U.S. Markets Holiday Schedule: Stock & Bond Hours for New Year’s 2026

The New Year period sees scheduled closures and hours that are predictable under the U.S. financial calendar but often cause uncertainty among traders and investors. According to the NYSE’s official holidays calendar, New Year’s Day (January 1) is a listed holiday for 2026, which means the exchange, along with its peer Nasdaq, will be closed that day. [3][5] The NYSE group’s released 2026 holiday and early closing calendar confirms this closure. [5][6]

On December 31, 2025, U.S. equity markets will operate under a full normal-day schedule (9:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. EST), even though it is New Year’s Eve. The bond markets, however, will observe an early closure at 2:00 p.m. EST. This split schedule—normal for stocks but shortened for bonds—is consistent with historical patterns for holiday-period market hours. [2][7]

These schedules have strategic implications for market participants. Liquidity tends to be lower in trading sessions around major holidays, which can amplify volatility in reaction to news. Investors with portfolios including interest rate-sensitive securities should note the bond market early close. Meanwhile, operational or settlement timelines may be disrupted because federal institutions and banks are also closed on January 1. [1][8]

Looking just after the holiday, markets resume in force on January 2, 2026, restoring normal trading rhythms. Hence, the December 31 session is effectively the final trading window of 2025 for many market timings, both in equity trading and in year-end financials. Participants should ensure that any orders, margin requirements, or positions are aligned with the holiday schedule to avoid last-minute issues. Open questions include how trading volumes will behave on Dec 31, the degree of early-position unwinds, and how macroeconomic or policy announcements scheduled near the holiday might produce outsized market moves amid thinner liquidity.