Are stocks open on Memorial Day?

Are stocks open on Memorial Day?

Are stocks open on Memorial Day? Short answer: No — U.S. equity markets (New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq) are closed on Memorial Day, which is observed on the last Monday in May. Bond and many fixed-income trading desks follow similar holiday schedules, banks and postal services close, and certain operational workflows are suspended. Cryptocurrency markets remain open 24/7, and many retail and institutional platforms allow order placement while the underlying markets are closed.

Background — Memorial Day as a federal holiday

Memorial Day is a U.S. federal holiday observed on the last Monday in May. It honors U.S. military personnel who died while serving in the U.S. armed forces. Because Memorial Day is a federal holiday, many federal institutions — including the Federal Reserve, the U.S. Treasury operations tied to payment systems, and various federal agencies — observe the day. When federal services pause, financial markets and market infrastructure that depend on those services frequently follow the federal calendar.

Are stocks open on Memorial Day? Because Memorial Day is a federal holiday, the core U.S. equity exchanges do not hold normal trading sessions on that day. This closure aligns with long-standing market convention to observe major federal holidays when large portions of the financial infrastructure are not operating.

As of 2026-01-17, per NBC New York reporting on holiday schedules, Memorial Day continues to be observed as a market holiday for U.S. exchanges and many related institutions.

U.S. Equity Exchanges (NYSE, Nasdaq)

The two primary U.S. equity exchanges — the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and Nasdaq — do not open for regular trading on Memorial Day. Regular market hours for these exchanges are 9:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on normal trading days, but normal intraday trading and auction sessions do not occur on Memorial Day.

Are stocks open on Memorial Day? No. Traders and investors should expect no regular continuous trading session on that day on NYSE or Nasdaq. Market data feeds for regular session ticks will be suspended or replaced with holiday status messages from exchange data vendors.

Early-closing sessions around Memorial Day

While the exchanges are closed on Memorial Day itself, exchanges often publish calendars that list early-closing sessions on the trading day before a holiday weekend. These early-close dates and times vary year to year and are published in official exchange calendars. For example, in some years exchanges have scheduled an early close at 1:00 p.m. ET on the Friday before Memorial Day; in other years there is no early close. Always consult the current year’s official NYSE or Nasdaq holiday calendar for exact early-close details.

Are stocks open on Memorial Day and the weekend? Stocks remain closed on the holiday and the early-close schedule (if any) affects only the trading day immediately preceding the holiday. Keep in mind that pre-market and post-market sessions on the early-close day may also be shortened or suspended.

Bond and Fixed-Income Markets

U.S. bond and fixed-income markets generally follow similar holiday schedules to the equity exchanges. Primary dealers, inter-dealer brokers, and many institutional fixed-income trading desks observe Memorial Day, and trading in on-the-run Treasuries, corporate bonds and municipal securities can be reduced or halted depending on market conventions.

Are stocks open on Memorial Day? While the phrase applies to equities, the answer informs fixed income participants too: many fixed-income trading venues and clearing operations pause or operate on adjusted hours. The Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA) publishes annual holiday schedules and recommended operating hours for cash and settlement services; check current SIFMA guidance for year-specific early-close or holiday rules.

Brokerages, Order Execution and Extended Hours

Most retail broker platforms allow customers to place, edit, or cancel orders while markets are closed, but orders will queue and only execute when exchanges reopen according to their normal or adjusted schedules. Extended-hours trading (pre-market and after-hours) relies on active exchange sessions and liquidity providers; on market holidays, extended-hours sessions are typically not available.

Are stocks open on Memorial Day? No — but many brokerages accept order instructions during the holiday as queued or scheduled orders. For example, some brokers’ help pages explain that orders entered on a holiday will be held until the next market session and that market-on-open or market-on-close instructions will execute on the next applicable trading day. Retail clients should read their broker’s holiday-execution FAQs for specifics on order handling, priority rules and possible rejections for conditional orders referencing intraday price parameters.

Brokerages also vary in how they treat margin maintenance, interest accrual, and settlement on holidays. If you use margin or short-position services, confirm with your brokerage how margin calls and interest calculations are handled across a holiday weekend.

Other Financial Services and Operational Effects

Memorial Day affects more than just trading screens. Banks, the U.S. Postal Service, many government offices, and some clearinghouses observe the holiday. These closures can interfere with payment instructions, ACH processing, check clearing, notary availability, and corporate back-office processes that rely on bank processing days.

Are stocks open on Memorial Day? Even though equities are closed, the operational impact can ripple into trade processing: transfers into and out of brokerage accounts that rely on bank ACH rails will not settle on the holiday, and corporate actions that require certain bank confirmations may be delayed. Payment-related processes such as dividends paid via ACH or checks distributed by post can experience a delay equal to the holiday observance.

Settlement, Clearing and Payment Dates

Settlement and clearing timelines are directly influenced by market holidays. For U.S. listed equities, the industry moved to a T+1 settlement standard for most equity trades in 2024. Settlement standards mean a trade executed on a normal market day typically settles one business day later (trade date + 1 business day). When a market holiday or bank holiday falls within the settlement window, the settlement date shifts forward to the next business day when payment and clearing systems are operational.

Are stocks open on Memorial Day? The holiday can delay settlement milestones. For example, if you execute a trade on the Friday before Memorial Day and the market is closed on Monday, a T+1 settlement that would have occurred on Monday instead happens on Tuesday. That shift affects availability of funds, the timing of certificate transfers (where applicable), and the date on which a seller’s proceeds become usable for withdrawal or re-use.

