Quick Summary
- Trading suspended at NYSE and Nasdaq on Monday, May 25, 2026, observing Memorial Day
- Normal trading hours return Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time
- Fixed income markets and over-the-counter trading platforms also observe the closure
- Global exchanges in Tokyo, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Paris operate on regular schedules
- Historical data shows the S&P 500 posting average May gains of 0.5% across two decades
American equity markets will observe a holiday closure on Monday, May 25, 2026, in recognition of Memorial Day. Both the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq Stock Market suspend operations, with trading resuming the following Tuesday.
This market pause follows an active trading period on Wall Street. Market participants had been monitoring corporate earnings releases from Nvidia and observing developments within quantum computing equities.
Closures Across Financial Services
Fixed income trading venues concluded Friday with an early close and remain inactive throughout Monday. Over-the-counter trading platforms similarly suspend operations for the holiday.
National banking institutions follow suit with closures. Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Citibank, and JPMorgan Chase align their schedules with the Federal Reserve’s designated holiday calendar.
Mail delivery services pause operations today. The U.S. Postal Service recognizes Memorial Day among its 11 annual holiday observances.
FedEx has halted the majority of its service offerings, with the exception of FedEx Custom Critical operations. UPS suspends standard collection and delivery routes, though Express Critical maintains continuous 24-hour availability.
Global Trading Continues Uninterrupted
As Memorial Day represents an exclusively American federal observance, international trading venues maintain their standard operations. The Shanghai Stock Exchange, Stock Exchange of Hong Kong, Tokyo Stock Exchange, and Euronext Paris all conduct regular trading sessions today.
Seasonal Market Performance Patterns
The investment community frequently references the adage “sell in May and go away” regarding seasonal performance trends. This concept suggests diminished returns during summer periods. Historical evidence presents a nuanced picture.
Analyzing the past two decades, the S&P 500 has delivered average May returns of 0.5%. Narrowing the timeframe to ten years reveals improved performance at approximately 1.5%.
June historically shows more modest gains, averaging 0.2% over twenty years, while the recent decade demonstrates stronger performance near 1.9%. July emerges as particularly robust, posting a ten-year average advance of 3.4%.
August delivers moderate results. The benchmark index has recorded average August gains of 0.9% across ten years and 0.2% spanning twenty years.
September consistently ranks as the most challenging month historically. The index has declined an average of 1.3% during September throughout the past ten years.
Certain market observers also track the “holiday effect” phenomenon. This pattern describes a modest upward bias preceding holidays followed by post-holiday weakness. Market analysts attribute this partially to elevated consumer activity and partially to diminished trading volumes as participants take holiday breaks.
Standard market operations resume Tuesday, May 27, with opening bells at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time.
