Table of Contents:
- Stock exchange holidays
- Can I still buy during stock market holidays?
- Cryptocurrency stock market holiday hours
- The bottom line
As you begin your investment journey, there are a lot of things you can learn about the stock market. Still, you may not have thought too much about the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) holiday schedule and how it can affect your investment decisions.
It’s important to note that regular hours for the stock market are from 9:30am to 4pm EST Monday through Friday, but special circumstances such as holidays and other events can alter that schedule.
Stock market holidays are when the New York Stock Exchange, Nasdaq, and bond markets are closed for the day. In some cases, a holiday may occur on a Saturday, so the Friday before it will also be considered an NYSE market holiday. Similarly, if a holiday occurs on a Sunday, the market will most likely be closed on the following Monday.
In addition to regular holidays, the stock market may also close in observance of national days of mourning for world leaders and dignitaries, as it did most recently for late president George H. W. Bush.
The stock exchange’s tradition of observance began in 1885, when it closed to observe the funeral of Ulysses S. Grant. Other closings included for the funerals of President John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Jr., and the British monarch Queen Victoria. It also shut down for several hours after the death of the world-famous financial expert J.P. Morgan.
Of course, along with holidays and funerals, the exchange can also close for important and unexpected events, such as flights to the moon and bad weather conditions, such as hurricanes and snowstorms.
These stock market holidays, limited hours, days of mourning, and world events can impact trading. First, the stock market can be more volatile due to lower trading. Because of that, opening prices may differ from when the market closed, which can derail investors’ strategies.
Key Takeaways
- Although regular market hours are from 9:30am to 4:00pm Monday to Friday EST, the stock market also has holiday schedules for trading.
- Before and after holiday trading trends can make trading even more unpredictable, so it can be difficult to know when to sell a stock or buy.
- As well as holiday schedules, the stock market also observes several shortened trading days and may close for special events.
Stock exchange holidays
The NYSE calendar is traditionally based on the holidays observed in the United States. Except for unusual events, such as 2012’s Superstorm Sandy and 9/11, it is never closed for more than 3-day weekends.
This year, 9 holidays are observed by the NYSE. Recently, many investors have asked, is the stock market open on Juneteenth? The answer is yes. But in 2022, since June 19 falls on a Sunday, the market will be closed on June 20, commemorating the end of slavery in the US. It’s the newest federal holiday since 1983 when Martin Luther King Jr. Day was signed into law.
The NYSE and Nasdaq 2022 holiday schedule includes:
- New Years Day – not observed in 2022 because it falls on a Saturday.
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day – Monday, January 17
- Washington’s Birthday/ Presidents Day – Monday, February 21
- Good Friday – Friday, April 15
- Memorial Day – Monday, May 30
- Juneteenth – Monday, June 20 (due to June 19 falling on a Sunday)
- 4th of July/Independence day – Monday, July 4
- Labor Day – Monday, September 5
- Thanksgiving Day – Thursday, November 24
- Christmas Day – Monday, December 26 (since Christmas Day falls on a Sunday)
Shortened days
In addition to observing stock market holidays, there are also some days where the market runs on a short day schedule, where it closes at 1:00pm, which may not always be as clear. As an investor, you’ll want to know, is the stock market open on Christmas Eve? Is the stock market open on Black Friday?
To remove some of the confusion, here are the short trading days observed:
- The day before Independence day – July 3 (Although, in 2022, it falls on a Sunday and is not observed.)
- The day after Thanksgiving/ Black Friday – Nov. 25 (in 2022), closing early at 1:00 p.m EST.
- Christmas Eve – December 24 (In 2022, it falls on a Saturday and is not observed.)
Along with regular stock market hours that occur Monday–Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. EST except for national holidays, there are also pre-market trading hours which are from 4 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. EST, and after-hours trading after the regular session ends, which occurs from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. EST.
When approaching holiday schedules, investors may want to trade during pre-market and extended trading hours to take advantage of news and events that happen, such as earnings releases and other financial reports, so they don’t miss out.
When investors choose to trade after hours, they are facilitated through ECN’s or electronic communication networks. ECNs are a digital system that matches buyers and sellers in the stock market, allowing trading outside regular trading hours to respond to after-hours news and events.
But trading during off-hours also has some risks to be aware of that include:
- Less liquidity. Since fewer investors trade during extended hours, there are lower trading volumes. Additionally, not all stocks can be traded, making it even more challenging to execute trades, leading to lower liquidity.
- High volatility. With lower trading volumes, the spreads between bid and ask price can be wider, making it difficult to execute trades at the desired price.
- Price uncertainty. Due to the high volatility, it can be challenging to anticipate stock prices since they don’t always correlate with regular market hours prices.
Can I still buy during stock market holidays?
When the stock market takes a holiday, investors do as well. They may use that time to evaluate the prior year and plan for the new one ahead. Many want to stay in the world of investing and keep up with the latest news. This means reading journals, watching investment news, reading about some of the highs and lows that occurred, and reflecting on what can be done better.
They also may take time to learn and grow by taking classes or reading investment books to gain new skills or knowledge to improve their investment strategy for the future.
The amount of investment information can be overwhelming. But, with so much to keep up with, there is no shortage of resources to explore when the markets are closed for the holidays.
During holidays and even seasonally, there can be an impact on the stock market in a variety of ways that include:
- Based on the number of active trades being made during holidays, stock prices can either rise or fall, making the risk of investing even greater.
- Before a 3-day holiday weekend, prices may be volatile as investors want to execute trades before the market closes.
- January brings a feeling of optimism, and investors are ready to get back to the business of investing after the holidays.
After the stock market holidays, there is a feeling of relief and energy to start fresh in a new year. Like so many of us, we reflect and move ahead with new plans and positive optimism for the upcoming year.
Cryptocurrency stock market holiday hours
Unlike the stock market, cryptocurrency trading never takes a day off. It is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including on holidays. The cryptocurrency market isn’t regulated like the stock market and instead works across a decentralized network of computers. Downtimes for cryptocurrency occur during maintenance and are announced in advance.
Despite its 24/7 schedule, crypto is most heavily traded between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. locally, and trades are more likely to be executed during these times. In addition, price fluctuations can occur and are mostly affected by regulation changes, events, and news, which can offer opportunities to trade.
Like all investments, crypto can have its own set of challenges, so learning all you can before jumping in is encouraged. If you want to learn more about crypto, take a look at our article, How to Buy Cryptocurrency for Beginners. It’s a good introduction and can help you to understand the risks and benefits of trading in the market.
The bottom line
The stock market holiday schedule includes days when the market is closed as well as shorter trading days and can include unexpected closings due to world events. The NYSE has 9-holiday closings and one short trading day in 2022.
Anyone can begin their investing journey at any time. Although there are many moving parts to investing in stocks, and there’s always a lot to learn, you don’t have to know it all to begin. So, are you ready to start your investment journey? Download the Public app today!