Oliver Stone has a point: Money never sleeps. But people still do, which is why the stock market has a schedule and even closures.
The “stock market” is a bit of a nebulous term; it actually refers to one or more of the major stock market indices, such as Nasdaq or the New York Stock Exchange. In this article, the focus is on the NYSE.
The New York Stock Exchange operates from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday but may occasionally close early. The NYSE also closes on certain holidays. Read on to find out when the NYSE is closed.
Is the Stock Market Open Today?
No matter if it’s a bull or a bear market, stock market closures are dictated by holidays and weekends. In all, there are 10 calendar days per year when the stock markets close. Here’s a look at the stock market holidays in 2023 and the dates they fall or are observed on.
| Holiday | 2023 |
|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | Monday, Jan. 2 |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day | Monday, Jan. 16 |
| Presidents Day | Monday, Feb. 20 |
| Good Friday | Friday, April 7 |
| Memorial Day | Monday, May 29 |
| Juneteenth | Monday, June 19 |
| Independence Day | Tuesday, July 4 |
| Labor Day | Monday, Sept. 4 |
| Thanksgiving Day | Thursday, Nov. 23 |
| Christmas | Monday, Dec. 25 |
These are not all of the federally recognized holidays — which most banks recognize. Here are the additional holidays when most banks close, which means you might not be able to place an order on these days.
| Holiday | 2023 |
|---|---|
| Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples Day | Monday, Oct. 9 |
| Veterans Day | Friday, Nov. 10 |
Does the Stock Market Ever Close Early?
The NYSE is typically open Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. EST. According to the NYSE website, however, the stock market closes at 1 p.m. the day before Independence Day, the day after Thanksgiving and on Christmas Eve.
What Happens If a Market Holiday Falls on a Weekend?
If a market holiday falls on a weekend, the stock market will close on the Friday before or Monday after that holiday. For example, Dec. 25 fell on a Sunday in 2022, and so the NYSE was closed Monday, Dec. 26.
Will Nasdaq Be Open?
Per Nasdaq’s website, the NYSE and Nasdaq trading hours in the U.S. are the same:
- Standard trading hours from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. EST
- Observes 10 holidays throughout the year
- Pre-market and after-hours trading times available, similar to the NYSE
Can You Buy Stocks Even When the Stock Market Isn’t Open?
Technically, yes. The NYSE has a pre-opening session that begins at 6:30 a.m. EST, during which you will be able to enter orders, which will then be queued until the market opens at 9:30 a.m. EST.
Additionally, the NYSE offers after-hours trading, which typically ends around 8 p.m. EST. You can also technically trade on weekends through international markets where the time differences might allow you to place orders.
However, you cannot place orders on holidays or weekends when the stock market is closed.
Regular Trading Hours vs. After-Hours Trading
Trading after hours has advantages versus trading during regular hours. The convenience and flexibility allow investors to react more readily to news events that could affect companies. Because companies release earnings after regular trading hours, you could also use that figure to better strategize the orders you do place.
But you need to also consider the limitations of after-hours trading. For one, you can only place limit orders during this time, which means you would either buy or sell a stock at a limited designated price. And because there are generally fewer shares being traded during these hours, there is more volatility concerning share price and liquidity — the spread between the highest asking price and lowest selling price.
Information is accurate as of April 7, 2023.
The article above was refined via automated technology and then fine-tuned and verified for accuracy by a member of our editorial team.