Marines march in New York City’s Veterans Day Parade in 2019.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images
Veterans Day 2021 is here, a day to honor those who served in the U.S. military. While most teachers, bank tellers, and postal service employees have the day off, Wall Street will remain open—for the most part.
The federal holiday, called Armistice Day until 1954, honors all veterans who have served in the U.S. armed forces. It’s observed on Nov. 11 to mark the date when a ceasefire agreement was reached that ended World War 1. That ceasefire was signed on Nov. 11 at 11 a.m. in 1918.
Is the Stock Market Open on Veterans Day 2021?
Yes, the stock market is open on Veterans Day. Both the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq maintain their usual hours. But investors won’t be able to buy or sell corporate or government bonds. Veterans Day and Columbus Day are the two days when fixed-income markets are closed.
Because it is a federal holiday, most banks and schools are closed and no mail will be delivered. Trash won’t be picked up and all federal workers are paid for the holiday.
In the past several years (67 years), the market was closed only on the 1968 Veterans Day.
Are International Markets Closed on Veterans Day 2021?
Since Veterans Day is a U.S.-specific holiday, international markets like the London, Shanghai, Tokyo, Toronto, and Hong Kong stock exchanges will all be open regular hours on Thursday.
How Does the Stock Market Perform on Veterans Day?
The week took a turn for the worse on Wednesday when the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 240 points, or 0.7%, and the Nasdaq Composite tumbled nearly 2%. Heading into Thursday, the Dow is down 0.7% on the week, the S&P 500 is down 1.1%, and the Nasdaq is off 2.2%.
Historically, the S&P 500 has averaged a 0.1% increase on Veterans Day going back to 1954, according to Dow Jones Market Data.
The S&P 500’s biggest gain on Veterans Day was in 1979 when it advanced 2%. The worst drop? In 2000, the index fell 2.4%.
Write to Karishma Vanjani at karishma.vanjani@dowjones.com
