Is the Stock Market Open on Christmas Eve 2026? Bond Market Hours
December 24
Is the Stock Market Open on Christmas Eve 2026? Bond Market Hours
US Bond Market (SIFMA) close early at 2:00 pm local on Thursday, for Christmas Eve (Early Close).
- Next holiday
- Christmas Day, December 25, 2026
- Regular hours
- 8:00 am to 5:00 pm ET
Full schedule and background: Bond Market Holidays.
Updated
The US bond market, tracked by the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA), closes early on Christmas Eve, Thursday, December 24, 2026, with trading recommended to end at 2:00 pm local time instead of the usual close. Equity markets including the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq also observe an early close that day, typically ending at 1:00 pm ET, though the bond market’s early close time differs slightly because SIFMA sets its own recommended schedule. Orders placed after the early close on December 24 are generally queued for execution on the next full trading session. For the full run of upcoming closures and early closes, see the Bond Market Holidays calendar.
Because Christmas Day, December 25, 2026, falls on a Friday, both the bond market and equity markets are fully closed the following day. This creates a short trading week: a normal Wednesday session, an early close on Thursday December 24, and a full closure on Friday December 25. Traders and anyone with pending settlements should plan around this compressed schedule, since fewer hours are available for executing and confirming trades before the year-end holiday period.
Which markets are closed on Christmas Eve 2026?
| Market | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| US Bond Market (SIFMA) | Early close | Recommended close at 2:00 pm local time, per SIFMA’s published holiday schedule |
| NYSE and Nasdaq (equities) | Early close | Typically closes at 1:00 pm ET when Christmas Eve falls on a normal trading day |
| CME futures and options | Early close | Most CME products follow a shortened trading session on December 24 |
| US options markets | Early close | Options exchanges generally align their early close with the equity market |
| London Stock Exchange (LSE) | Early close | The LSE typically closes early on Christmas Eve when it falls on a weekday |
| Euronext | Early close | Euronext markets usually shorten trading hours on December 24 |
| Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE) | Open (regular hours) | Christmas Eve is not a Japanese market holiday |
Investors outside the United States should note that Christmas Eve is not a universal market holiday. Asian markets such as Tokyo generally trade full sessions on December 24, since Christmas itself is not a public holiday in Japan in the same way it is observed in the West. European markets, including London and the main Euronext exchanges, typically follow a shortened session similar to the United States, reflecting the shared observance of Christmas across much of Europe and North America.
Is the market open the day before and after?
The trading day before Christmas Eve, Wednesday, December 23, 2026, is a full, regular session for both the bond market and equities, with no early close in effect. The bond market then shifts to its early close on Thursday, December 24, with SIFMA recommending trading conclude at 2:00 pm local time rather than the standard end of day. The following session, Friday, December 25, 2026, is a full closure across bond and equity markets alike, since Christmas Day is a recognised holiday for both. The next full trading day resumes on Monday, December 28, 2026, assuming no further holiday falls in that window.
This pattern, a full session, an early close, then a full closure, is typical of how the US market calendar handles Christmas Eve and Christmas Day when they fall on weekdays. It gives market participants a shortened but still functional session on December 24 to settle year-end positions before the extended break.
Why do markets close for Christmas Eve?
Christmas Eve itself is not a federal holiday in the United States, which is why the bond and equity markets do not close entirely on December 24. Instead, exchanges and SIFMA member firms have long observed a tradition of shortening the trading day immediately before Christmas, reflecting lower expected trading volumes as staff and investors prepare for the holiday. This voluntary early close has become a fixture of the US market calendar, applied consistently in years when December 24 falls on a normal business day.
The practice dates back decades and mirrors similar early closes observed around other major US holidays, such as the day after Thanksgiving. Reduced staffing, lighter volumes and the desire to give employees time with family before Christmas Day all contribute to the decision by SIFMA and the exchanges to recommend a shorter session rather than a full closure.
What It Means for Your Money
If you place a bond trade after 2:00 pm on December 24, it will most likely queue for execution when the market reopens for a full session, which in this case is Monday, December 28, 2026, since Christmas Day closes the market entirely on the Friday in between. Settlement, which is the process of finalising ownership and payment after a trade, typically follows a T+1 cycle for many bond transactions, meaning a trade executed before the early close on December 24 should still settle on the next business day, but trades placed later in the day may see settlement pushed into the following week.
Dividend payments and options expirations scheduled around this period are generally unaffected in terms of eligibility, but the actual crediting of funds or exercise processing can be delayed slightly due to the shortened session and the full closure on Christmas Day. Anyone waiting on a bank transfer tied to a bond settlement, or on payroll processing that depends on banking system availability, should build in an extra day or two of buffer around this holiday stretch, since many banks also reduce staffing around Christmas.
Retail investors with mortgages, savings accounts or pension contributions linked to bond market pricing will not see any meaningful market-moving activity during the shortened Christmas Eve session itself, given the lighter volumes and early close. Those trading cryptocurrency are unaffected by any of this, since crypto markets operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with no holiday closures at all.
Remaining Bond Market holidays in 2026
- Christmas Day, December 25, 2026: fully closed
- New Year’s Eve (Early Close), December 31, 2026: early close, recommended 2:00 pm local time
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the bond market open on Christmas Eve 2026?
Yes, but only for part of the day. SIFMA recommends the bond market close early, at 2:00 pm local time, on Thursday, December 24, 2026.
Is the stock market open on Christmas Eve 2026?
Yes, the NYSE and Nasdaq typically hold a shortened session on December 24, closing early at around 1:00 pm ET rather than the usual close.
What time does the bond market close on December 24, 2026?
SIFMA’s recommended early close time for Christmas Eve 2026 is 2:00 pm local time, ahead of the market’s normal 5:00 pm ET close.
When is the next market holiday after Christmas Eve 2026?
Christmas Day falls on Friday, December 25, 2026, and is a full closure for both bond and equity markets.
Are banks open on Christmas Eve 2026?
Many US banks remain open on Christmas Eve but often with reduced hours, since it is not a federal banking holiday, unlike Christmas Day itself.