does stock market open on thanksgiving day? Guide

Quick answer and scope

Does stock market open on thanksgiving day is a common question every November for investors and traders planning order flow, transfers, or rebalancing. In short: for U.S. equities, the answer is no — major U.S. exchanges (for example, NYSE and Nasdaq) are closed on Thanksgiving Day. The day after Thanksgiving — Black Friday — is usually a shortened trading session, though exact hours vary by year and market segment.

This article covers U.S. equities first, then explains how related markets (fixed income, futures, options), broker platforms, extended-hours trading, and 24/7 crypto trading differ. It also includes practical guidance, authoritative sources to check for the current year, and an FAQ to answer the most common concerns about “does stock market open on thanksgiving day.” You will learn what to verify, what to expect for liquidity and settlement, and how to reduce operational surprises during Thanksgiving week.

Background — Thanksgiving as a Market Holiday

Thanksgiving in the United States is observed on the fourth Thursday in November. Historically, U.S. equity exchanges adopt the federal-holiday convention for this day because it aligns with national observance, leads to very low trading volumes, and dates back to long-standing marketplace practices.

Exchanges typically close on major federal holidays to reflect both institutional closures (banks, many broker back offices) and the expectation of thin liquidity. That cultural and operational alignment is the main reason the question “does stock market open on thanksgiving day” almost always has the same practical answer for U.S. equities.

Note: holiday observance is a convention — exchanges publish calendars each year and occasionally make small adjustments when the holiday falls on a weekend or when special market conditions require different handling.

Official Exchange Policies and Schedules

Major U.S. exchanges announce holiday and early-close schedules well in advance. Traders and firms should consult the exchange calendar for the applicable year because specific early-close times and exceptions can change.

Exchanges publish official holiday pages and notices that show which days are full holidays (closed), which days have modified hours (early close), and how extended-hours sessions are treated. Because operational and settlement systems depend on those official declarations, always verify the exchange calendar and any broker-specific notices for the year you are trading.

New York Stock Exchange (NYSE)

The NYSE traditionally closes for Thanksgiving Day. Normal regular session hours on trading days are 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. When exchanges announce an early close, the NYSE typically moves the close to a prescribed earlier time (for example, 1:00 p.m. ET) for the regular session while maintaining conventions for pre-market and after-hours sessions.

When you ask “does stock market open on thanksgiving day?” the NYSE answer is that it is closed on Thanksgiving Day; for Black Friday the NYSE commonly schedules an early close — but the exact early-close time is set in the annual calendar and can vary.

As of January 01, 2026, per NYSE holidays and trading hours notices, Thanksgiving Day is listed as a full exchange holiday and the day after Thanksgiving is typically an early-close session. Exchanges post the definitive year-by-year schedule and any adjustments that apply to trading and settlement.

Nasdaq

Nasdaq also observes Thanksgiving as a full holiday for the core regular session. Nasdaq’s regular trading hours are 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET, with pre-market and post-market extended trading windows. Nasdaq publishes its holiday schedule each year; in most years Nasdaq is closed on Thanksgiving Day and operates a shortened session on the Friday after Thanksgiving.

When evaluating “does stock market open on thanksgiving day” for Nasdaq-listed securities, treat the exchange calendar as authoritative and check whether Nasdaq’s extended hours or auction processes are modified for nearby days.

Other U.S. Equity Venues (NYSE Arca, NYSE American, regional exchanges)

Other U.S. equity venues generally follow the holiday observances of the primary exchanges and will commonly be closed on Thanksgiving Day. However, some venues may have small differences in session windows for electronic auctions, extended hours, or certain types of listings. Regional exchanges and alternative trading systems can publish slightly different schedules for modified or late trading windows.

Recommendation: check the specific venue calendar if you trade on NYSE Arca, NYSE American, or regional venues, especially if you rely on late-afternoon liquidity or special auction processes.

Related Markets — Bonds, Futures, and Options

Not all market segments follow the equity schedule exactly. Bonds, futures, and options can have full closures, early closes, or modified hours that differ from equities. Settlement and clearing operations may also operate on different timetables.

• Treasury and corporate bond trading: some cash fixed-income desks are quiet and some venues reduce hours. Clearing and settlement windows can be affected because many bank operations are closed for the federal holiday.
• Futures (CME Group, ICE, and others): futures products may continue electronic trading with a shortened or modified schedule; some futures markets open overnight while others observe the holiday and move to early closes. For example, certain equity-index futures often have special handling around U.S. market holidays.
• Options: exchange options may follow the equity holiday convention but can have special opening auction rules, market maker obligations, or early-close times for the Friday after Thanksgiving.

