Stock Market Hours for Thanksgiving and Black Friday: What You Should Know

Every year, millions of investors and traders watch the calendar for U.S. holidays, especially Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday. That’s because during this holiday weekend, the major U.S. stock markets change their usual rhythm. On Thanksgiving, the markets shut down completely. On Black Friday, trading resumes, but the session ends early.  For investors, this schedule matters. With fewer traders and shorter trading windows, markets tend to behave differently. Liquidity drops, price moves can become unpredictable, and your trades may act differently than on a full trading day.

Understanding these changes helps you avoid nasty surprises. We’ll guide you through the normal U.S. stock market hours, what happens on Thanksgiving and Black Friday, and what you, whether long-term investor or active trader, should watch out for. By the end, you’ll know exactly when you can and cannot read, and how to plan accordingly.

Standard Stock Market Hours

Under regular conditions, major U.S. exchanges operate on a clear schedule. The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and Nasdaq Stock Market (Nasdaq) open at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time (ET) and close at 4:00 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday.  Pre‑market and after‑hours trading sessions exist for some brokers and institutional traders. These allow certain trades outside of regular hours. But for most retail and institutional investors, the 9:30–4:00 window remains the norm. Because most global investors also refer to these times, stock charts, news, and analysis universally assume this base schedule.

Thanksgiving Day, Market Closed

On Thursday, November 27, 2025 (Thanksgiving Day), both the NYSE and Nasdaq will be closed for the entire day. The U.S. bond market goes dark, too. That means no equity, ETF, or standard bond-market trades will execute; everything will pause. If you log into your brokerage account, you’ll likely see delayed quotes, and any orders you try to place will queue for when trading resumes. For many traders, Thanksgiving offers a forced break. It’s a good time to review portfolios, plan ahead, or simply relax. Long‑term investors may take it in stride with minimal disruption.

Black Friday, Market Opens With Early Close

Trading resumes on Black Friday, November 28, 2025. However, the session is shorter than usual. The market opens at the normal time, 9:30 a.m. ET, but closes early at 1:00 p.m. ET. The bond market generally closes slightly later, around 2:00 p.m. ET. This early close is a long‑standing tradition. The logic is simple: trading activity around holiday weekends tends to drop anyway, as many participants remain on vacation or take lighter workloads.

Impact of Holiday Trading on Investors

Holiday weeks and especially truncated sessions like Black Friday often bring lower trading volume. That means fewer participants, smaller order books, and sometimes wider bid‑ask spreads. For active traders, this can be a challenge. Lower liquidity may lead to higher volatility if a big news item or earnings report hits during the short session. With fewer traders around, prices can swing more sharply than usual.

On the flip side, some investors view short sessions as opportunities to make quick trades, especially if they expect a strong move and want to avoid holding over a long weekend. Still, the thin‑volume environment makes this risky. For long‑term investors, one benefit is clear: the forced pause on Thanksgiving prevents panic‑trading and can give you time to reflect on longer‑term goals.

Global & International Perspective

Although U.S. markets close or shorten hours around Thanksgiving, global markets rarely follow the same holiday schedule. Exchanges in Europe, Asia, and elsewhere often operate as usual. This disconnect can cause cross‑market effects. International investors trading U.S.–listed ADRs, global funds, or ETFs must stay especially alert. Orders placed during a U.S. holiday will wait until the market reopens. That lag can affect timing, especially if global markets have already moved significantly.

For those using brokerage platforms outside the U.S., it’s worth checking how holidays in the U.S. affect trade processing, settlement, and currency convertibility.

Key Takeaways

• U.S. major stock exchanges,  NYSE and Nasdaq,  follow a standard trading schedule: 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET on normal business days.
• On Thanksgiving Day 2025 (Nov 27), markets are fully closed.
• On Black Friday (Nov 28), markets reopen but close early at 1:00 p.m. ET, and bond markets around 2:00 p.m. ET.
• Holiday trading often means lower volume, thinner liquidity, and sometimes higher volatility.
• For traders and investors, planning ahead, using limit orders, and avoiding major moves during short sessions can help reduce risk.

Conclusion

Understanding the holiday schedule is more than just checking a calendar. For traders and investors alike, knowing when the market will be open and when it will shut down or shorten hours helps prevent surprises. Especially around major holidays like Thanksgiving and Black Friday, markets behave differently. Liquidity dries up, volumes shrink, and price action can be erratic. By being aware of when markets close and reopen, and by adjusting your trade strategy accordingly, you can navigate holiday weeks with confidence. So next time Thanksgiving rolls around, you’ll know exactly when you can and cannot trade.

FAQS

Disclaimer:

The content shared by Meyka AI PTY LTD is solely for research and informational purposes. Meyka is not a financial advisory service, and the information provided should not be considered investment or trading advice.