Is the Stock Market Open on Memorial Day 2023?

Memorial Day will be celebrated on May 29, 2023, the last Monday in May every year. But how does Memorial Day affect the stock market?

Is the Stock Market Open on Memorial Day?

Memorial Day is a U.S. Stock Market Holiday, during which the U.S. Stock Market, including the Nasdaq and New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), is closed. This means that when the markets close on Friday, May 26, they won’t be open again until Tuesday, May 30.

This day off from trading honors members of the United States military who passed away while serving in the armed forces.

Stock Market Hours Friday Before Memorial Day

When the market closes this year at 4 pm Eastern time on May 26, it won’t open again until 9:30 am Eastern on Tuesday, May 30. There are no active trading hours on Memorial Day as the stock markets are closed.

Can You Still Trade Stocks on Memorial Day?

With the stock markets closing on Memorial Day, this means there are no active Memorial Day trading hours. Trading will begin Tuesday, May 30 at 9:30 Eastern, head over to Pre-Market to see where stock prices will open after Memorial Day.

Is Memorial Day a Federal Holiday?

Memorial Day is one of the eleven recognized federal holidays in the U.S, meaning all non-essential federal government offices will be closed, including the federal bank and post offices. Memorial Day is also a Bank Holiday as recognized by the U.S. Federal Reserve, so commercial banks and other financial institutions will likely be closed or have modified hours. The U.S. Bond Market will also be closed on Memorial Day, including an early closure on Friday, May 26 at 2 pm.

What is Memorial Day?

Memorial Day is a United States holiday for mourning those who have died while serving in the U.S. armed forces. Originally observed on May 30 from 1868 to 1970, Memorial Day is now observed on the last Monday of every May.

During Memorial Day, many attend memorials and visit cemeteries to remember, honor, and mourn members of the U.S. military who passed away during their time in the armed forces. You may see American flags decorating graves of deceased military personnel, as many volunteers dedicate their Memorial Day to honoring their memory.

Memorial Day is also seen as the unofficial start of the summer, with many people coming together over that weekend to attend outdoor festivals, host barbecues, and gather to celebrate the approach of summer.

History of Memorial Day

Formerly known as “Decoration Day,” Memorial Day was established in 1868 by General John A. Logan of the Union Army, who called for a day to celebrate and honor those who served in the Civil War. Logan was also a commander-in-chief for the Grand Army of the Republic, a fraternal organization of Civil War Union veterans, and he had declared May 30 to be Memorial Day, calling on GAR members to decorate war graves. This was soon adopted by every Northern State in 1890 as a holiday.

After the World Wars, “Decoration Day” was turned into a day of remembrance and mourning for all U.S. soldiers who had served and died. Congress ultimately recognized and standardized the name “Memorial Day” for the holiday in 1971.

There are two other days every year dedicated to celebrating those who are serving or have served in the U.S. military, including Armed Forces Day in early May, and Veterans Day on November 11.

Stock Market Holidays

The next U.S. stock market holiday will be Juneteenth, which will take place this year on June 19, 2023.

The U.S. Stock Market celebrates nine holidays and one early closing every year: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, President’s Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving (with an early close at 1 pm EST on the following day, also known as Black Friday), and Christmas Day. To see the full list of what holidays the markets will be closed for, visit the 2023 Stock Market Holiday Calendar.

The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

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