MW Is the stock market open today? Are banks closed?

By Charles Passy

And don't forget bond markets, either. Here's what you need to know.

The financial world is taking a Good Friday pause.

The two major stock exchanges - the New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq - will be closed on Friday in observance of the Christian holiday. The same goes for bond markets, which also closed early on Thursday.

This is a rare instance when markets shut down on a day that is not a federal holiday. So even if you can't trade stocks on the U.S. exchanges, you can still expect to receive your mail - the U.S. Postal Service is open for business as usual. Banks, which typically follow the federal calendar, will generally be open as well.

Why are markets SPX COMP DJIA closed? As a post on the Nasdaq website explains, the shutdown is "largely due to historical tradition rather than any direct religious mandate. ... This practice has been in place since at least the late 19th century."

There are some other holiday shutdowns to note. Many schools are closed as part of a spring break. FedEx $(FDX)$ is operating with slightly modified service, though UPS $(UPS)$ is maintaining its regular service.

Easter Monday is also a holiday in much of the world, with many financial markets, most notably in Europe, shuttered until Tuesday.

-Charles Passy

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April 18, 2025 08:28 ET (12:28 GMT)

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