is stock market closed on thanksgiving day?

Is the stock market closed on Thanksgiving Day?

Brief summary / short answer

Yes — is stock market closed on thanksgiving day? For major U.S. equity exchanges, the clear short answer is: U.S. stock exchanges such as the NYSE and Nasdaq are closed on Thanksgiving Day (the fourth Thursday in November). The day after Thanksgiving — commonly called Black Friday — is typically a shortened trading session with early close times for equities and many listed products. Cryptocurrency markets, in contrast, operate 24/7 and are not closed for U.S. federal holidays.

As of 2025-12-30, according to NYSE and Nasdaq published holiday calendars and exchange notices, Thanksgiving is listed as a full holiday and Black Friday is usually an early-close day. Always confirm the current-year schedule with your broker or the exchange.

Overview

This guide explains the standard practice for the U.S. stock market and related markets around Thanksgiving. It answers: is stock market closed on thanksgiving day; what happens on Black Friday; how other markets behave; and practical tips traders and investors should follow.

• The NYSE and Nasdaq observe Thanksgiving (the fourth Thursday in November) as a full holiday and do not hold regular trading.
• The day after Thanksgiving is normally a shortened session with early market close for many equity listings.
• These rules apply to the major U.S. equities exchanges and many linked marketplaces; however, fixed-income, derivatives and commodity exchanges may run modified hours.
• Cryptocurrency markets remain open 24/7 and are not subject to U.S. federal holidays, though liquidity often thins during holiday periods.

Historical and legal background

Thanksgiving as a federal holiday

Thanksgiving is a U.S. federal holiday held on the fourth Thursday in November. It was established as a national holiday to provide a day of thanksgiving and observance and has been part of the U.S. federal holiday calendar for decades. Because many government functions and financial services align with federal holidays, private institutions often mirror these closures for consistency.

Financial institutions and market participants frequently coordinate holidays with federal observances to standardize settlement, clearing, and operational staffing.

How exchanges adopted holiday observance

Major U.S. exchanges developed standardized holiday calendars to help market participants plan trading, clearing and settlement. Over time, the NYSE and Nasdaq formalized a set of observed holidays that include Thanksgiving. These calendars consider the needs of traders, clearinghouses, institutional participants and retail brokers.

Holiday observance reduces operational risk (fewer open venues when staffing is limited), simplifies settlement cycles when government services are closed, and reflects long-standing market tradition.

Official exchange schedules and rules

NYSE schedule and holiday rules

The NYSE publishes an annual holiday and trading hours calendar. Thanksgiving Day is listed as a full holiday on which regular session trading is not held. The NYSE also lists adjacent special hours when applicable — for example, Black Friday early-close times are published in the yearly calendar and relevant notices.

The NYSE also specifies observed-day rules: if a holiday date falls on a weekend, the exchange publishes which weekday will be treated as the observed holiday and whether trading hours are altered.

Nasdaq schedule and holiday rules

Nasdaq similarly publishes a yearly holiday schedule and trading hours table. Nasdaq treats Thanksgiving as a full holiday with no regular trading session. Nasdaq usually has a published early-close time for the Friday after Thanksgiving (Black Friday) and occasionally modified hours for other adjacent days. Nasdaq’s calendar is the authoritative source for Nasdaq-listed products.

Observed-day rules and weekend exceptions

When a holiday date falls on a weekend, exchanges apply an observed-day rule: the holiday is observed on the closest weekday (either the preceding Friday or the following Monday) according to the exchange’s rules. For example, if a fixed-date holiday landed on a Saturday, the exchange may observe it on Friday; if on a Sunday, it may observe it on Monday. Thanksgiving’s timing (fourth Thursday) rarely produces ambiguity, but exchanges document weekend-handling rules for other holidays.

Other U.S. markets and fixed-income products

Bond and fixed-income markets (SIFMA guidance)

Fixed-income markets (Treasury and corporate bonds, municipal securities) often follow a schedule that mirrors the broad U.S. holiday environment. Industry groups such as SIFMA historically provide guidance and calendars for fixed-income market participants. Typically:

• U.S. Treasury market and many fixed-income desks are closed on Thanksgiving Day.
• The day after Thanksgiving may have shortened hours for trade reporting and some interdealer platforms.

