Investors and traders in the United States and globally should mark their calendars, as Wall Street will observe a scheduled closure this week. The US stock market will remain shut on Thursday, 25 December 2025, in observance of the Christmas Day holiday.
Christmas Eve Sees Half-Day Trading Session
Ahead of the full holiday closure, US equity markets operated on a shortened schedule on Wednesday, 24 December 2025, which is Christmas Eve. As per the official holiday calendar published by the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, trading concluded early. The US stock market closed at 1 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT), which corresponds to 11:30 p.m. Indian Standard Time (IST).
Similarly, the US bond market also wrapped up trading early at 2 p.m. EDT (12:30 a.m. IST on 25 December). The trading session on the eve of the holiday saw minor movements in the key indices. At the opening bell on Wednesday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 0.09% at 48,399.74 points. The broader S&P 500 index saw a marginal dip of 0.01% to 6,909.09 points, while the technology-focused Nasdaq Composite edged lower by 0.06% to 23,542.31 points.
Next Market Holiday: New Year's Day 2026
Following the Christmas break, normal trading activity will resume on Friday, 26 December 2025. The next scheduled closure for US stock markets after Christmas will be for the New Year's Day holiday. Wall Street will be closed on Thursday, 1 January 2026, as the nation rings in the new year. This closure aligns with the widespread shutdown of businesses and federal offices across the United States.
It is important to note that US stock markets close only on pre-announced holidays, with regulators releasing the annual schedule well in advance. Typically, the trading session immediately before a major holiday is a half-day.
Complete List of US Stock Market Holidays for 2026
For investors planning their trading and investment strategies for the coming year, here is the official list of market holidays for 2026 as per the NYSE calendar:
- New Year’s Day — Thursday, 1 January 2026
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Day — Monday, 19 January 2026
- Washington’s Birthday — Monday, 16 February 2026
- Good Friday — Friday, 3 April 2026
- Memorial Day — Monday, 25 May 2026
- Juneteenth National Independence Day — Friday, 19 June 2026
- Independence Day (observed) — Monday, 3 July 2026
- Labor Day — Monday, 7 September 2026
- Thanksgiving Day — Thursday, 26 November 2026
- Christmas Day — Friday, 25 December 2026
This list provides a clear roadmap for market participants, helping them anticipate periods of market inactivity and plan their portfolio moves accordingly. While the federal government announced closures for both Christmas Eve and 26 December 2025, the stock exchanges followed their own pre-defined schedule, remaining open for a half-day on the 24th and fully closed only on the 25th.
