The stock market has set hours, and it is closed on weekends and federal holidays

The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and NASDAQ — the two largest U.S. stock markets — are open Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. They are closed on weekends and on federal holidays including New Year's Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Some holidays close the market for a full day; others close it early at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

If you are trying to trade or check prices, the fastest way to know is to look at your brokerage app or the market itself. If the market is open, you will see live price updates. If it is closed, prices will be frozen at the previous close. You can also check the NYSE or NASDAQ websites directly — they list the full holiday schedule for the year.

The market also closes early on the day after Thanksgiving and on Christmas Eve (if it falls on a weekday). These early closes happen at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time, not the usual 4:00 p.m.

Key Takeaways

  • The NYSE and NASDAQ open at 9:30 a.m. and close at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday only.
  • The market is closed on all federal holidays, including New Year's Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
  • On the day after Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve, the market closes early at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time instead of 4:00 p.m.
  • Your brokerage app will show live prices if the market is open and frozen prices if it is closed.
  • The NYSE and NASDAQ websites publish their full holiday schedule each year so you can plan ahead.

How to find out right now whether the market is open

Open your brokerage app or website — whether that is Fidelity, Charles Schwab, E*TRADE, Robinhood, or another broker. If you see prices changing in real time, the market is open. If prices are frozen and show a timestamp from yesterday or earlier, the market is closed.

You can also go directly to the NYSE website (nyse.com) or NASDAQ website (nasdaq.com) and look at any stock price. Both sites display live data when the market is open and show the last closing price when it is closed. The page will often display a banner or message stating whether the market is currently open or closed.

If you do not have a brokerage account, you can check Google Finance, Yahoo Finance, or MarketWatch. Type any stock ticker into the search box, and the price page will tell you whether the market is open or closed.

The full 2024 and 2025 holiday schedule

The market closes for a full day on these federal holidays:

  • New Year's Day (January 1)
  • Martin Luther King Jr. Day (third Monday in January)
  • Presidents' Day (third Monday in February)
  • Good Friday (Friday before Easter Sunday)
  • Memorial Day (last Monday in May)
  • Juneteenth (June 19)
  • Independence Day (July 4)
  • Labor Day (first Monday in September)
  • Thanksgiving Day (fourth Thursday in November)
  • Christmas Day (December 25)

The market also closes early at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the day after Thanksgiving and on Christmas Eve (if Christmas Eve falls on a weekday). In 2024, Christmas Eve falls on a Monday, so the market will close early that day. In 2025, Christmas Eve falls on a Tuesday, so the market will close early then as well.

When the market closes early, trading ends at 1:00 p.m. instead of the normal 4:00 p.m. This means you have less time to place trades if you are planning to trade on those days.

What happens if a federal holiday falls on a weekend

If a federal holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the market does not observe it on a different weekday. The market is straightforward closed on the weekend anyway. For example, if Independence Day falls on a Saturday, the market is closed on Saturday (as it always is), and it opens normally on Monday.

The only exception is when a holiday falls on a Monday and the previous Friday is observed as a holiday instead. This is rare, but it can happen. The NYSE and NASDAQ websites will always show the exact dates, so you do not have to guess.

Why the market closes on these days

The stock market closes on federal holidays because most banks, government offices, and major financial institutions are closed. When the infrastructure that supports trading shuts down, the market cannot operate. Additionally, lower trading volume on holidays means fewer buyers and sellers, which can make prices less reliable.

The early closures on the day after Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve are traditions that have been in place for decades. They allow traders and market participants to observe holidays with their families while still keeping the market open for part of the day.

What to do if you want to trade on a holiday or early close

If the market is closed, you cannot place a trade that will execute during market hours. However, most brokerages allow you to place after-hours trades or pre-market trades on regular trading days. These occur outside the 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. window and have lower volume and wider price spreads, meaning you may not get the price you expect.

On a day when the market is fully closed (like Christmas), you cannot trade at all through your regular brokerage. Some brokerages offer limited after-hours trading on early-close days, but it is not may provide. Check your brokerage's rules before planning to trade on a holiday or early-close day.

The safest approach is to place your trades during regular market hours on regular trading days. If you know you will be unavailable during those hours, you can place a limit order or stop order in advance, which will execute automatically when the market opens if the price conditions are met.

International stock markets have different hours

If you are trading stocks on exchanges outside the United States — such as the London Stock Exchange, Tokyo Stock Exchange, or Frankfurt Stock Exchange — those markets have their own opening and closing times and their own holiday schedules. They do not follow U.S. market hours or U.S. holidays.

For example, the London Stock Exchange opens at 8:00 a.m. GMT and closes at 4:30 p.m. GMT. The Tokyo Stock Exchange opens at 9:00 a.m. JST and closes at 3:00 p.m. JST. If you own international stocks or are considering buying them, check the specific exchange's website for its hours and holiday calendar.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the stock market open on Veterans Day?

No. Veterans Day (November 11) is a federal holiday, and the stock market is closed. If November 11 falls on a weekend, the market is closed on the weekend anyway and opens normally on Monday.

Can I trade stocks before 9:30 a.m. or after 4:00 p.m.?

Most brokerages offer pre-market trading (typically 4:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time) and after-hours trading (typically 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time). These sessions have lower volume and wider spreads, so prices may move more unpredictably. Check your brokerage to see if it offers these options and what fees explore.

What time does the market close on the day after Thanksgiving?

The market closes at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the day after Thanksgiving (the Friday after the fourth Thursday in November). Regular trading hours are 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., so you have about 3.5 fewer hours to trade that day.

Does the stock market ever close early for reasons other than holidays?

The market can halt trading temporarily if there is a major technical problem or a severe market event (such as a circuit breaker triggered by a large market drop). These halts are rare and temporary. The market does not close early for weather or other non-holiday reasons.

How do I know if my brokerage is open if the stock market is closed?

Your brokerage may be open even when the stock market is closed, but you will not be able to execute trades during market hours. You can contact your brokerage's customer service line or check its website. Most brokerages are closed on the same federal holidays as the stock market, but some offer limited services.