Is the Stock Market Open on Labor Day 2026? CME Futures Hours
September 7
Is the Stock Market Open on Labor Day 2026? CME Futures Hours
CME Group Futures close early at 12:00 pm local on Monday, for Labor Day (Equity Futures Halt 12:00 CT).
- Next holiday
- Thanksgiving Day
- Regular hours
- 5:00 pm to 4:00 pm CT
Full schedule and background: CME Futures Holidays.
Updated
US stock markets are fully closed on Monday, September 7, 2026 for Labor Day, and CME Group’s equity index futures trading halts at 12:00 pm local time (Central Time) as part of the exchange’s holiday schedule. That means no new equity futures trades can be executed after midday, and cash equities on the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq do not trade at all that day. Any stock orders placed on the holiday sit in the queue and are not executed until markets reopen on Tuesday, September 8, 2026. For a full year-round view of futures trading hours, see the CME Futures Holidays calendar.
Because Labor Day falls on the first Monday in September, both the cash equity market and the futures market observe it, but in different ways. NYSE and Nasdaq shut completely for the day. CME Group’s equity index futures, which normally trade almost around the clock from Sunday evening through Friday afternoon, keep the Sunday overnight session open but halt trading at 12:00 pm Central Time (1:00 pm Eastern Time, 6:00 pm London time) on the Monday holiday itself.
Which markets are closed on Labor Day 2026?
| Market | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| NYSE and Nasdaq (equities) | Closed | Full-day closure, no cash equity trading |
| US bond market (SIFMA recommendation) | Closed | SIFMA recommends a full bond market close for Labor Day |
| CME equity index futures (S&P 500, Nasdaq-100, Dow) | Halted from 12:00 pm CT | Sunday overnight session runs, then trading halts at midday |
| US options market | Closed | Follows the equity market schedule |
| London Stock Exchange | Open (regular hours) | UK does not observe US Labor Day |
| Euronext | Open (regular hours) | European exchanges trade as normal |
| Tokyo Stock Exchange | Open (regular hours) | Japan does not observe this US holiday |
Is the market open the day before and after?
Friday, September 4, 2026 is a normal full trading day on NYSE and Nasdaq, with no early close ahead of the long weekend. CME equity futures trade their usual Sunday evening reopening on September 6, 2026, but that Sunday-into-Monday session ends early, halting at 12:00 pm CT on the Monday holiday rather than running through to the next scheduled break. Trading resumes as normal on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, when both cash equities and futures return to their regular hours, which for CME futures runs 5:00 pm to 4:00 pm CT (Sunday to Friday), with a daily maintenance break between 4:00 pm and 5:00 pm.
Why do markets close for Labor Day?
Labor Day was established as a US federal holiday in 1894, created to honour the American labour movement and the contributions of workers to the country’s economic development. It falls on the first Monday of September every year.
Financial exchanges, including NYSE, Nasdaq and CME Group, have observed Labor Day as a full or partial closure for decades, aligning with the federal holiday calendar and giving traders, brokers and exchange staff the day off alongside other American workers. The specific arrangement for futures, where an overnight session runs before halting at midday, reflects the near-continuous nature of futures trading compared with the fixed daily hours of cash equity markets.
What It Means for Your Money
If you have a pending stock trade, it will not execute on Labor Day itself. Orders placed through a broker on September 7, 2026 queue up and are filled when trading resumes on September 8, 2026, at that day’s opening price rather than any price you might have seen on the holiday. Trade settlement, which in the US follows a T+1 (trade date plus one business day) cycle, is also pushed back, so a trade executed on Friday, September 4 settles on Tuesday, September 8 rather than Monday, since the holiday does not count as a settlement day.
Anyone holding CME equity futures positions, often used by professional traders and some pension funds to hedge exposure to the S&P 500 or Nasdaq-100, should note that the halt at 12:00 pm CT means no adjustments can be made to those positions for the rest of the holiday. Dividend payment dates and options expiry schedules that would normally fall on a holiday are typically shifted to the next business day. Bank transfers and payroll processing through the US banking system are also generally delayed, as most US banks are closed for Labor Day. Cryptocurrency markets, unlike traditional exchanges, continue trading 24 hours a day throughout the holiday with no interruption.
For UK, European and Asian investors, US market closures on Labor Day mean no fresh price signals from Wall Street during the American trading day, which can occasionally reduce liquidity and widen spreads in related instruments, such as US-listed ETFs traded on European exchanges, even though those local markets remain open.
Remaining CME Futures holidays in 2026
- Thanksgiving Day (Equity Futures Halt 12:00 CT), November 26, 2026: early close
- Day After Thanksgiving (Early Close), November 27, 2026: early close at 12:15 pm CT
- Christmas Eve (Early Close), December 24, 2026: early close at 12:15 pm CT
- Christmas Day, December 25, 2026: closed
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the stock market open on Labor Day 2026?
No. The New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq are fully closed on Monday, September 7, 2026.
Is the bond market open on Labor Day?
No. SIFMA recommends that the US bond market close for the full day on Labor Day.
What time do CME equity futures halt on Labor Day?
CME equity index futures trading halts at 12:00 pm local time (Central Time), which is 1:00 pm Eastern Time and 6:00 pm London time.
When is the next CME futures holiday after Labor Day 2026?
The next scheduled holiday is Thanksgiving Day on November 26, 2026, when equity futures again halt trading at 12:00 pm CT.
Are US banks open on Labor Day?
No, most US banks are closed on Labor Day, which can delay transfers and payroll processing scheduled for that day.