Stock Market Hours on Veterans Day

Yes, the stock market is closed on Veterans Day

The stock market closes on Veterans Day, which falls on November 11 each year. When November 11 is a weekend, the market observes the holiday on the nearest weekday — usually the Friday before if November 11 falls on a Saturday, or the Monday after if it falls on a Sunday. On Veterans Day, the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the Nasdaq do not open, and no stocks trade.

This closure affects all equity markets in the United States. Bond markets also close. Futures markets and cryptocurrency exchanges may operate on different schedules, but the main stock exchanges where most individual investors buy and sell shares are shut for the day. If you hold stocks or ETFs, you cannot buy or sell them on Veterans Day through any U.S. broker.

Key Takeaways

• The NYSE and Nasdaq close completely on Veterans Day (November 11), with no stock trading occurring.
• When Veterans Day falls on a weekend, the market observes the holiday on the nearest weekday instead.
• You cannot place market orders on Veterans Day, but you can place limit orders or other orders that will execute when the market reopens.
• The market reopens for normal trading hours the next business day after the holiday.

What happens to your orders on Veterans Day

If you place a limit order or a stop order before the market closes on the day before Veterans Day, that order remains active and will execute when the market reopens — assuming the stock price reaches your specified price. Market orders (orders to buy or sell immediately at the current price) cannot be placed while the market is closed. Your broker's website will not accept a market order submission on a day when the exchange is not operating.

Some brokers allow you to place orders during after-hours trading (typically 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern time) or before the market opens (typically 7 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Eastern time), but these orders will not execute until regular trading hours resume. The price at which your order executes may differ from the price you saw the day before, because news and events can move stock prices overnight or over a multi-day weekend. If you want certainty about the price, a limit order is your best option.

Other U.S. market holidays that close the stock exchange

Veterans Day is one of nine days each year when the NYSE and Nasdaq close entirely. The full list includes New Year's Day (January 1), Martin Luther King Jr. Day (third Monday in January), Presidents' Day (third Monday in February), Good Friday (the Friday before Easter), Memorial Day (last Monday in May), Juneteenth (June 19), Independence Day (July 4), Labor Day (first Monday in September), Thanksgiving Day (fourth Thursday in November), and Christmas Day (December 25).

The day after Thanksgiving is not an official market holiday, but the market closes early at 1 p.m. Eastern time. The same early close happens on the day before Christmas if Christmas falls on a weekday. On all other trading days, the market opens at 9:30 a.m. Eastern time and closes at 4 p.m. Eastern time. Knowing these dates in advance helps you plan trades and avoid placing orders you cannot execute.

Planning around market closures

If you know you want to buy or sell a stock around a holiday, place your order before the market closes on the last trading day before the closure. A limit order will sit in the queue and execute when the market reopens if your price is reached. This gives you control over the price you pay or receive, rather than waiting until the market opens and accepting whatever price is current at that moment.

Be aware that stock prices can move significantly over a multi-day weekend or holiday break. News released over the weekend or on the holiday itself will be reflected in the opening price when trading resumes. If you are holding a stock through a holiday, check the news before the market opens to understand what may have changed. Major announcements from companies or economic data releases can cause the opening price to gap up or down from the previous close.

International markets and Veterans Day

Veterans Day is a U.S. holiday only. International stock exchanges — the London Stock Exchange, the Tokyo Stock Exchange, the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, and others — operate on their own holiday schedules and remain open when the U.S. market is closed. If you own shares in foreign companies or international ETFs, those positions may trade while the U.S. market is closed, though you cannot buy or sell them through a U.S. broker until the U.S. market reopens.

This means that if major news breaks on Veterans Day affecting a foreign company, its stock price may move on its home exchange before you have a chance to react through your U.S. broker. When the U.S. market opens the next day, the price of that foreign stock or international ETF may have already adjusted. This is one reason some investors monitor international markets even when the U.S. market is closed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I trade stocks on Veterans Day?

No. The NYSE and Nasdaq are closed on Veterans Day, and you cannot place market orders or execute trades through a standard U.S. broker. You can place limit orders that will execute when the market reopens the next business day.

What if Veterans Day falls on a Saturday or Sunday?

The market observes the holiday on the nearest weekday. If November 11 is a Saturday, the market closes on Friday, November 10. If November 11 is a Sunday, the market closes on Monday, November 12.

Do bond markets close on Veterans Day?

Yes. The bond market, including Treasury securities, closes on Veterans Day along with the stock market. Forex and cryptocurrency markets may operate on different schedules depending on the exchange.

Will my stock price change over the Veterans Day holiday?

Yes, it may. News released over the weekend or on the holiday can move stock prices. When the market reopens, the opening price may be higher or lower than the closing price from the day before the holiday. Check the news before market open to understand what may have changed.

Can I place orders before Veterans Day that will execute after?

Yes. Limit orders and stop orders placed before the market closes on the last trading day before Veterans Day will remain active and execute when the market reopens, provided the stock price reaches your specified level. Market orders cannot be placed while the market is closed.