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Quick Answer: No — The Stock Market Is Closed on Memorial Day 2026
The U.S. stock market is closed on Monday, May 25, 2026, in observance of Memorial Day. Both the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the Nasdaq will be shut for the entire day. Regular stock trading will resume on Tuesday, May 26, at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time.
If you were planning to buy or sell stocks, ETFs, or mutual funds on Monday — you’ll need to wait until Tuesday morning.
What Exactly Is Closed on Memorial Day 2026?
Memorial Day is one of the ten official stock market holidays recognized by U.S. exchanges each year. Here’s exactly what shuts down and what doesn’t:
Fully Closed (all day):
- New York Stock Exchange (NYSE)
- Nasdaq Stock Market
- U.S. Bond Market (Treasuries, corporate bonds, municipal bonds)
- Most major U.S. brokerage platforms for live order execution
Already Closed Early (Friday, May 22):
- The U.S. bond market closed at 2:00 p.m. ET on Friday ahead of the long weekend, as recommended by SIFMA (Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association)
Still Active During the Closure:
- Stock index futures (S&P 500, Nasdaq, Dow Jones futures)
- International stock markets (London, Tokyo, Frankfurt all trade normally)
- Cryptocurrency markets (crypto never closes — Bitcoin, Ethereum trade 24/7)
- Oil, gold, and commodity futures markets
This distinction matters. Just because the NYSE and Nasdaq are closed doesn’t mean prices stop moving. If something major happens over the weekend — a geopolitical event, an economic report from overseas, a surprise earnings announcement — futures markets will reflect that instantly, and stocks can open significantly higher or lower on Tuesday.
Memorial Day 2026: Full Timeline for Investors
| Day | Market Status |
|---|---|
| Friday, May 22 | Stocks: Normal hours (9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. ET) |
| Friday, May 22 | Bond market: Early close at 2:00 p.m. ET |
| Saturday, May 23 | Closed (weekend) |
| Sunday, May 24 | Closed (weekend) |
| Monday, May 25 | Closed — Memorial Day |
| Tuesday, May 26 | Reopens — Normal hours 9:30 a.m. ET |
Why Is the Stock Market Closed on Memorial Day?
Memorial Day is a federal holiday. The United States observes it on the last Monday of May every year to honor the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. As a federal holiday, it triggers official market closures at both the NYSE and Nasdaq, just like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Independence Day.
The NYSE and Nasdaq follow the same federal holiday calendar used by the government and most major financial institutions. When Washington shuts down, Wall Street follows.
What About Pre-Market and After-Hours Trading?
This is a common question. Pre-market trading (typically 4:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. ET) and after-hours trading (4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. ET) are extended trading sessions offered by many brokers — but they only operate on regular trading days. On Memorial Day, even these extended sessions are suspended at most brokerages. Your orders may be queued, but they won’t execute until the regular session opens Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. ET.
One important risk to keep in mind: if you placed a market order on Friday that didn’t execute before close, that order may sit in a queue over the long weekend and execute at Tuesday’s opening price — which could be significantly different from Friday’s close if futures markets moved during the holiday. If you have open market orders, check your brokerage account before Tuesday’s open.
T+1 Settlement: What the Holiday Means for Your Cash
Under the current U.S. T+1 settlement rule, most stock and ETF trades settle one business day after the trade date. Memorial Day does not count as a business day for settlement purposes.
Here’s what that means practically:
- A stock you sold on Friday, May 22 will settle on Tuesday, May 26 — not Monday
- Cash from that sale will not be available in your account until Tuesday
- If you’re trading in a cash account (not a margin account), you cannot use unsettled funds to buy new positions until the settlement completes
For most long-term investors, this is a non-issue. But for active traders managing cash balances, it’s worth being aware of the extended settlement window this weekend creates.
Does the “Holiday Effect” Apply to Memorial Day?
Financial researchers have documented what’s sometimes called the “holiday effect” — a tendency for stocks to post slightly above-average returns in the trading sessions immediately before and after major market holidays. The theory is that investor sentiment tends to be more optimistic around holiday weekends, leading to higher buying activity.
Whether this effect is reliable or large enough to trade around is debated. What is more measurable is that trading volume tends to be lighter in the days surrounding a three-day weekend, which can lead to increased price volatility on the day before (Friday) and the day after (Tuesday) the holiday. Lighter volume means larger price swings on any given order — something active traders should account for.