Clearinghouses and custodians post holiday-adjusted settlement calendars annually. Brokers and firms typically publish client notices ahead of major holiday weekends explaining how settlement dates, dividend record dates, and corporate-action deadlines are affected. Traders and operations teams should consult their clearing firm’s announcements and the exchange holiday calendar to confirm exact settlement impacts for the current year.

International Markets and Other Asset Classes

Many international stock exchanges do not observe U.S. federal holidays and will remain open on Memorial Day. Because global market hours differ, international equities trading, FX markets, and global fixed-income trading may have normal sessions even when U.S. markets are closed. That said, liquidity for U.S.-listed securities denominated in USD and cross-listed instruments can be affected by U.S. closures.

Are stocks open on Memorial Day in other countries? Often yes — exchanges in Europe, Asia and elsewhere typically follow their own national calendars. If you trade internationally, verify each exchange’s local holiday schedule.

Cryptocurrency markets operate 24/7 globally and do not observe national holidays. Crypto trading venues, including decentralized exchanges and on-chain markets, continue to process trades and ledger state changes on Memorial Day. For investors who need access to tradable markets during U.S. holidays, crypto offers continuous liquidity. Consider using a secure wallet like Bitget Wallet and a regulated platform such as Bitget for custody and trading if you require 24/7 access. Note: continuous trading does not remove market risk, and on-chain settlement and custody behave differently from traditional securities clearing.

Historical and Unscheduled Market Closures

Besides scheduled holidays like Memorial Day, U.S. exchanges occasionally suspend trading for other reasons: national days of mourning, extreme weather, technical outages, or extraordinary market events. Historical examples include multi-hour or multi-day trading halts due to technical problems, and full-day closures for national memorials or security concerns. Exchange operators and regulators issue public notices when unscheduled closures occur.

Are stocks open on Memorial Day? Typically not. But even off-calendar closures may interact with holiday schedules and settlement cycles; your operational playbook should cover both scheduled holidays and contingencies for unexpected closures.

Practical Guidance for Investors and Traders

Here are concise, actionable steps to take before Memorial Day weekend:

• Confirm the holiday calendar: Check the current year’s official exchange holiday calendars for NYSE and Nasdaq to verify both the Memorial Day closure and any early-closing sessions announced for nearby dates.
• Check fixed-income schedules: Review SIFMA or fixed-income trade associations’ notices for bond-market early closes or holiday guidance.
• Review your broker’s policies: Confirm how your broker handles orders placed on market holidays, margin maintenance policies, and how settlement dates shift.
• Plan ACH and transfers: Move funds or initiate ACH transfers early enough to accommodate bank holidays and avoid delayed settlement or lack of buying power.
• Adjust corporate-action calendars: If you rely on dividend record dates or corporate meeting deadlines, confirm whether holidays affect those dates and plan accordingly.
• For continuous access, use crypto where appropriate: If you require market access during U.S. holidays, crypto markets run 24/7. Consider custody and wallet best practices and, where relevant, Bitget Wallet for secure private-key management and Bitget for trading access.
• Document operational contingencies: If you run trading operations or corporate treasuries, ensure backup staff and contingency protocols are in place for holiday weekends and any unscheduled disruptions.

Are stocks open on Memorial Day? No — but with planning, you can manage liquidity, execution and settlement risk across the holiday period.

References and Further Reading

Below are primary sources and reference points to verify holiday schedules and operational guidance. Search these resources by name to find the current-year calendars and notices (do not rely on cached or older pages):

• NYSE — Holidays & Trading Hours (official exchange calendar)
• Nasdaq — Trading Schedule / Holiday Calendar (official exchange calendar)
• SIFMA — Holiday Schedule and fixed-income operating guidance
• Fidelity — Stock Market Holidays guide
• Motley Fool — Stock Market Holidays & Early Closures overview
• Investopedia — Coverage: Is the Stock Market Open on Memorial Day?
• NBC New York — Local news coverage on market and public closures (example reporting)
• Cash App Help (example broker guidance on order handling during holidays)

As of 2026-01-17, per NBC New York reporting on holiday schedules, Memorial Day is observed by major U.S. exchanges and many financial institutions; always check the exchange calendar for the year in question for exact early-close times and any changes.

What to remember — quick checklist

• Are stocks open on Memorial Day? No — U.S. equity exchanges are closed.
• Bank and postal closures can delay transfers, ACH and check clearing.
• Settlement dates shift when holidays fall within the settlement window (T+1 for most U.S. equities since 2024).
• Fixed-income and international markets have their own calendars; check SIFMA and local exchanges.
• Crypto markets remain open 24/7; use secure custody and trusted wallets such as Bitget Wallet.

Further steps and Bitget services

If you want uninterrupted market access over a U.S. holiday weekend, cryptocurrencies provide continuous markets. Bitget offers 24/7 spot and derivatives markets for digital assets and integrated custody options. For private-key control and cross-chain asset management, consider Bitget Wallet. If you maintain traditional securities or need broker-assisted services, plan transfers and corporate action responses before the holiday and confirm settlement windows with your brokerage and custodian.

Are stocks open on Memorial Day? No — but you can maintain market access and operational readiness by combining careful timing, confirmed broker and custodian guidance, and alternative liquidity channels for out-of-hours needs.

Want to learn more about how to manage trading and settlement around market holidays, or to explore 24/7 trading and custody options? Explore Bitget’s educational resources and Bitget Wallet to prepare for holiday weekends and continuous market access.