The stock market is closed on Veterans Day

The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and NASDAQ both close entirely on Veterans Day, which falls on November 11 each year. When November 11 falls on a weekend, the market observes the holiday on the nearest weekday — usually the Friday before if November 11 is a Saturday, or the Monday after if it is a Sunday. No stock trading happens on the observed holiday, and bond markets close as well.

This is a federal holiday closure, the same as Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Independence Day. If you have a trade you were planning to make on Veterans Day, you will need to place it the trading day before or after instead. Your broker's app may still be open, but any order you place will sit in a queue and execute only when the market reopens.

Key Takeaways

  • The NYSE and NASDAQ close entirely on Veterans Day (November 11), with no trading at any time that day.
  • When November 11 falls on a weekend, the market observes the holiday on the nearest weekday instead.
  • Bond markets and futures markets also close on Veterans Day, so you cannot trade those either.
  • Orders you place during the closure will not execute until the next trading day, and the price may be different from what you see when you place the order.
  • Your existing stock positions remain unchanged during the closure, but prices may move when the market reopens if news broke while it was closed.

How the market closure affects your trades

If you place a market order (an order to buy or sell at the current price) after the market closes on the day before Veterans Day, that order will not execute until the market reopens the next trading day. The price you see when you place the order is not the price you will get — the market will have moved overnight and possibly over the holiday weekend.

Limit orders (orders to buy or sell only at a specific price you set) also wait until the market reopens. If the stock gaps up or down when the market opens after the holiday, your limit order may not fill at all, or it may fill at a worse price than you expected. This is especially true if major news breaks while the market is closed — the opening price can be significantly different from the closing price on the day before the holiday.

If you hold stocks overnight through the Veterans Day closure, your position does not change — you still own the shares. But news and events that happen while the market is closed can affect the opening price when trading resumes, so the value of your holdings may be different when you can sell them again.

What stays open when the stock market closes

The stock market itself closes, but some financial markets remain open or operate on different schedules. Forex (foreign currency) markets trade around the clock and do not observe U.S. holidays. Cryptocurrency exchanges also trade continuously and do not close for Veterans Day. If you trade these assets, you can continue to do so on Veterans Day, though liquidity may be lower than on a normal trading day.

Futures markets, which let you trade contracts on indexes and commodities, close on Veterans Day along with the stock exchange. Bond markets close as well. Some brokers offer after-hours trading on certain stocks, but that happens at lower volume with wider bid-ask spreads — meaning you may pay more to buy or receive less when you sell. After-hours trading is not the same as regular market hours and carries more risk.

Planning around Veterans Day closures

If you know you want to make a trade around Veterans Day, place it on the last trading day before the holiday closes. This gives you certainty about the price and timing. If you are waiting for news or earnings reports that might come out during the closure, remember that the market will react to that news when it reopens, possibly with a gap in price that moves against you.

Check your broker's calendar — most list all market holidays for the year. Some brokers send reminders before major holidays. If you have automatic trades set up (like dividend reinvestment or regular contributions), those will pause during the closure and resume when the market reopens. Contact your broker if you are unsure how your specific accounts will be affected.

Veterans Day closures in past years and coming years

Veterans Day falls on November 11 every year. In 2024, November 11 is a Monday, so the market closes that day. In 2025, November 11 is a Tuesday, so the market closes that day. In 2026, November 11 is a Wednesday, so the market closes that day. When November 11 falls on a Saturday (next in 2027), the market observes the holiday on Friday, November 10. When November 11 falls on a Sunday (next in 2028), the market observes the holiday on Monday, November 12.

You can find the full schedule of market holidays on the NYSE and NASDAQ websites. Both exchanges publish their holiday calendars years in advance, so you can plan around closures well ahead of time. Marking these dates on your own calendar helps you avoid placing orders that will not execute until days later.

Other U.S. market holidays you should know

Veterans Day is one of nine days when the NYSE and NASDAQ close completely. The full list includes New Year's Day (January 1), Martin Luther King Jr. Day (third Monday in January), Presidents' Day (third Monday in February), Good Friday (varies), 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), and Christmas Day (December 25).

The market also closes early (at 1 p.m. Eastern time) on the day after Thanksgiving and on Christmas Eve if it falls on a weekday. These early closures mean fewer trading hours, so volume is lower and spreads are wider than on a normal trading day. If you plan to trade on these days, do so early in the session before the market closes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I place a trade on Veterans Day if my broker's app is still open?

Your broker's app may let you place an order, but the order will not execute until the market reopens the next trading day. The market itself is closed, so no trades happen. Your order sits in a queue and processes when trading resumes, possibly at a very different price.

What happens to my stocks if I own them on Veterans Day?

Your shares remain in your account unchanged. You still own them. The price may move when the market reopens if news came out during the closure, but your ownership does not change just because the market was closed.

Do I get paid dividends if they are due on Veterans Day?

Dividend payments are usually scheduled for business days only. If a dividend payment date falls on Veterans Day, the company will pay it on the next business day instead. Check your company's investor relations page or your broker's records to see the actual payment date.

Can I trade on the stock market the day after Veterans Day?

Yes. The day after Veterans Day is a normal trading day with regular hours (9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern time). The market opens at full volume and normal spreads apply.

Does the stock market close early on Veterans Day or just stay closed all day?

The market is completely closed all day on Veterans Day. There is no early close — there is no trading at any time during the day. The exchange does not open at all.