US stock markets are scheduled to remain closed on Monday, 25 May, for the Memorial Day holiday, after a turbulent week dominated by earnings reports and ongoing uncertainty over the US-Iran peace negotiations.
The New York Stock Exchange (NSE) and the Nasdaq Stock Market are both closed today, meaning that investors can now resume trading in the US stock market indices, such as the S&P 500, Nasdaq and the Dow Jones, at the usual time of 9.30 am EST on Tuesday.
The bond market will remain closed for the holiday.
What is Memorial Day?
Memorial Day is observed on the last Monday of May each year to honour and remember military personnel who died while serving the country, both in war and in peacetime.
Many people visit cemeteries and memorials, and volunteers place American flags on graves at national cemeteries. A national moment of remembrance takes place at 3 p.m. local time, according to the US Department of War.
Memorial Day is one of three US holidays dedicated to the military. Armed Forces Day, celebrated on the third Saturday of May, honours active service members, while Veterans Day on November 11 recognises those who served in the past.
According to a Barron’s report recording how the US stock market has performed around Memorial Day, the S&P 500 has gained 0.5% each May over the past 20 years. Over the past decade, that number has increased to roughly 1.5%.
Upcoming US stock market holidays
Following the Memorial Day holiday, the US stock market will be closed on five other occasions, with shorter trading days on two others.
Wall Street will be closed once in June, July, September, November and December. The next US stock market holiday will fall on June 19 for Juneteenth, followed by Independence Day in July.
Labour Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas are the other three holidays that will fall in the second half of the year.
US stock market ended on an upbeat note
The US stocks rose on Friday, with the Dow reaching a record closing high, as investors cheered signs of progress in talks to end the Middle East conflict and a strong corporate earnings season.
The S&P 500 notched its eighth consecutive weekly gain, its longest since a nine-week streak ended in December 2023.
(With inputs from Reuters)