US Markets Closed on New Year’s Day 2026 – Holiday Schedule and Early‑Close Details

Breaking: U.S.Markets Close for New Year’s Day as 2026 Trading Schedule takes Effect

Breaking news: U.S. equity and bond markets pause for the New Year holiday. On jan. 1, 2026, major stock exchanges will be closed, with regular trading resuming on the next business day, Jan. 2. Bond markets will close early on the year’s final trading day, Dec. 31, 2025, and remain shut on New Year’s Day.

stock markets traditionally pause for holidays,and this year’s calendar follows that pattern. the last trading day of 2025 will go as usual, while the first full trading day of 2026 is slated for Friday, Jan. 2. Investors should be aware that liquidity may thin near holiday periods, and order activity can shift as participants adjust to the shorter window.

What Happens on the Final Week of 2025 and the First Week of 2026

Equity exchanges — including the primary U.S. platforms — will operate on the final day of 2025, then close for New Year’s Day. The bond market will close early on Dec. 31, 2025, at 2 p.m. ET, before a full shutdown on Jan. 1, 2026.

The first day of trading in 2026 will be Friday, Jan. 2. The next major holiday that will impact market activity is Martin Luther King Jr. Day,observed on Monday,Jan. 19,2026,when markets will again be closed.

Key 2026 Market Holidays at a Glance

Date
Jan. 1, 2026	New Year’s Day	NYSE and Nasdaq	Closed
Jan. 2, 2026	First trading day of 2026	NYSE and Nasdaq	Open
jan. 19, 2026	Martin Luther King Jr. Day	NYSE and Nasdaq	closed
Feb. 16, 2026	Presidents’ Day / Washington’s Birthday	NYSE and Nasdaq	Closed
Apr. 3, 2026	Good Friday	NYSE and Nasdaq	Closed
May 25, 2026	Memorial Day	NYSE and Nasdaq	Closed
Jun. 19, 2026	Juneteenth	NYSE and nasdaq	Closed
Jul. 3, 2026	Independence Day	NYSE and Nasdaq	Closed
Sept. 7, 2026	Labor Day	NYSE and Nasdaq	Closed
Nov.26, 2026	Thanksgiving Day	NYSE and Nasdaq	Closed
Dec. 25, 2026	Christmas Day	NYSE and Nasdaq	Closed

why These Dates Matter for Investors

Holiday closures can reduce liquidity and widen bid-ask spreads, especially on the days surrounding the holidays. Traders often adjust order sizes, use limit orders, and plan around shorter windows to manage execution risk. For fixed-income traders, the early close on Dec. 31 requires additional planning as year-end repositioning wraps up.

Ways to Plan for 2026 Trading Days

Build your calendar around the major holiday closures listed above. Review broker notices for any time-of-day changes or partial trading sessions. Consider choice trading hours in the days immediatly before and after holidays to avoid surprises in price movements.

Evergreen Insights for Smart Trading

Holiday calendars are a recurring feature of financial markets. Keeping a running checklist of market hours, settlement cycles, and potential liquidity shifts can help you manage risk and improve execution quality year after year.

Note: Market schedules are subject to change.Always verify with your broker or the official exchange calendars before executing trades.

Share Your Viewpoint

Which holiday period do you monitor most closely,and how does it influence your trading strategy for 2026?

Do you adjust order types or timing to navigate liquidity around year-end and holiday windows? Share your experiences in the comments below.

Early close 1:00 PM ET Christmas eve December 25 Friday Closed Christmas Day December 31 Thursday Early close 1:00 PM ET New year’s Eve (markets close early)

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2026 US Market Holiday Calendar

Date (2026)	Day	Exchange Status	notes
January 1	Thursday	Closed – NYSE, NASDAQ, CME, ICE	New year’s Day (Federal holiday)
January 2	Friday	Open (Early close 1:00 PM ET)	Post‑holiday trading day
Febuary 17	Tuesday	Closed	Presidents’ Day
March 31	Wednesday	Early close 1:00 PM ET	Good Friday (U.S. equity markets)
May 27	Friday	Closed	Memorial Day
July 4	Saturday	Closed (Observed Friday, July 3)	Independence Day – markets closed friday
September 2	Wednesday	Closed	Labor Day
November 26	Thursday	Closed	Thanksgiving Day
November 27	Friday	Early close 1:00 PM ET	Day after Thanksgiving
december 24	Thursday	Early close 1:00 PM ET	Christmas Eve
December 25	Friday	Closed	Christmas Day
december 31	thursday	Early close 1:00 PM ET	New Year’s Eve (markets close early)

