Ah, the day for veterans. The one holiday that is both very respectful and quite perplexing at the same time. It sneaks up on us every November 11, and we all mumble, “Wait, do we have work?” while pretending to know what banks and markets do on federal holidays.
And here’s the harsh truth: no one really knows who’s open, who’s closed, or who’s just pretending to be. This mess can’t be fixed by Google; it only shows you stock photographs of flags flapping and cryptic cautions like “hours may vary.” So, are the markets closed on Veterans Day? Grab your expensive seasonal latte, lower your expectations, and let’s get started on the patriotic maze of uncertainty that is “federal holiday scheduling.”
The Short Answer: Sort of, but not really, because capitalism never sleeps.
You know that sensation when your job claims, “We value our veterans,” but then has you connect into Slack at 9 a.m. on November 11? Yeah, the same energy. So let’s go over it step by step. The U.S. stock markets (NYSE and Nasdaq) are open. Because it seems that Wall Street cares more about spreadsheets than warriors. Bond markets are closed. Yes, the one part of finance that says, “Maybe let’s take a break for a day.” Banks: MOSTLY NOT OPEN. Because they still think it’s 1982 and they can just put up a “See you Monday” sign. Federal offices are closed. So you may put off your tax questions, but you can’t put off your credit card bills. To put it simply, Wall Street is open. The markets are moving. But who really runs the world’s logistics? Gone to fish. America: where even our festivities have small print and rules.
Step 1: Know that markets are more afraid of weekends than war. Financial markets don’t like to take breaks. They get scared if they pause for longer than two days. People go crazy when they can’t reload their apps every five minutes to see their portfolios drop. Even while Veterans Day is about honoring service people, in the world of finance, it’s just a small problem between “Thursday chaos” and “Monday morning panic.” Check the facts: The markets are still open because they do well when things are unstable. The last time they all took a break together, someone made a meme about purchasing GameStop and ruining hedge funds for fun. If you believe closing for a day could soothe this beast, you should read 2020 again. Fear, FOMO, and espresso shots are what keep markets going. They won’t stop claiming “liquidity” is a personality feature till it’s Christmas or New Year’s.
Some people think that Wall Street can’t stop because it’s too fragile. Some people feel it only has main-character syndrome.
Step Two: The Bond Market Out Here Being the Older Brother or Sister On Veterans Day, stock traders are having a great time with live tickers, while bond traders are saying, “Maybe we shouldn’t do that today.” The U.S. bond market, which is a sad, dull overachiever in finance, does something that no one else does: it celebrates federal holidays. It closes for Veterans Day. No exclusions. Bonds are like that one kid in class who always reminds the teacher that there was homework. They could be annoying, but you need them in class or everyone will flunk. And you know what? That’s great for them. The bond market doesn’t cry “BUY THE DIP!” every three seconds like the stock market does. Instead, it takes a moment to think about things. If the markets were siblings, stocks would be the reckless gamer who YOLOs on crypto. Bonds are the smart elder child who saves money by cutting coupons and drinking black coffee. What about the economy? The worried mom who is holding things together with duct tape and prayer. Yes, that’s right. On Veterans Day, the bond market is closed. But don’t celebrate for too long; it opens again at 9 a.m. the next day, ready to destroy your good mood.
Step Three: If You’re Confused, It’s Because Holidays Don’t Make Sense Money-Wise Let’s speak about how America feels about “time off.” We act like holidays are optional side quests. Some businesses, like the Post Office and your dentist, take them seriously. Others, meanwhile, act like “holiday hours” means “normal hours but with an email about how bad it is to celebrate our heroes.” That’s why every day of Veterans Day feels like a test of logic. USPS? Closed. FedEx? Partially open. Are there stock markets? No, have a party. Starbucks? Always open, like a national cornerstone of coffee-based capitalism. It’s messy, and not in a cute way. We somehow turned a holiday that was supposed to be about respect into one about misunderstanding, business, and PR interns writing corporate pronouncements. A financial guy is writing “Happy Veterans Day” on LinkedIn without knowing that his algorithm just set up a trade during the procession.
Step Four: Veterans Day and Wall Street Have a Strange Relationship This is a strange symmetry: both Veterans Day and Wall Street say they “honor service.” One really does. The other one just uses the day off to meddle with the future. Traders are tweeting motivating messages from their Bloomberg screens on Veterans Day, such “We are free to trade because others fought for freedom.” At the same time, they are also shorting tech equities. You can’t commemorate warriors and then ruin people’s retirement accounts before lunch, with all due respect. Influencers need hashtags, and markets need meaning. Until the next press release, everything is just for show. Capitalism doesn’t take a day off. “Slower trading volume” is all there is. But let’s imagine that Wall Street “pays its respects” by letting the NASDAQ open five minutes late and playing the national anthem at the opening bell.
Step Five: What You Should (and Shouldn’t) Do on Veterans Day If you’re still not sure what to do while the bond market sleeps, here’s a roadmap to staying alive:
DO: Take a moment to think about why the day exists. You could text your one uncle who still tells you to stand up straight like he’s in the army. Be grateful that someone else gets to take a day off, even if it’s not you.
DON’T: Try to trade bitcoin when “the market’s softer.” That doesn’t exist. When CNBC says the day has “light volume,” panic sets in. You weren’t going to buy bonds anyway. Send an email to your bank’s customer service. Karen in accounting is off till Monday, friend. And don’t tweet “Is Wall Street closed?” because you’ll get 10 million financial dudes who think mimicking Warren Buffet is patriotic to come after you.
Spoiler: Capitalism Never Stops Listen, the fact is nasty but simple: the markets may take time off in theory, but money doesn’t. Things still happen. Trades are waiting in line. Flexing goes on. You are so cute if you think that one day of “rest” will stop billionaires from making more money while they sleep. Keep that hope alive! The algorithms don’t stop even when the markets do. Futures hum in a low voice. In Hong Kong, forex traders drink Red Bull. Someone is making money as you search for “is Target open?” So, no, the markets never actually close. They only slow down long enough for capitalism to take a break. You figured out capitalism’s favorite trick. Congratulations! So, to address the question “Are markets closed on Veterans Day?” — The stock market isn’t, the bond market is, and you should surely be.
It’s the ideal metaphor for America: half of us are working, half are pretending to rest, and we’re all caffeinated enough to call that balance. Now go out and “observe responsibly.” You might want to stay away from your trading app for a day. Go feel some grass. Say thank you to a veteran. And don’t forget that capitalism always finds a way to unsubscribe emotionally, no matter how many holidays we make up. Congratulations if you made it to the end. You now know more than most people on Twitter. Now go have fun, but be smart about it (and maybe drink water instead than checking the Dow).
