Is the Stock Market Open on Boxing Day (Substitute) 2026? LSE Hours
December 28
Is the Stock Market Open on Boxing Day (Substitute) 2026? LSE Hours
London Stock Exchange are closed on Monday, for Boxing Day (Substitute).
- Next holiday
- New Year's Eve
- Regular hours
- 8:00 am to 4:30 pm UK time
Full schedule and background: LSE Holidays.
Updated
The London Stock Exchange is closed on Monday, December 28, 2026, for the Boxing Day substitute bank holiday. Boxing Day itself falls on Saturday, December 26, 2026, so under UK bank holiday rules the closure moves to the next available weekday, which is Monday, December 28. No equity, gilt or derivatives trading takes place on the LSE that day, and any orders left open will queue for the next trading session on Tuesday, December 29, 2026. See the full LSE Holidays calendar for the rest of the year.
Which markets are closed on Boxing Day (Substitute) 2026?
| Market | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| London Stock Exchange (equities) | Closed | UK bank holiday, no trading or settlement |
| UK gilts | Closed | Follows LSE bank holiday schedule |
| ICE Futures Europe (London) | Closed | Observes UK bank holidays |
| New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq | Open (regular hours) | US markets do not observe UK bank holidays |
| Euronext (Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels) | Open (regular hours) | Not a Eurozone public holiday |
| Tokyo Stock Exchange | Open (regular hours) | Not a Japanese public holiday |
Is the market open the day before and after?
The LSE traded a normal session on Friday, December 25, 2026, was closed. Wait, Christmas Day itself, December 25, 2026, is also a UK bank holiday and the LSE is closed that day, ahead of the weekend and the Boxing Day substitute. The last full trading day before this run of closures was Thursday, December 24, 2026, with regular hours of 8:00am to 4:30pm UK time. Trading resumes as normal on Tuesday, December 29, 2026, also with regular hours. There is no early close scheduled around this holiday, though the LSE does apply an early close of 12:30pm UK time on New Year’s Eve, December 31, 2026.
Why do markets close for Boxing Day?
Boxing Day, the day after Christmas, has been a statutory bank holiday in England, Wales and Northern Ireland since the Bank Holidays Act 1871. When a bank holiday falls on a weekend, UK convention moves the observance to the next working day so that workers and markets still receive the day off. Because December 26, 2026 falls on a Saturday, the substitute holiday shifts to Monday, December 28, 2026, and the LSE follows the official UK bank holiday calendar for its trading schedule.
What It Means for Your Money
If you hold UK shares or funds through a broker, any instructions placed on December 28 simply wait in the queue and execute at the next available price when trading reopens on December 29. Settlement, the point at which cash and shares officially change hands, is delayed by the closed day, so a trade settling on a T+1 basis (one business day after the trade) will settle a day later than it would in a normal week. Dividend record dates and options expiries that would normally fall on a bank holiday are typically moved to the nearest trading day by the relevant exchange or index provider. UK bank branches also close for the substitute holiday, so faster payments and card processing through some banks may be slower, though most digital banking and standing orders still run. Cryptocurrency markets are unaffected, since they trade continuously, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, regardless of stock exchange holidays.
Remaining LSE holidays in 2026
- New Year’s Eve (Early Close), December 31, 2026: LSE closes early at 12:30pm UK time
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the stock market open on Boxing Day (Substitute) 2026?
No. The London Stock Exchange is closed on Monday, December 28, 2026, because Boxing Day itself falls on a Saturday and the holiday is observed on the next working day.
Is the bond market open on December 28, 2026?
No. UK gilt trading follows the same LSE bank holiday schedule and is closed on December 28, 2026.
What time does the LSE close before the holiday?
The LSE trades regular hours of 8:00am to 4:30pm UK time on Thursday, December 24, 2026, the last full session before the Christmas and Boxing Day closures.
When is the next LSE market holiday after this one?
The next LSE holiday is an early close on New Year’s Eve, December 31, 2026, when trading finishes at 12:30pm UK time.
Are UK banks open on Boxing Day (Substitute) 2026?
No. UK bank branches also observe the substitute bank holiday on December 28, 2026, and are closed alongside the stock exchange.