These schedules can vary by venue and product, and settlement windows may be adjusted to accommodate the holiday.

Options, ETFs and settlement implications

Options exchanges and listings generally follow the equity exchange holiday hours, but eligible options may have distinct early-close times on Black Friday. ETF trading hours often align with their primary listing exchange, so ETF trading is halted on Thanksgiving Day and may end early on Black Friday.

Settlement and clearing timelines must be considered: a holiday can shift T+1/T+2 settlement calendars and affect option expiration, corporate actions, record dates, and dividend processing. Traders should verify specific settlement effects with their broker or clearing firm.

Futures, commodities and global exchange hours

CME Group, ICE and commodity futures

Commodity and futures exchanges (for example, major derivatives venues) publish modified schedules for U.S. holidays. Around Thanksgiving, futures products often run altered sessions: some contract types observe early closes, others keep electronic trading active but pause open-outcry pits, and clearing windows can change.

Market participants should consult the official exchange holiday calendar for each venue (e.g., CME Group calendars or ICE notices) because hours vary by product (equity futures, interest-rate futures, energy products, agricultural contracts).

International markets

Non-U.S. exchanges usually operate according to their local public holidays; most do not close for U.S. Thanksgiving. However, liquidity on international markets can be affected by U.S. participants being out of the office, which may lower volume or widen spreads on products that routinely trade across regions.

Cryptocurrency markets

Cryptocurrency markets operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week and do not close for U.S. federal holidays. is stock market closed on thanksgiving day? — for crypto the answer is no: digital-asset trading continues. That said, liquidity and trading volume often decline on major U.S. holidays because institutional desks and retail traders participate less.

If you use a centralized exchange or custodian, note that operational teams (customer support, compliance, fiat rails) may have reduced staff on U.S. holidays. For self-custodied activity, blockchain settlement proceeds as usual.

Tip: consider using Bitget for crypto trading and Bitget Wallet for custody needs — both operate continuously and provide customer support channels that publish holiday staffing notices.

Market impact and practical considerations for traders and investors

Liquidity and volatility

Lower participation around Thanksgiving (both before and after the holiday) can reduce liquidity and lead to wider bid-ask spreads and larger price swings for a given order size. Thinner order books can translate into higher slippage for market orders and more intraday volatility.

Key points:

• Reduced market-making activity and institutional participation can widen spreads.
• News-driven moves may be amplified because fewer participants are available to absorb large trades.
• Crypto markets remain open but may also show reduced volume.

Order management and trading strategy

Practical advice for traders who are thinking: is stock market closed on thanksgiving day? — plan ahead.

• Confirm exchanges’ and your broker’s published holiday schedules before placing orders.
• Avoid placing large market orders during low-liquidity windows; use limit orders or break trades into smaller slices.
• Be mindful of early close times on Black Friday; orders left on the book may be unfilled or partially filled if market hours are shortened.
• Check whether your broker will accept, route, or hold orders during the holiday and what after-hours or extended-hours trading windows are available.
• Verify settlement dates for trades around the holiday; a holiday can shift T+1/T+2 settlement and affect cash availability.

Corporate actions and news flow

Companies sometimes schedule earnings releases, press announcements or corporate actions around the holiday week. When markets are closed or running abbreviated hours, corporate events can create out-of-hours price adjustments or influence sentiment when markets reopen.

• If a company issues material news while exchanges are closed, be ready for volatile re-opening sessions.
• Dividends, record dates, and proxy deadlines may be affected by the holiday, so consult issuer notices and your broker’s corporate action policies.

How to verify holiday hours (reliable sources)

To answer the question is stock market closed on thanksgiving day for a given year, check authoritative sources:

• NYSE holidays & trading hours page (exchange-published calendar)
• Nasdaq holiday and trading hours page (exchange-published calendar)
• CME Group and ICE holiday calendars for futures and commodity schedules
• SIFMA notices and fixed-income guidance for bond market observance
• Your broker’s holiday and order-routing notices for firm-specific handling

As of 2025-12-30, according to NYSE and Nasdaq published calendars, Thanksgiving is shown as a full holiday and Friday after Thanksgiving is an early-close day on many U.S. exchanges. Always confirm the current-year schedule with your broker, especially for settlement, margin, and after-hours trading.

