The stock market is closed on Good Friday in the United States

The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the NASDAQ do not trade on Good Friday. This is one of nine days each year when U.S. stock markets shut down completely — no stocks change hands, no options trade, and no bonds settle. Good Friday falls on a different date each year because it is tied to the lunar calendar, so the market closure date shifts annually.

If you hold stocks or have pending orders, they do not execute on Good Friday. Any trades you place after market close on Thursday will not go through until the following Monday. This matters most if you are watching a stock price closely or waiting to buy or sell around a holiday weekend.

Key Takeaways

  • The NYSE and NASDAQ close entirely on Good Friday; no trading happens at all that day.
  • Good Friday is one of nine annual U.S. market holidays, and the date changes each year based on the Easter calendar.
  • Orders placed after Thursday's close will not execute until Monday, so plan ahead if you need to trade before the holiday.
  • International stock exchanges may have different holiday schedules, so foreign markets may trade while U.S. markets are closed.

When the market closes and reopens around Easter

The market closes at 4 p.m. Eastern Time on the Thursday before Good Friday (Maundy Thursday). It remains closed all day Friday. Trading resumes at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time on Monday morning. This creates a three-day gap for most investors, though some brokerages allow after-hours trading on Thursday evening.

The exact date of Good Friday changes because Easter is calculated using the first full moon after the spring equinox. This means Good Friday can fall anywhere between March 22 and April 25. The NYSE publishes its holiday calendar years in advance, so you can check the exact closure dates on their website.

All nine U.S. market holidays in a typical year

Good Friday is one of nine days when U.S. stock markets close. The complete list is:

  • New Year's Day (January 1)
  • Martin Luther King Jr. Day (third Monday in January)
  • Presidents' Day (third Monday in February)
  • Good Friday (varies, March or April)
  • 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)

When a holiday falls on a weekend, the market typically closes on the nearest weekday instead. For example, if Independence Day falls on a Saturday, the market closes on Friday. If it falls on a Sunday, the market closes on Monday.

What happens to your orders and positions over the holiday

Any buy or sell order you place after Thursday's 4 p.m. close will sit in your broker's system until Monday morning. Most brokers execute these orders at or near the market open on Monday, though the actual price may differ from what you saw on Thursday. If you set a limit order (buy only at a certain price or below, sell only at a certain price or above), your order will not execute if the stock opens outside that range on Monday.

Your existing stock holdings are not affected by the market closure. You still own them over the weekend and the holiday. Dividends and corporate actions that are scheduled to occur on Good Friday itself are typically moved to the next trading day, Monday.

International markets may trade while U.S. markets are closed

Many international stock exchanges remain open on Good Friday because it is not a holiday in their countries. The London Stock Exchange, for example, closes on Good Friday, but markets in Asia and other regions may trade normally. This means stock prices for international companies can move while U.S. markets are shut, and you may see a gap when U.S. trading resumes on Monday.

If you hold American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) — shares of foreign companies that trade on U.S. exchanges — the ADR price is set by U.S. market hours. The underlying foreign stock may move over the holiday, but the ADR price will not change until Monday's U.S. open.

Planning ahead for Good Friday trading

If you know you need to buy or sell stock before Good Friday, place your order during regular market hours on Thursday. Do not wait until after 4 p.m., because your order will not execute until Monday. If you are watching a stock price and want to act on news or a price movement, check the market before Thursday's close.

Some brokers offer extended-hours trading (pre-market and after-hours sessions), but these sessions have lower volume and wider bid-ask spreads than regular market hours. Trading after Thursday's close but before Friday morning is possible on some platforms, but prices may be less reliable and your order may not fill at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I trade stocks on Good Friday using my brokerage app?

No. The NYSE and NASDAQ are completely closed, so no trades execute on Good Friday itself. If your app lets you place an order, it will queue the order for Monday's market open. Some brokers offer after-hours trading on Thursday evening, but this is not the same as Friday trading.

What if I need to sell stock before Good Friday?

You must sell during regular market hours on Thursday (9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern Time). After 4 p.m. Thursday, your sell order will not execute until Monday morning. If you are concerned about price movement over the weekend, consider selling before the Thursday close.

Do bond markets close on Good Friday too?

Yes. The bond market, Treasury market, and options markets all close on Good Friday. The only exception is the foreign exchange (forex) market, which operates 24 hours and does not observe U.S. holidays.

Will my dividend payment be delayed if it is scheduled for Good Friday?

No. If a company's dividend payment date falls on Good Friday, the payment is typically moved to Monday. You will receive your dividend on the adjusted date, and your account will reflect the payment by Monday or Tuesday depending on your broker's processing time.

How far in advance does the NYSE announce its holiday schedule?

The NYSE publishes its holiday calendar several years in advance on its website. You can check the exact dates for Good Friday and all other market closures for the current year and years ahead.