The stock market is open most Mondays, but not all of them

The New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq are open for regular trading on Monday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern time. However, the market closes on certain Mondays when a federal holiday falls on that day or when the market observes a holiday on the following Monday instead. The specific Mondays when the market is closed change from year to year depending on which holidays fall on weekends.

If you plan to trade on a Monday, check the exchange's holiday calendar first. A closed market means no regular trading happens, no prices move, and any orders you place will not execute until the market reopens.

Key Takeaways

  • The stock market is closed on Mondays when a federal holiday falls on that day or when the exchange observes a holiday on Monday instead of another day.
  • The most common Monday closures are New Year's Day (if it falls on Monday), Presidents' Day (always the third Monday in February), and Memorial Day (always the last Monday in May).
  • You can find the complete list of market closures for the current and upcoming years on the NYSE and Nasdaq websites.
  • Orders placed when the market is closed will not execute until the market reopens, so timing matters if you need to buy or sell on a specific day.

Which Mondays the market is typically closed

Presidents' Day is the most consistent Monday closure. It falls on the third Monday of February every year, and the stock market closes on that day without exception. Memorial Day, the last Monday in May, also closes the market every year.

New Year's Day (January 1) closes the market if it falls on a Monday. When New Year's Day lands on a weekend, the market observes the holiday on the nearest weekday instead — usually Friday if January 1 is a Saturday, or Monday if January 1 is a Sunday. This means some years have a Monday closure in early January and others do not.

Labor Day, which falls on the first Monday in September, also closes the market every year. Thanksgiving Day (the fourth Thursday in November) is not a Monday, but the market closes on that day regardless. The day after Thanksgiving is not an official holiday, but the market closes early at 1 p.m. Eastern time, not on a Monday closure schedule.

How to check if the market is closed on a specific Monday

The New York Stock Exchange publishes its holiday calendar on its website under "Market Information" or "Trading Calendar." Nasdaq maintains a similar calendar. Both show the full year's closures and early closures. You can bookmark these pages or check them at the start of each year.

If you are unsure whether a Monday is a trading day, the safest approach is to check the exchange calendar the day before. This takes less than a minute and prevents you from placing an order that will not execute until the following day.

What happens if you try to trade on a closed Monday

If you place an order through your brokerage on a Monday when the market is closed, the order will sit in your account until the market reopens. Most brokerages will execute it at the market open on Tuesday morning, unless you set specific conditions like a price limit or a time window.

Some brokers allow after-hours trading or pre-market trading on days when the main market is open, but these sessions do not run on market closure days. The volume and price movement in after-hours trading are much lower than during regular hours, so orders may not execute at the price you expect.

Early closures versus full closures

The market sometimes closes early instead of staying closed all day. The day after Thanksgiving closes the market at 1 p.m. Eastern time. Christmas Eve (December 24) also closes early at 1 p.m. if it falls on a weekday. These early closures are less common on Mondays because of how the calendar falls, but they can happen.

An early closure means you have a shorter window to trade. If you normally trade in the afternoon, an early closure will cut off your access before your usual time. Check the holiday calendar to see which days close early so you can plan your trading schedule around them.

Planning around market closures

If you trade regularly, print or bookmark the exchange's holiday calendar at the start of the year. This takes seconds and prevents missed trades or misplaced orders. Many traders set phone reminders for the week before a holiday Monday so they do not forget.

If you are waiting to buy or sell on a specific date and that date falls on a closed Monday, you will need to execute your trade on the Friday before or the Tuesday after. Price movement over a weekend or holiday can affect your entry or exit point, so plan ahead if timing matters to your strategy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the stock market open on Presidents' Day?

No. The stock market is closed on Presidents' Day, which falls on the third Monday in February every year. This is one of the most consistent Monday closures on the market calendar.

What if I place a trade on a Monday when the market is closed?

Your order will remain pending and typically execute when the market reopens on Tuesday morning, unless you set specific conditions like a price limit or time window. Check your brokerage's order settings to see how it handles orders placed during closures.

Does the market close early on any Mondays?

Rarely. The market closes early at 1 p.m. Eastern time on the day after Thanksgiving and on Christmas Eve, but these holidays do not usually fall on Mondays. When they do, the early closure applies instead of a full closure.

Where can I find the complete list of market closures?

The New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq both publish their holiday calendars on their official websites under trading information or market calendar sections. These calendars show all closures and early closures for the current and upcoming years.