Stock markets are not open 365 days per year. Instead, they close for holidays and, sometimes, at other times of great national or international importance.
Stock market holidays vary from country to country.
NYSE holidays
NYSE shuts for stock trading on the following holidays:
- New Year’s Day
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- Presidents’ Day/Washington’s Birthday
- Good Friday
- Memorial Day
- Independence Day
- Labor Day
- Thanksgiving Day
- Early 1 pm close day after Thanksgiving Day
- Christmas Eve
- Christmas Day
LSE holidays
The London Stock Exchange observes the following market holidays:
- New Year’s Day
- Good Friday
- Easter Monday
- Early May bank holiday Monday
- Late May bank holiday Monday
- Late August bank holiday Monday
- Christmas bank holiday
- Boxing day
JPX holidays
The Japan Stock Exchange Observes the following holidays:
- New Year’s Day
- Market holiday after New Year’s Day (Jan. 2)
- Market holiday (Jan, 3)
- Coming of Age Day
- National Foundation Day
- Emperor’s Birthday
- Vernal Equinox
- Showa Day
- Constitution Memorial Day
- Greenery Day
- Children’s Day
- Marine Day
- Sports Day
- Mountain Day
- Respect for Aged Day
- Autumnal Equinox
- Culture Day
- Labor Thanksgiving Day
- Market holiday (Dec. 31)
Stock market holidays vary considerably from region to other international region, with the largest difference being between the Western markets and Japan. All markets close on New Year’s day to stock trading, with trading only resuming in Japan on January 4th.
Other stock market holidays do not coincide with each other, meaning that some share trading takes place on most weekdays throughout the year. Stock market holidays can act as a firebreak, preventing irrational decision-making.