If you went looking to trade U.S. stocks today, you found the doors shut. Here's why — and how the Fourth of July holiday affects markets this year.
The short answer
U.S. equity markets are closed today, Friday, July 3, 2026, for Independence Day. Because July 4 falls on a Saturday this year, the exchanges observe the holiday on the preceding weekday, per the NYSE Group's official 2026 holiday calendar. The New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq are both dark, and normal trading resumes Monday, July 6.
How the "observed" holiday works
U.S. markets follow a simple rule for holidays that land on a weekend. If a market holiday falls on a Saturday, the exchanges close the Friday before; if it falls on a Sunday, they close the Monday after. Independence Day 2026 is a Saturday, so the closure moves to Friday, July 3 — a full closure, not a shortened session.
That's the twist that trips people up this year. In many years, July 4 is a weekday and the exchanges hold a shortened session — closing early at 1:00 p.m. Eastern — on July 3, the day before the holiday. But in 2026 the 3rd is the observed holiday, so there is no half-day: markets are simply closed.
What about the day before?
Thursday, July 2, was a normal, full trading day for stocks — no early close, consistent with the exchanges' published schedule. One nuance for fixed-income investors: the bond market followed a different clock, with the industry group SIFMA recommending a 2:00 p.m. Eastern early close for U.S. bond trading on July 2 ahead of the long weekend, per SIFMA's holiday guidance. Bond markets are also closed today.
The bigger picture on market holidays
The NYSE and Nasdaq observe nine full-day holidays a year, including New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. A handful of days — typically the day after Thanksgiving and the days before Independence Day and Christmas when they fall on weekdays — bring 1:00 p.m. early closes rather than full closures. Crypto is the exception to all of this: Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies trade 24/7, holidays included.
What it means for you
For most investors the practical takeaways are simple. Any stock order you place today won't execute until Monday; the same goes for U.S.-listed ETFs, which trade on the same exchange hours. Longer holiday breaks can also mean thinner trading volumes on the days around them, which can make prices choppier on lighter activity. And bank and settlement calendars follow the holiday too, so transfers initiated over the long weekend may not clear until the next business day.
The bottom line: markets are closed today for Independence Day, reopen Monday, July 6, and — because the Fourth lands on a Saturday — there's no early-close half-day this year, just a full day off. Enjoy the long weekend.
