The stock market is closed on Mondays only if Monday is a federal holiday

The stock market operates on a regular schedule: it opens Monday through Friday during normal business hours, except on specific federal holidays and the day after Thanksgiving. If Monday falls on a holiday like Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, or Memorial Day, the market will be closed that day. On all other Mondays, the market opens at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time.

The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and NASDAQ follow the same holiday calendar. You can check whether a specific Monday is a market holiday by looking at the official holiday schedule published by the NYSE, which is updated each year and available on their website.

Key Takeaways

  • The stock market is open Monday through Friday at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time, unless Monday is a federal holiday.
  • Federal holidays that close the market include Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
  • The market also closes on the day after Thanksgiving, even though it is not a federal holiday.
  • Both the NYSE and NASDAQ observe the same holiday schedule.
  • You can verify whether a specific Monday is a market holiday by checking the NYSE holiday calendar on their official website.

Federal holidays that close the stock market

The stock market closes on ten federal holidays each year. These are: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day (third Monday in January), Presidents' Day (third Monday in February), Good Friday (the Friday before Easter), 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 on the day after Thanksgiving, which is the Friday following the fourth Thursday in November. This is not a federal holiday, but the NYSE and NASDAQ treat it as a market holiday.

When a federal holiday falls on a weekend, the market does not observe an extra closure on the adjacent weekday. For example, if Christmas falls on a Saturday, the market opens normally on Monday.

Early closures and shortened trading days

On some days the market does not close entirely but closes early at 1 p.m. Eastern Time instead of the normal 4 p.m. close. This happens on the day before Thanksgiving and on Christmas Eve (if Christmas Eve falls on a weekday).

Early closures are less common than full closures, and trading volume is typically lower on these days. If you trade or monitor positions, note that the market will close three hours earlier than usual on these shortened days.

How to check if the market is open on a specific Monday

The fastest way to confirm whether the market is open on a particular Monday is to visit the New York Stock Exchange website and look for their official holiday calendar. The calendar lists every closure and early close for the current and upcoming year.

You can also call your brokerage firm directly — they will have the holiday schedule and can tell you whether trading is available on any given day. Most brokerages also display the market status on their trading platforms or websites.

What happens if you try to trade on a market holiday

If you attempt to place a trade on a day when the stock market is closed, your order will not execute. Depending on your brokerage, the order may be held and automatically submitted when the market reopens, or it may be rejected and you will need to resubmit it manually.

Some brokerages offer after-hours trading or pre-market trading on regular business days, but these sessions do not operate on market holidays. After-hours trading typically runs from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Time, and pre-market trading typically runs from 4 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time, but neither session occurs when the market is fully closed.

International stock markets and Monday closures

If you trade stocks on international exchanges, those markets may have different holiday schedules. For example, the London Stock Exchange, Tokyo Stock Exchange, and other major exchanges observe their own national holidays and may be open or closed on days when the U.S. market is closed, and vice versa.

If you hold positions in international stocks or trade on foreign exchanges, check the holiday calendar for each specific exchange you use. Most international brokerages provide holiday calendars for the markets they offer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the stock market open on Presidents' Day?

No. Presidents' Day is the third Monday in February, and the stock market is closed on this federal holiday. The NYSE and NASDAQ do not trade on this day.

What time does the market open on Monday mornings?

The stock market opens at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time on Monday through Friday, except on federal holidays. Pre-market trading begins at 4 a.m. Eastern Time for most brokerages.

Does the market close early on any Mondays?

Early closures at 1 p.m. Eastern Time do not typically fall on Mondays. Early closures occur on the day before Thanksgiving (usually Wednesday) and Christmas Eve (if it falls on a weekday). Check the NYSE holiday calendar to confirm the exact dates each year.

Can I trade after hours on a market holiday?

No. After-hours trading does not operate on days when the stock market is fully closed. After-hours sessions only run on regular business days when the market has already closed for the day.