Trading Session – 9:30 am to 4:00 pm ET, Monday through Friday
- Late Trading Session – 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm ET, Monday through Friday
The NASDAQ relies on a very similar schedule but opens for its pre-opening session earlier than the NYSE. Here is an overview of the NASDAQ operating hours:
- Pre-opening Session – 4:00 am to 9:30 am ET, Monday through Friday
- Core Trading Session – 9:30 am to 4:00 pm ET, Monday through Friday
- Late Trading Session – 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm ET, Monday through Friday
U.S. Bond Market Holiday Schedule 2023
As mentioned above, the SIFMA holiday schedule impacts when the bond market opens. Every year, the bond market actually closes more often than the NYSE and NASDAQ. Here’s a look at the SIFMA holiday schedule for this year:
- New Year’s Day: Closed Monday, January 2
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Day: Closed Monday, January 16
- President’s Day: Closed Monday, February 20
- Good Friday: Closed Friday, April 7
- The bond market closes at 2 p.m. the day before Good Friday.
- Memorial Day: Closed Monday, May 29
- The bond market closes at 2 p.m. the Friday before Memorial Day.
- Juneteenth National Independence Day: Closed Monday, June 19
- Independence Day: Closed Tuesday, July 4
- The bond market closes at 2 p.m. the day before Independence Day.
- Labor Day: Closed Monday, September 4
- Columbus Day/Indigenous People’s Day: Closed Monday, October 9
- Veteran’s Day: Closed Friday, November 10
- Thanksgiving Day: Closed Thursday, November 23
- The bond market closes at 2 p.m. on Black Friday.
- Christmas Day: Closed Monday, December 25
As you can see, not only does the bond market observe every federal holiday, it also closes to celebrate some holidays that aren’t part of the government’s holiday closure schedule. This includes Good Friday and several short days before or after major holidays, such as the day before Good Friday and the day after Thanksgiving.
Do International Markets Use the Same Holiday Schedule?
No, international markets do not follow the same holiday schedule as the NYSE or NASDAQ. While many markets have at least some closure days in common, the schedules are not fully aligned.
For example, while the London and Shanghai stock exchanges close on New Year’s Day, just like the NYSE and NASDAQ, the National Stock Exchange of India does not. Plus, many U.S. stock market closures are based on holidays in the United States that other nations don’t recognize, such as Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents Day, and Independence Day. As a result, they aren’t observed with closures in other countries.
Do you wish the stock market holiday schedule 2023 was more flexible? Why or why not? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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