MW Is the stock market open on Black Friday? Are any stores open on Thanksgiving Day?

By Charles Passy

Thanksgiving week comes with plenty of holiday-adjusted business hours, including, of course on Wall Street - so here's what you need to know

A scene from a past Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade - which will be up and running on Turkey Day morning, unlike the stock market and many stores and services.

Happy Turkey Day!

Yes, Thanksgiving is Thursday. The holiday has been recognized by the federal government since 1870, though President Abraham Lincoln earlier had encouraged Americans to recognize a November "day of Thanksgiving" in 1863, and President George Washington had issued a proclamation for "a day of public thanksgiving and prayer" on Nov. 26, 1789.

Now, of course, there's another "holiday" on the day after Thanksgiving -namely, the shopping extravaganza known as Black Friday.

So, what will be open (or closed) on Thanksgiving and Black Friday? Here's what to expect.

Stock and bond markets

U.S. stock and bond markets will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, and they will have shortened hours on Black Friday. The New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq exchange will call time on equity-market trading SPX COMP DJIA at 1 p.m. Eastern on the Friday after Thanksgiving, while bond markets BX:TMUBMUSD10Y will remain open until 2 p.m. on Black Friday.

Mail and packages

The U.S. Postal Service will not be delivering mail on Thanksgiving, but service will resume on Black Friday. FedEx $(FDX)$ will not offer service on Thanksgiving, either, except for "Custom Critical" deliveries, and FedEx will have modified service on Black Friday. UPS $(UPS)$ will not deliver on Thanksgiving, except for "Express Critical" items, but the company says delivery and pickup services will be available again on Black Friday.

Banks

Banks are generally closed on Thanksgiving (though you can always visit an ATM or use your banking app). But they will be open on Black Friday, according to GoBankingRates, though some branches could limit their hours.

Government offices

Since Thanksgiving is indeed a federal holiday, all nonessential federal government offices are closed (and the same generally applies to state and municipal government offices).

Black Friday is not a federal holiday. But it is a state holiday in more than 20 states, according to the OfficeHolidays website, so check your local listings.

Schools

Schools are closed on Thanksgiving, and most are closed on Black Friday, as well, but it's best to check with your local district to be sure.

Stores

While many stores had started opening on Thanksgiving years ago as a way to pull Black Friday sales forward, that trend appears to be reversing. Most major retailers, among them Costco $(COST)$, Walmart $(WMT)$ and Target (TGT) are closed this Thanksgiving. The exceptions: Some grocery chains, dollar stores and pharmacies are open, but with adjusted hours (think stores like CVS $(CVS)$ and Whole Foods (AMZN)). Black Friday, of course, is a big shopping day, with some stores opening as early as 5 a.m. Check with individual stores to find exact hours.

-Charles Passy

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November 25, 2025 10:03 ET (15:03 GMT)

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