The stock market is closed on July 5th if it falls on a weekday, because the U.S. observes Independence Day on July 4th

When July 4th is a Thursday, Friday, or Monday, the market closes on that day. When July 4th falls on a weekend, the market observes the holiday on the nearest weekday — usually Friday if July 4th is a Saturday, or Monday if July 4th is a Sunday. July 5th itself is a regular trading day only when July 4th was a Saturday and the market observed the holiday on Friday, or when July 4th was a Sunday and the market observed the holiday on Monday.

The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the NASDAQ both follow the same holiday schedule. Both close on Independence Day itself, not on a floating date. If you are planning to trade or monitor positions around the July 4th period, check the specific year's calendar — the day of the week matters.

Key Takeaways

  • The NYSE and NASDAQ close on July 4th every year, regardless of which day of the week it falls on.
  • When July 4th is a Saturday, the market observes the holiday on Friday, July 3rd, so July 5th (Monday) is a regular trading day.
  • When July 4th is a Sunday, the market observes the holiday on Monday, July 5th, so the market is closed that day.
  • When July 4th is a weekday (Monday through Friday), the market closes on July 4th itself, and July 5th is a regular trading day.

How the market handles Independence Day when it falls on a weekend

The NYSE and NASDAQ observe Independence Day on the actual date, July 4th, whenever it is a weekday. When July 4th falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the exchanges shift the observed holiday to the nearest weekday. This is standard practice for U.S. federal holidays.

If July 4th is a Saturday, the market closes on Friday, July 3rd. If July 4th is a Sunday, the market closes on Monday, July 5th. This means July 5th can be either a trading day or a holiday depending on the year. You can check the NYSE holiday calendar on their website or the NASDAQ holiday calendar to see the exact dates for any given year.

What happens to orders and positions when the market is closed

If the market is closed on July 5th (because July 4th was a Sunday), any orders you placed before the close on July 3rd will remain pending. Market orders cannot execute when the exchange is closed, so they may fill on the next trading day at a different price than you expected.

Limit orders — orders to buy or sell at a specific price — will also wait until the market reopens. If you want to cancel or modify an order before the market reopens, you can do so through your brokerage account. After-hours trading is available through some brokers, but it operates on a separate system and typically has wider bid-ask spreads and lower volume than regular market hours.

Planning around the July 4th holiday schedule

If you trade regularly or monitor a portfolio, mark the July 4th period on your calendar early in the year. The holiday affects not just the day itself but also the trading volume and price movement on the days when ready before and after. Some traders close positions before a holiday to avoid holding overnight risk during a market closure.

Corporate earnings announcements, economic data releases, and other market-moving events sometimes shift timing around holidays. Companies may release earnings after hours on July 3rd instead of during regular market hours on July 4th. Check your holdings and any pending announcements if you hold positions through the holiday period.

Other U.S. market holidays that affect July trading

July is one of the quieter months for U.S. market holidays — Independence Day is the only federal holiday that typically falls in July. However, the market does close on other dates throughout the year: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

Each of these holidays follows the same rule: if the holiday falls on a weekend, the market observes it on the nearest weekday. The NYSE publishes its full holiday schedule each year, and most brokerages display it in their trading platforms or on their websites.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the stock market open on July 5th, 2024?

No. In 2024, July 4th is a Thursday, so the market is closed on July 4th. July 5th is a regular trading day. The market will reopen on Friday, July 5th at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time.

What if I need to sell stock during the July 4th holiday?

If the market is closed, you cannot execute a trade during regular market hours. Some brokerages offer after-hours trading, which allows you to place orders before the market opens or after it closes, but prices may be less favorable and volume is lower. Plan ahead if you need to trade around a holiday.

Do bonds and commodities follow the same holiday schedule as stocks?

Bonds and commodities trade on different exchanges with different hours. The bond market (FINRA) and commodity futures markets (CBOT, NYMEX) may have different holiday schedules or may close at different times. Check the specific exchange where you trade if you hold positions in those markets.

Can I place orders when the market is closed?

Yes, you can place orders through most brokerages, but they will not execute until the market reopens. Market orders will fill at the next available price when trading resumes, which may differ from the price you saw before the close.