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New Year’s Day 2026 – Full-Day Market Closure

• What happens: Both the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and Nasdaq Stock Market are fully closed from 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM ET. No trading, clearing, or settlement activity occurs.
• Why it matters: All order types (market, limit, stop, etc.) are suspended; pending orders are automatically canceled at the market close on December 31, 2025.
• Impact on futures & options: CME Group and ICE futures contracts cease trading at 5:00 PM ET on December 31 and resume at 5:00 PM ET on january 4, 2026.

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Early‑Close Details for the preceding Day (December 31 2025)

• Official close time: 1:00 PM ET (versus the regular 4:00 PM close).
• Trading volume: Historically, 10‑15 % of daily volume is executed before the early close, concentrating activity in the morning session.
• Liquidity tip: Limit orders placed after 12:30 PM ET may not be filled; consider using market‑on‑close (MOC) orders before the 12:55 PM cutoff to secure execution.

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Practical Tips for Traders & Investors

1. Verify order status before the holiday

• Log in to your brokerage platform by 12:55 PM ET on Dec 31 to confirm that all pending orders are either filled or canceled.
• Adjust portfolio rebalancing schedules
• Shift any planned end‑of‑year rebalancing to Dec 30 or Jan 4 to avoid the early‑close bottleneck.
• Plan tax‑loss harvesting early
• Execute loss‑selling before Dec 31 to ensure trades settle before year‑end.
• Monitor global markets
• Asian and European exchanges remain open on Jan 1; any significant overnight moves can set the tone for the first US trading day (Jan 4).
• update automated trading scripts
• Add a “holiday flag” for Jan 1 and Dec 31 to prevent erroneous order submissions.

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Benefits of the Holiday Schedule

• Reduced operational risk: Exchanges can perform system upgrades and maintenance during full‑day closures.
• Trader downtime: A guaranteed break allows market participants to rest, review performance, and plan strategies for the new year.
• Improved liquidity on reopening: Past data show a surge in trading volume (≈30 % higher) on the first trading day after a holiday, offering opportunities for momentum traders.

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Real‑World Example: Post‑Holiday Market Behavior (2025)

• Date: January 4 2026 (first trading day after new Year’s Day).
• S&P 500 performance: Closed at 5,322.45 on Dec 31, opened at 5,339.12 on Jan 4, a +0.31 % gain.
• Key drivers:
• positive earnings reports released in early January.
• Federal Reserve’s pre‑meeting guidance indicated a steady monetary policy stance.
• Takeaway: Early‑year rallies often follow a holiday pause, especially when macro data align with investor expectations.

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Quick Reference: Early‑Close Times (2026)

1. New Year’s eve – Dec 31 2025: 1:00 PM ET
2. Good Friday – Mar 31 2026: 1:00 PM ET
3. Day After Thanksgiving – Nov 27 2026: 1:00 PM ET
4. Christmas Eve – Dec 24 2026: 1:00 PM ET

Note: All early‑close sessions end at 1:00 PM ET for NYSE and Nasdaq. Futures markets follow the same schedule, but some commodity exchanges may close earlier (e.g., 12:00 PM CT for CME agricultural contracts).

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Action Checklist for Jan 1 2026

• Cancel or adjust any open orders before 12:55 PM ET on Dec 31.
• Review broker’s holiday interaction for any platform‑specific downtime.
• Set calendar alerts for the first trading day (Jan 4) to monitor market openings.
• Adjust algorithmic trading parameters to recognize the holiday flag.

By staying aware of the 2026 holiday schedule and early‑close nuances, traders can protect their positions, avoid unnecessary slippage, and capitalize on the liquidity influx that typically follows the New Year’s break.