Full U.S. Stock Market Holiday Schedule 2026
Since you’re here, here’s the complete list of every stock market closure for the rest of 2026, so you can plan your trading calendar:
| Holiday | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| Memorial Day | May 25 | Monday ← You Are Here |
| Juneteenth | June 19 | Friday |
| Independence Day | July 3 | Friday |
| Labor Day | Sept. 7 | Monday |
| Thanksgiving | Nov. 26 | Thursday |
| Day After Thanksgiving | Nov. 27 | Friday (1:00 p.m. early close) |
| Christmas Eve | Dec. 24 | Thursday (1:00 p.m. early close) |
| Christmas Day | Dec. 25 | Friday |
What Should You Do Before Tuesday’s Open?
If you’re an active investor or trader, here’s a practical checklist for the Memorial Day weekend:
Review open orders. Any market orders that didn’t execute Friday may fill at Tuesday’s opening price. Consider canceling and resubmitting after you’ve seen where things open.
Watch futures Sunday night. S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 futures begin trading Sunday evening around 6:00 p.m. ET. Checking them before bed on Sunday gives you a sense of where Tuesday’s open is headed before the regular session starts.
Don’t ignore international news. European and Asian markets trade normally on Monday. A major move in European stocks or a surprise announcement from the Fed, Treasury, or overseas central banks can shift Tuesday’s open significantly.
Check your settled cash. If you’re in a cash account and sold anything last week, confirm when that cash settles before trying to redeploy it Tuesday morning.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Is the stock market open on Memorial Day 2026? No. Both the NYSE and Nasdaq are fully closed on Monday, May 25, 2026. Regular trading resumes Tuesday, May 26 at 9:30 a.m. ET.
Q: Is the bond market closed on Memorial Day 2026? Yes. The U.S. bond market is fully closed on Memorial Day. It also closed early at 2:00 p.m. ET on Friday, May 22, ahead of the long weekend.
Q: Can I still trade crypto on Memorial Day? Yes. Cryptocurrency exchanges like Coinbase and Binance operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including holidays. Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other cryptocurrencies trade normally on Memorial Day.
Q: Do stock futures trade on Memorial Day? Yes. Stock index futures — including S&P 500, Nasdaq 100, and Dow Jones futures — continue to trade during the holiday. However, futures movement does not mean NYSE or Nasdaq stocks are open.
Q: Will my brokerage be open on Memorial Day? Most major brokerages (Fidelity, Schwab, TD Ameritrade, Robinhood, E*TRADE) will not execute regular stock or ETF orders on Memorial Day since the exchanges are closed. Customer support hours may also be reduced. Check your specific broker’s holiday hours.
Q: What time does the stock market reopen after Memorial Day 2026? The NYSE and Nasdaq reopen for regular trading on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time.
Q: Does Memorial Day affect my stock settlement? Yes. Under T+1 settlement, a stock sold on Friday, May 22 will settle on Tuesday, May 26 — not Monday, because Memorial Day doesn’t count as a business day for settlement purposes.
Q: What are the remaining stock market holidays in 2026? After Memorial Day, the remaining closures are: Juneteenth (June 19), Independence Day (July 3), Labor Day (Sept. 7), Thanksgiving (Nov. 26), a 1 p.m. early close on Nov. 27, a 1 p.m. early close on Dec. 24, and Christmas Day (Dec. 25).
Q: Is the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) open on Memorial Day? No. The NYSE is closed all day on Monday, May 25, 2026, in observance of Memorial Day. It reopens at 9:30 a.m. ET on Tuesday, May 26.
Q: Is Nasdaq open on Memorial Day? No. The Nasdaq is fully closed on Memorial Day 2026, just like the NYSE. Both exchanges follow the same federal holiday schedule.
Bottom Line
The stock market is closed on Memorial Day 2026 — Monday, May 25. NYSE and Nasdaq are shut for the full day. The bond market closed early on Friday. Regular trading resumes Tuesday, May 26 at 9:30 a.m. ET.
If you have open orders, check them before Tuesday. Watch futures Sunday night for early signals. And if you’re holding cash in a brokerage account from Friday’s sales, that cash settles Tuesday — not Monday.
Enjoy the long weekend.
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