Stock Market Hours on Veterans Day: What You Need to Know
The stock market is closed on Veterans Day
The U.S. stock market does not trade on Veterans Day, which falls on November 11 each year. All major exchanges — the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the NASDAQ — shut down completely. Bond markets and futures markets also close. If November 11 falls on a weekend, the market observes the holiday on the nearest weekday that the federal government designates.
This means you cannot buy or sell stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, or other securities on Veterans Day itself. Any orders you place will not execute until the market reopens the following trading day. If you have set up automatic investments or dividend reinvestment, those typically process on the next open day instead.
Key Takeaways
- The stock market closes entirely on Veterans Day (November 11), and no trades execute on that day.
- If you try to place a trade on Veterans Day, your broker will hold it until the market opens the next trading day.
- Automatic investments and dividend reinvestments scheduled for Veterans Day will process the following trading day.
- International stock exchanges may have different holiday schedules, so trading in foreign markets may still occur.
How the market closure affects your orders
If you submit a buy or sell order while the market is closed on Veterans Day, your broker accepts the order but does not send it to the exchange. Instead, the order sits in a queue and automatically submits when the market opens the next morning. This means your trade will execute at whatever price the stock opens at, not at the price you saw when you placed the order.
For limit orders — where you specify the exact price you are willing to buy or sell at — the order remains active when the market reopens. If the stock price hits your limit, the trade executes. If it does not, the order stays open according to your broker's default settings (usually until the end of that trading day, unless you set it to remain open longer).
What happens to automatic investments on Veterans Day
Many investors set up recurring purchases through their brokerage or retirement account — for example, $500 invested every 15th of the month. If that date falls on Veterans Day, the transaction does not process that day. Your broker will typically execute the purchase on the next trading day instead, using that day's closing price or the opening price the following morning, depending on your broker's rules.
Dividend reinvestment plans (DRIPs) work the same way. If a dividend payment is scheduled for Veterans Day, the cash sits in your account until the market reopens, and the reinvestment happens the next trading day. Check your broker's website or call their customer service line if you want to confirm exactly when your scheduled transaction will process.
When Veterans Day falls on a weekend
Veterans Day is always November 11, but when that date lands on a Saturday or Sunday, the federal government observes the holiday on the nearest weekday. In recent years, this has meant the market closed on Friday (when November 11 fell on Saturday) or Monday (when November 11 fell on Sunday).
Your broker will announce the observed holiday date well in advance. You can also check the NYSE or NASDAQ holiday calendar on their websites, which lists every day the market will be closed for the year. If you are unsure whether the market is open on a particular day, that calendar is the definitive source.
Other U.S. market holidays to plan around
Veterans Day is one of nine days each year when U.S. stock exchanges close completely. The others are New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, and Thanksgiving. The market also closes early (at 1 p.m. Eastern time) on the day after Thanksgiving and on Christmas Eve.
If you are building a long-term investment plan or setting up automatic purchases, knowing these dates helps you avoid confusion when your trades do not execute as expected. Most brokers send email reminders before major holidays, but checking the exchange calendar yourself is a reliable backup.
International markets and Veterans Day
If you own stocks or ETFs that trade on exchanges outside the United States — such as the London Stock Exchange or Tokyo Stock Exchange — those markets may be open on Veterans Day. U.S. holidays do not affect international exchanges. However, if you are trading through a U.S. broker, you may face delays in executing trades on foreign exchanges if your broker's systems are closed.
Some U.S. brokers offer extended-hours trading or access to foreign markets even when the NYSE and NASDAQ are closed, but this varies by broker and by the specific market. If you hold international investments, ask your broker whether you can trade them on U.S. holidays.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I trade stocks on Veterans Day?
No. The NYSE, NASDAQ, and all U.S. stock exchanges close on Veterans Day (November 11). You cannot buy or sell stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, or most other securities. Any orders you place will not execute until the market reopens the next trading day.
What happens to my buy order if I place it on Veterans Day?
Your broker holds the order and submits it when the market opens the next day. The trade will execute at that day's price, not the price you saw when you placed the order. If you used a limit order, it remains active and executes only if the stock hits your specified price.
Will my automatic investment process on Veterans Day?
No. Recurring purchases and dividend reinvestments scheduled for Veterans Day will process on the next trading day instead. The amount invested and the price used depend on your broker's specific rules, so check with them if you want exact details.
How do I know if the market is open on a specific day?
Check the NYSE or NASDAQ holiday calendar on their websites. Both exchanges publish their full annual calendar showing every day they will be closed. Your broker also typically sends reminders before major holidays.
Does Veterans Day affect international stock markets?
No. International exchanges operate on their own holiday schedules and are open on U.S. Veterans Day. However, your U.S. broker may have limited ability to execute trades on foreign exchanges while the NYSE and NASDAQ are closed, depending on the broker's systems.