Similar to most companies, the major stock markets in North America are open for trading on normal business days only (Monday to Friday, except on holidays). In terms of holidays, both the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the Nasdaq have very similar schedules to that of the federal government’s holiday schedule with a few exceptions:
- Neither the Nasdaq nor NYSE is closed on Veterans’ day and Columbus Day (or a day in lieu of it).
- Unlike government offices, the Nasdaq and NYSE are closed on Good Friday.
Therefore, these exchanges are closed for trading on the following holidays:
- New Year’s Day
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- Presidents’ Day (Washington’s Birthday)
- Good Friday
- Memorial Day
- Independence Day
- Labor Day
- Thanksgiving Day
- Christmas Day
For the complete lists of the specific days when the NYSE and Nasdaq are closed, see the NYSE Group holiday and hours page and the Nasdaq trading schedule.
Investors and traders with positions in foreign stocks need to keep in mind that not all countries have the same holidays and their stock exchanges may continue to trade on days that the U.S. markets are closed and vice versa. For more insight, see “Stock Exchanges Around the World” and “Stock Exchanges: A Global Tour.”
For example, since Canadian Thanksgiving day is a different day compared to the American Thanksgiving (the second Monday in October, compared with the fourth Thursday in November), all Canadian listed stocks on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) would not be trading on Canadian Thanksgiving, but would continue trading on American Thanksgiving.
For more information, see “Getting to Know Stock Exchanges.”