Because each derivative or fixed-income venue sets its own hours, consult the exchange or clearinghouse for the instruments you trade. Brokers also send client notices ahead of holiday-adjusted schedules. SIFMA publishes recommendations for fixed-income market holidays and notes settlement changes around U.S. holidays.

Key operational point: settlement cycles (for example, T+1 for many U.S. equity trades) still consider exchange holidays and banking closures. If a holiday shortens the business-day calendar, settlement dates and funds availability may be pushed. Confirm how your broker treats cutoffs for deposits, wire transfers, and settlement instructions around Thanksgiving week.

After-Hours / Extended Trading and Broker Differences

Many brokers offer pre-market and after-hours trading on normal days, but availability, order types, and symbols permitted in extended sessions can differ significantly from regular hours. On holiday-adjacent shortened sessions (e.g., Black Friday early close), brokers may restrict trading or route orders differently to manage liquidity risk.

When planning around the question “does stock market open on thanksgiving day,” remember that even where markets are open or offer limited extended trading, liquidity often thins substantially and spreads widen. Brokers may:

• Limit order types in extended hours (e.g., accept only limit orders).
• Adjust margin requirements for risk control.
• Publish modified order-routing or execution policies for short sessions.

If you rely on broker-provided extended trading, check your broker’s holiday notices and verify symbol coverage, trading windows, and order handling on the specific days in question.

If you use Bitget for spot trading or Bitget Wallet for custody and transfers, note that cryptocurrency services are typically separate from U.S. equity holiday calendars — see the Crypto section below — and Bitget’s platform notices explain any scheduled maintenance that could affect availability.

Cryptocurrencies and 24/7 Markets

Cryptocurrency markets operate 24/7 and therefore are not bound by exchange holiday calendars used by U.S. equities. That means the direct answer to “does stock market open on thanksgiving day” does not apply to crypto: crypto trading continues through Thanksgiving unless an individual crypto trading venue or wallet provider schedules maintenance or an outage.

However, practical caveats apply:

• Liquidity on crypto markets can still move on thin volume days as institutional participants may step away for holidays.
• Gateways between fiat rails and crypto (on/off ramps) may be affected by bank holidays. Even though crypto order books run, depositing or withdrawing fiat may be delayed due to banking closures.
• Custodial services, KYC support, and fiat operations offered by exchanges or wallets (including Bitget Wallet-related fiat services) may have reduced hours or processing during U.S. bank holidays.

Always check provider notices for scheduled maintenance or deposit/withdrawal processing times. For crypto-only operations (on-chain transfers), the network does not observe holidays, but centralized services involved in custody or settlement sometimes do.

Typical Holiday Pattern and Common Variations

A common pattern around Thanksgiving week for U.S. markets is:

• Thanksgiving Day (fourth Thursday in November): U.S. equities exchanges are closed.
• Black Friday (the Friday immediately after Thanksgiving): equities often trade a shortened session with an early close in the early afternoon ET (for example, many years use a 1:00 p.m. ET close for the regular session, though the exact hour can vary).
• Weekend: normal closures on Saturday and Sunday, with markets resuming on Monday per usual hours.

Occasional variations:

• If Thanksgiving coincides with other market events or regulatory schedules, exchanges may issue special notices that adjust auction windows or order handling.
• If a holiday falls on a weekend, exchanges typically observe the holiday on an adjacent weekday; check the exchange calendar for the observed date.

Because times change from year to year, the definitive answer to “does stock market open on thanksgiving day” remains: equities are closed on Thanksgiving Day — but verify early-close times and any instrument-specific variations for the Friday after Thanksgiving.

Historical Market Behavior During Thanksgiving Week

Empirical observations across many years show some consistent patterns during Thanksgiving week:

• Lower volumes: trading volumes typically decline on Thanksgiving Day and often remain subdued on Black Friday. Lower participation tends to reduce liquidity and can widen bid-ask spreads.
• Muted intraday moves: with fewer participants, intraday volatility is often lower, though headline-driven events can produce outsized moves when they occur.
• Calendar biases: some historical studies and market commentaries note a mild positive bias in returns on certain days around the Thanksgiving holiday, but these effects are small, inconsistent, and not reliable trading signals.

As of November 2024, several market observers reported that average trading volumes on Thanksgiving Day and the following Friday can decline by roughly 20%–40% compared with an average full trading day. These figures vary by year, by exchange, and by asset type. Past patterns are helpful for planning but should not be interpreted as predictive.

Key reminder: patterns are statistical observations, not guarantees. Low-volume days can amplify market impact for larger orders and can create execution uncertainty.

