Wall Street Holiday Ahead: Nasdaq, NYSE to remain closed for trading on April 18 for Good Friday

Wall Street holiday: US stock markets will remain closed for trading activities on Friday, April 18, for Good Friday, to commemorate the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ. According to the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association, trading on the US stock exchanges, Nasdaq, New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and US bond markets will be closed before the weekend holidays because of Good Friday.

According to US news websites, the Nasdaq and NYSE will be closed on Friday and reopen on Monday, April 21. The US bond market had closed at 2 p.m. ET on Thursday and will now reopen for trading activities on Monday, April 21. According to the stock market holiday calendar, the next market holiday in the US is on May 26, 2025, in observance of Memorial Day.

Good Friday

Good Friday is celebrated on the Friday before Easter Sunday. It holds major significance for Christians and is celebrated on April 18 this year. Good Friday commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Christians and people who observe the occasion see it as a day of penance, fasting, and mourning.

Wall Street Today

Most Wall Street stocks were little changed on Thursday, and the US dollar ticked up after investors took some heart from trade talks between the US, Japan, and Italy. The positive mood was curbed by US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's statement that the central bank would be cautious on rate cuts.

With a holiday weekend ahead, traders were reluctant to double down on the broad-based decline in risk assets this week, with gold pulling back from a record high set on Wednesday. The S&P 500 index ticked up 0.1 per cent and the Nasdaq dipped 0.1 per cent.

Technology shares got a boost from forecast-busting earnings from Taiwan's TSMC and Eli Lilly, which surged 14 per cent after the drugmaker said its experimental pill worked and its blockbuster drug Ozempic to lower weight and blood sugar. Alphabet shares fell 1.4 per cent after a federal judge said that Google illegally dominated markets for online advertising technology.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1.3 per cent, dragged by UnitedHealth. The healthcare insurance giant surprised investors with a quarterly earnings miss and a lower outlook for the full year due to higher-than-expected medical costs, sparking a 22 per cent selloff in shares that reverberated across the sector.

The STOXX 600 index was down slightly after the decision but was still headed for a gain this week, while the euro, which is not far off three-year highs against the US dollar, was 0.25 per cent lower on the day at $1.137.