12 Historic Events That Shut Down the NYSE

Overview

The NYSE is remarkably punctual. Since 1985, the NYSE has been open Monday to Friday from 9:30 am to 4:00 pm, excluding pre-schedules holiday closures. Rarely do markets close on short notice, but it does happen.

From moon landings to hurricanes, here's our list of the 12 most significant events that caused the stock market to close.

Our list does not include circuit breakers or halts—temporary market freezes triggered by sharp price declines to prevent panic selling. We also exclude moments of silence, which typically last 1–3 minutes, as they are not full closures.

Note: Other markets are much less consistent than the US stock market. If you're building an application that relies on trading holidays, consider using our Market Holidays API to check when markets are open.

#1: National Day of Mourning to Honor President Jimmy Carter

Date: Thursday, January 9, 2025

Jimmy Carter, the 39th President of the United States, passed away on December 29, 2024.

Following his death, President Biden issued an executive order stating that the Federal Government would close on January 9, 2025. Although they are private entities, the NYSE and NASDAQ also decided to close.

While this was a trading holiday, settlement of trades from prior days still occurred. The Federal Reserve, bond markets, and Fedwire remained open.

#2: National Day of Mourning for President George H.W. Bush

Date: Wednesday, December 5, 2018

George H.W. Bush, the 41st President of the United States, passed away on November 30, 2018, at the age of 94. His state funeral took place on December 5.

It is customary for the NYSE and NASDAQ to close during a former president's funeral. U.S. bond markets were also closed, and the CME halted U.S.-based equity and interest rate options and futures trading.

#3: Hurricane Sandy

Dates: Monday, October 29, 2012 - Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Hurricane Sandy made landfall in New Jersey and New York on October 29, 2012.

As the storm approached, New York City declared a state of emergency and suspended subway and bus services. Initially, the NYSE planned to close the trading floor but keep electronic trading open. However, on Sunday evening, it was announced that all U.S. equities markets would be suspended due to concerns about communication disruptions.

Lower Manhattan experienced severe flooding and power outages, resulting in the NYSE closing for two days. This was the first weather-related closure since Hurricane Gloria in 1985 and the first multi-day weather-related closure since the Blizzard of 1888.

#4: National Day of Mourning for President Gerald R. Ford

Date: Tuesday, January 2, 2007

Gerald R. Ford, the 38th President of the United States, passed away on December 26, 2006, at the age of 93. Ford served as president from 1974 to 1977 and as vice president from 1973 to 1974.

On December 27, 2006, the NYSE observed a moment of silence from 9:30 to 9:32 am to honor President Ford. On January 2, 2007, the day of his funeral, markets were closed for the entire day.

#5: National Day of Mourning for President Ronald W. Reagan

Date: Friday, June 11, 2004

Ronald Reagan, the 40th President of the United States, passed away on June 5, 2004, at the age of 93. He served two terms from 1981 to 1989.

U.S. markets closed on June 11, 2004, the day of President Reagan's state funeral. A moment of silence was observed on June 7 to honor his memory.

#6: Terrorist Attack on the World Trade Center

Dates: Tuesday, September 11 - Friday, September 14, 2001

On September 11, 2001, terrorists flew a hijacked plane into the North Tower of the World Trade Center at 8:46 am. Markets were scheduled to open that morning at 9:30 am but remained closed until September 17, 2001, a six-day shutdown.

This was the longest U.S. market closure since World War I in 1914.

#7: National Day of Mourning for President Richard Nixon

Date: Wednesday, April 27, 1994

Richard Nixon, the 37th President of the United States, passed away on April 22, 1994, at the age of 81. Nixon served from 1969 to 1974.

On the day of his funeral, April 27, 1994, the NYSE and other U.S. markets were closed.

#8: Hurricane Gloria

Date: Friday, September 27, 1985

Hurricane Gloria struck the northeastern United States on September 27, 1985, causing significant damage along the East Coast, particularly in New England and parts of Canada.

The NYSE closed its trading floor as the hurricane approached. In 1985, electronic trading was not yet prevalent, so the market was fully closed.

#9: NYC Blackout of 1977

Date: Thursday, July 14, 1977

On July 13, 1977, a series of lightning strikes caused a widespread blackout in New York City, lasting into the next day.

Although power was restored to Manhattan early on July 14, the NYSE remained closed for the day.

#10: National Day of Participation for the Lunar Landing 🚀

Date: Monday, July 21, 1969

As the world held its breath watching on TV, Apollo 11 landed on the moon on July 21, 1969.

A week earlier, President Nixon signed an executive order declaring July 21, 1969 a "Nation Day of Participation," encouraging businesses to close so Americans could witness the historic event.

#11: National Day of Mourning for Martin Luther King Jr.

Date: Tuesday, April 9, 1969

Martin Luther King Jr., a civil rights leader, was assassinated on April 4, 1968. The NYSE and NASDAQ closed on April 9, 1968, for a National Day of Mourning.

Today, the NYSE closes annually on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, observed on the third Monday of January, close to King's January 15 birthday.

#12: Assassination of John F. Kennedy

Date: Monday, November 25, 1963

On November 22, 1963, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. Markets closed early that day at 2:07 pm.

On November 25, 1963, the day of President Kennedy's funeral, the stock market was closed.

Honorable Mention

The NYSE, formed in 1792, has kept its doors open through wars, blizzards, and crises. However, emergencies or significant events occasionally lead to closures..

• COVID-19 Closes NYSE Trading Floor: From March 23 to May 26, 2020, the NYSE trading floor was closed to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Electronic trading continued without major interruptions.
• Paperwork Crisis of the 1968–1970: Soaring trading volumes in the late 1960s overwhelmed back-office operations, leading the NYSE to close on Wednesdays temporarily. By May 1970, normal operations resumed.
• Clerical Staff Strike of 1987: A strike by NYSE clerical staff in November 1987 caused markets to close early for three days, though they never closed for a full day.

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