Practical Guidance for Traders and Investors

If you are planning around the question “does stock market open on thanksgiving day,” follow these pragmatic steps:

• Verify official calendars now: consult exchange holiday pages and your broker’s holiday notices for the current calendar year and for the specific instruments you trade.
• Plan orders in advance: place time-sensitive orders ahead of the holiday and consider limit orders to control execution price on thin-volume sessions.
• Watch liquidity and spreads: expect reduced liquidity and wider spreads on early-close days; if you rely on intraday liquidity, reduce position sizes or stagger trades.
• Confirm settlement implications: holidays can affect settlement dates, funds availability, and transfer cutoffs. If you need funds or settlements to clear by a certain date, account for holiday-adjusted business days.
• Check broker-specific rules: margin requirements, order types, and extended-hours access can change for holiday weeks. Read broker email notices or platform bulletins.
• For crypto-related operations using Bitget or Bitget Wallet: while on-chain trading keeps running, fiat deposit/withdrawal times and customer support hours may change around U.S. bank holidays.

These steps reduce operational risk and surprise. They are especially important for institutional traders, corporate treasuries, and anyone executing larger block trades.

How to Check Current-Year Holiday Schedules

Authoritative sources to check for up-to-date schedules include:

• Official exchange holiday pages (example: NYSE holidays and trading hours; Nasdaq holiday schedule).
• Exchange notices and circulars for the year (clearinghouse notices may also be relevant for derivatives).
• SIFMA holiday recommendations for fixed-income settlement guidance and banking-business-day calendars.
• Your broker’s client notices and platform announcements (they summarize how exchanges and clearing changes affect customer orders).

As of January 01, 2026, per exchange holiday notices and SIFMA guidance, the standard convention holds: Thanksgiving Day is a full holiday for U.S. equities, and the Friday after Thanksgiving is typically an early-close day. Always cross-check the exact times and instruments for the year you are trading.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Is the stock market open on Thanksgiving?
A: No, U.S. equity exchanges are closed on Thanksgiving Day.

Q: Is the market open on Black Friday?
A: Typically the market is open for a shortened session on the Friday after Thanksgiving, but the exchange sets the exact early-close time each year — check the current-year calendar.

Q: Are cryptocurrencies affected by Thanksgiving holidays?
A: No — crypto markets operate 24/7. However, fiat on-ramps, custodial services, and customer support from centralized providers may have reduced hours.

Q: Do international markets follow the same schedule?
A: No — holiday schedules vary by country and exchange. Many international markets are open on U.S. Thanksgiving.

Q: Where should I look for the official answer to “does stock market open on thanksgiving day” for my trades?
A: Check the exchange’s official holiday calendar and your broker’s holiday notifications for the current year.

See Also

• U.S. exchange holiday calendars and notices
• Extended-hours trading and risk management
• SIFMA holiday recommendations and settlement guidance
• Settlement cycles: T+1 and other timing considerations
• Cryptocurrency market hours and on-chain transfer timing

References (authoritative sources to consult)

• NYSE — official holidays and trading hours (check the year-specific notice).
• Nasdaq — annual holiday schedule and early-close notices.
• SIFMA — U.S. market and settlement holiday guidance for fixed income.
• Investopedia and market research summaries that analyze Thanksgiving-week volume and return patterns.
• Broker holiday notices and institutional clearinghouse circulars that apply to your account.

As of January 01, 2026, per publicly posted exchange calendars and SIFMA notices, the stated conventions above (closed on Thanksgiving; shortened session on Black Friday) represent standard practice. For exact times and instrument-specific rules for the current year, consult the exchange and your broker.

Practical next steps and Bitget note

If you trade U.S. equities, mark the exchange holiday calendars in your trading calendar and confirm broker cutoffs for funds and settlement. If you are active in cryptocurrencies or need 24/7 trading infrastructure, consider using Bitget and Bitget Wallet for custody and trading needs; crypto markets continue to operate during U.S. holidays, but always check Bitget platform notices for any scheduled maintenance.

Explore Bitget features and platform notices for holiday operating hours and to learn how to manage fiat transfers and custody during bank holidays.

Further exploration: check your broker’s holiday notice now to confirm the exact trading hours for this year and plan your trades accordingly.

Authors’ note on data and timeliness

• As of January 01, 2026, exchange holiday calendars and SIFMA guidance indicate that U.S. equity exchanges remain closed on Thanksgiving Day and typically have an early close on the Friday after Thanksgiving.
• As of November 2024, market observers documented that trading volumes on Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday often fall roughly 20%–40% from normal daily averages, reflecting lower participation. Refer to exchange-specific and research sources for year-by-year figures.

All statements here are factual summaries and reference exchange and industry guidance. This article is educational and operational in intent; it is not investment advice. Check the authoritative exchange calendars and your broker’s notices for the definitive schedule applicable to your accounts.