The stock market is closed the day after Thanksgiving

The day after Thanksgiving — the Friday after the fourth Thursday in November — is a market holiday in the United States. The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), NASDAQ, and all major U.S. exchanges shut down completely. You cannot trade stocks, bonds, or most other securities that day. No trading happens, no prices move, and no orders execute.

This closure applies every year without exception. If you hold investments or have pending orders, they simply wait until the market reopens on Monday. The holiday is observed by all major U.S. financial markets and by most brokerages, whether you trade through a bank, an online broker, or an investment app.

Key Takeaways

  • The day after Thanksgiving is a full market closure — no trading occurs on the NYSE, NASDAQ, or any major U.S. exchange.
  • This Friday closure happens every year and affects all types of securities, including stocks, bonds, and ETFs.
  • Any orders you place before the market closes on Wednesday will not execute until Monday morning.
  • International markets may have different holiday schedules, so check your broker if you trade foreign exchanges.

What happens to pending orders when the market is closed

If you place a buy or sell order on Wednesday before the market closes, that order sits in the system until Monday morning. Most brokerages hold day orders — orders that expire at the end of the trading day — so a Wednesday order will not carry over to Friday or Monday. You would need to place a new order on Monday if you still want to trade.

If you placed a good-till-canceled (GTC) order or a good-till-date order before the holiday, it remains active and will execute on Monday if the price hits your target. Check your broker's specific rules, because some brokerages cancel GTC orders after 30 or 60 days regardless of holidays.

How the holiday affects your investment timeline

If you are waiting to buy or sell before or after Thanksgiving, remember that the Friday closure compresses your trading window. If you want to trade before the holiday, you must do so by Wednesday's close. If you want to trade right after, you cannot until Monday's open.

This matters most if you are reacting to news or trying to lock in a price. Markets can move significantly over a three-day weekend, especially if major economic data or company announcements come out Thursday or Friday. You have no way to trade during that gap, so prices on Monday may be very different from Wednesday's close.

Other market holidays that affect your trading calendar

The day after Thanksgiving is one of nine days per year when U.S. markets close completely. The full list includes New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, and Thanksgiving Day itself. Markets also close early — at 1 p.m. Eastern time — on the day after Thanksgiving's eve (the Wednesday before) and on Christmas Eve.

Some brokerages also observe additional closures or restrictions on certain religious holidays or during extreme market conditions. Check your broker's holiday calendar at the start of each year to plan around these dates.

International markets and the Thanksgiving holiday

Thanksgiving is a U.S. holiday only. If you trade on international exchanges — the London Stock Exchange, Tokyo Stock Exchange, or others — those markets operate normally on the day after Thanksgiving. The U.S. closure does not affect them, though trading volume in U.S. stocks listed on foreign exchanges may be lighter because U.S. investors cannot trade.

If you hold American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) or other U.S. securities through a foreign broker, check whether your broker observes the U.S. holiday schedule or its own country's holidays. Most major international brokerages honor U.S. market closures for U.S. securities, but confirmation is worth the call.

Planning your trades around the Thanksgiving closure

If you know you want to trade around Thanksgiving, place your orders by Wednesday afternoon. Do not wait until Thursday morning — the market will already be closed. If you are holding cash and waiting for a price target, set a GTC order on Wednesday so it can execute on Monday if conditions are met.

If you receive dividend payments or other distributions that settle during the holiday weekend, they will post to your account on Monday or Tuesday depending on your broker's settlement schedule. This does not affect the value of your holdings, only when the cash appears in your account.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I trade on the day after Thanksgiving if I use an international broker?

No. All U.S. exchanges close on the day after Thanksgiving regardless of your broker's location. If your broker is based outside the U.S., confirm they observe U.S. market holidays for U.S. securities. Most do, but some smaller brokerages may have different rules.

What if I need to sell stock urgently on the day after Thanksgiving?

You cannot execute a trade that day. If the situation is truly urgent, contact your broker to ask about after-hours trading or alternative options, though most brokerages do not allow regular trading on market holidays. Plan ahead when possible.

Do my dividends or interest payments still happen on market holidays?

Dividend and interest payments follow their own schedules and are not delayed by market closures. If a payment is due on a holiday, it typically posts the next business day. Check your account on Monday to confirm receipt.

Will my broker let me place orders on the day after Thanksgiving?

Most brokerages allow you to place orders through their website or app even when the market is closed, but those orders will not execute until Monday. Some brokerages disable order placement entirely during holidays. Check your broker's specific policy.