As Independence Day approaches, Americans are gearing up for a long weekend of barbecues and fireworks shows to celebrate the founding of the United States.
During the extended holiday weekend, both bond and stock markets will be closed on Monday, July 4, while bond traders will be able to enjoy an additional half-day break ahead of the holiday weekend. .
Both the New York Stock Exchange, owned by Intercontinental Exchange Inc., ICE,
and the Nasdaq, owned by Nasdaq Inc. NDAQ,
will remain closed for trading on Monday, July 4th.
Meanwhile, bond traders will receive a few extra hours of vacation, as the Securities and Financial Markets Industry Association recommends an “early” closing at 2pm Eastern Time on Friday. Then, bond trading will close for the holidays on Monday, July 4th.
Holidays fall just after the end of what has been a brutal first half for the stock and bond markets. The S&P 500 is on track to record its worst performance in the first half in 52 years, while the Nasdaq Composite has seen its worst performance in the first half of history.
US stocks were headed for another round of losses on Thursday, with the S&P 500 SPX,
headed for a drop of about 21% since the beginning of the year, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA,
has fallen 15.7%, and the Nasdaq COMP,
fell 29.4%.