Examples / Recent practice (illustrative)

Typical 2025–2026 practice (example)

As an illustrative example for recent practice: in 2025, exchanges listed Thanksgiving as a full holiday and scheduled an early close for the trading session on the Friday after Thanksgiving. For many equity listings, the early close has historically been at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Bond markets frequently observed the holiday and often shortened hours or suspended certain services on Black Friday; exact times vary by venue.

As of 2025-12-30, exchange calendars (NYSE and Nasdaq) and industry notices continued to follow this pattern year-to-year, though times and product coverage should always be checked in the current-year calendar.

Notable exceptions or special closures

Exchanges may announce atypical closures or schedule changes for extraordinary events such as national days of mourning or significant operational disruptions. Such announcements are rare but can result in unscheduled market closures or extended halts. Exchanges publish notices via their official channels when extraordinary actions are required.

Frequently asked questions (short Q&A)

Q: Is the stock market open on Black Friday? A: Traditionally, the stock market is open on Black Friday but with shortened hours — many years see an early close (commonly around 1:00 p.m. ET) on NYSE and Nasdaq. Always confirm the exchange calendar for the specific year.

Q: Are bond markets open on Thanksgiving? A: Major bond markets are typically closed on Thanksgiving Day; the day after Thanksgiving may have shortened hours. Consult SIFMA and Treasury market notices for definitive guidance each year.

Q: Do options trade on Thanksgiving? A: Options on equities do not trade during the regular session on Thanksgiving since the underlying exchanges are closed. Options activity may be affected on adjacent early-close days; check the options exchange calendar for specifics.

Q: Are cryptocurrency exchanges affected by Thanksgiving? A: Cryptocurrency markets operate 24/7 and do not close for Thanksgiving. However, liquidity and volume may decline as U.S. participants step away for the holiday.

References and official sources

Below are the primary authoritative sources to consult for current-year hours and any schedule changes. For each trading year, confirm the published calendar and exchange notices:

• NYSE holidays & trading hours (exchange-published calendar)
• Nasdaq holiday and trading hours (exchange-published calendar)
• SIFMA notices and fixed-income guidance
• CME Group and ICE holiday calendars (for futures and commodities)
• Broker and clearing firm notices regarding order handling and settlement

As of 2025-12-30, according to NYSE and Nasdaq published holiday calendars, Thanksgiving is recognized as a full holiday while the Friday following is typically an early-close session. For any specific trade date, always verify with the exchange and your broker.

Practical checklist: preparing for Thanksgiving-week trading

• Verify the exchange calendar for this year to confirm is stock market closed on thanksgiving day and the Black Friday schedule.
• Confirm with your broker whether orders will be accepted, routed, or held during the holiday.
• Adjust trade size and execution style for thinner liquidity and potential slippage.
• Check settlement implications (T+1/T+2) to avoid funding shortfalls.
• Monitor corporate action dates that may be affected by the holiday week.
• If you trade cryptocurrencies, plan for lower liquidity but continuous trading availability; consider Bitget’s platform and Bitget Wallet if you need 24/7 access with platform support.

More on operational risk and unusual events

Market closures for Thanksgiving are planned and routine, but exchanges retain authority to take extraordinary measures for unplanned events (cybersecurity incidents, major systems failures, or national emergency actions). Participants should follow exchange notices and registered broker communications for any unusual scheduling.

Actionable next steps

• If you manage active orders, review the exchange calendar now and adjust orders or trading windows to avoid unexpected fills during low-liquidity sessions.
• Confirm settlement and margin windows with your broker to avoid trade breaks or margin calls during holiday-affected settlement cycles.
• For crypto traders, ensure keys and custody arrangements are in order; Bitget Wallet provides continuous access if you require uninterrupted trading and custody services.

Further exploration: visit your broker’s holiday disclosure page and the exchange calendar for this year to answer specific timing questions. For crypto, check platform announcements for any operational staffing changes during U.S. holidays.