The stock market is closed on Thanksgiving Day but open the day after

The day after Thanksgiving — the Friday — the stock market operates on its normal schedule. The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and NASDAQ both open at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time and close at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, just like any other Friday. If you have trades to make or positions to monitor, you can do so during regular hours.

Thanksgiving itself is a market holiday. The NYSE and NASDAQ close completely on Thursday, and no trading happens. This is one of nine days per year when U.S. stock markets shut down entirely. If you hold positions going into the holiday, they remain frozen until the market reopens Friday morning.

Key Takeaways

  • The stock market is closed on Thanksgiving Day (Thursday) but open on the day after (Friday) during normal trading hours.
  • Friday after Thanksgiving operates at full hours: 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on both NYSE and NASDAQ.
  • If you need to trade or check positions over the holiday weekend, you must do so by 4:00 p.m. Friday, since markets close Saturday and Sunday as usual.
  • Futures markets and some international exchanges may have different schedules, so check your broker if you trade outside standard U.S. stock markets.

Why the market closes on Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a federal holiday, and the stock market observes all federal holidays by closing. The NYSE and NASDAQ do not operate on Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Memorial Day, and a few others. This is a standing rule, not a decision made year to year.

The Friday after Thanksgiving is not a federal holiday, so the market opens normally. Some traders and investors take the day off anyway, which can mean lighter trading volume than a typical Friday. But the market itself is open and functioning.

What happens to your positions over the holiday

If you own stocks, mutual funds, or ETFs, they do not disappear when the market closes. Your holdings remain in your account. Any dividends or corporate actions scheduled for the holiday period will process according to their announced dates, regardless of whether the market is open.

If you have pending orders — buy or sell orders you placed but that have not yet executed — they may or may not fill on Friday depending on the order type and price. A limit order to buy at a specific price will only fill if the stock reaches that price. A market order placed after hours will wait until the market opens Friday morning and execute at the opening price or shortly after.

Trading volume and price movement on the day after Thanksgiving

The Friday after Thanksgiving typically sees lower trading volume than other Fridays because many traders and investors are still traveling or taking time off. Lower volume can mean wider bid-ask spreads (the gap between what buyers will pay and what sellers will accept) and potentially larger price swings on smaller news or trades.

This does not mean the market is unstable or risky — it simply means fewer people are trading. If you are planning to buy or sell a large position, you may want to split it across multiple days to avoid moving the price too much in a thin market. For routine trades, the Friday after Thanksgiving operates normally.

Futures and international markets over the holiday

U.S. stock index futures (contracts based on the S&P 500, Dow Jones, or NASDAQ) trade on a different schedule than the stock market itself. Futures markets close on Thanksgiving but reopen Sunday evening (Eastern Time) and trade nearly around the clock Monday through Friday. If you trade futures, you can position yourself Sunday evening even though the stock market will not open until Friday morning.

International stock exchanges have their own holiday schedules. If you hold stocks on foreign exchanges or trade internationally, check your broker's calendar for that country's market hours. Some international markets may be open when U.S. markets are closed, and vice versa.

How to prepare if you trade around the holiday

If you hold positions going into Thanksgiving, decide by Thursday morning whether you want to hold through the holiday or close out before the market closes. Once the market closes Thursday, you cannot trade until Friday morning. If news breaks overnight that affects your holdings, you cannot respond until the market opens.

Set any stop-loss or limit orders before Thursday's close if you want them in place over the holiday. Review your broker's after-hours trading options if you need to trade outside regular hours — some brokers offer limited after-hours trading from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, though this is riskier and less liquid than regular hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I trade on Thanksgiving Day?

No. The NYSE and NASDAQ are completely closed on Thanksgiving. You cannot place trades, and no trading happens. You can trade again on Friday morning when the market reopens at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time.

Is the market open on Black Friday?

Yes. The day after Thanksgiving (Black Friday) is not a federal holiday, so the stock market opens at 9:30 a.m. and closes at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Trading volume is often lighter than usual because many people are off work.

What if I need to sell stock before Thanksgiving?

You must sell before the market closes on Wednesday (the day before Thanksgiving). Once Thursday arrives, the market is closed and you cannot trade. If you wait until Friday, you will have to hold through the holiday or sell on Friday morning.

Do bonds and other securities trade on the day after Thanksgiving?

Bond markets and most other securities markets follow the same holiday schedule as stocks. They close on Thanksgiving and reopen Friday. Some over-the-counter markets may have limited activity, so check with your broker if you trade bonds or other fixed-income securities.