Is the stock market open on Christmas?

Many investors may be wondering, is the stock market open on Christmas Day? The answer to that question is, no, the UK stock market will be closed on Thursday, 25 December for Christmas.

Typically, the UK stock market opening times are 8am to 4.30pm Monday to Friday with a small break between 12pm and 12.02pm. Public holidays and major events can affect trading times, as was the case with the Bank Holiday Monday in August.

Investors will be hoping for a lift to their portfolio this holiday season, but turbulent times threaten another year without a Santa rally. This includes Donald Trump’s tariffs and investors’ fears of an AI bubble bursting – but we’ve also seen gold and silver reaching all-time highs and Nvidia’s market capitalisation crossing the $5 trillion mark.

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Since the Autumn Budget last month, a lot has changed for savers and investors alike – we’ve seen inflation, mortgage rates and interest rates falling. If that’s made you unsure about how to invest your money, we look at where to invest and the best sectors to consider in separate guides.

Below, we look at UK and US stock market opening times during the Christmas period, and how it will impact trading on those days.

We also look at if the stock market is open on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

Is the stock market open on Christmas?

The UK stock market will be closed on Christmas, which falls on Thursday – 25 December 2025.

This is one of the eight standard holidays observed by the stock exchange throughout the year, like the spring and early May bank holidays, Good Friday and Boxing Day.

The stock market is also shut on Friday, 26 December, for Boxing Day. However, that’s not the case on Christmas Eve – the London Stock Exchange (LSE) will instead observe a half-day and close from 12:30pm.

The LSE only follows English bank holidays – not Scottish, Northern Irish or Welsh holidays.

We look at the key money dates for 2026 in a separate guide.

When is the UK stock market closed in 2025?

Here’s a breakdown of all the UK stock market holidays in the coming month, so you can plan your trading activity accordingly.

When is the US stock market closed in 2025?

If you choose to diversify your holdings across the pond, we also look at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and Nasdaq’s open times and holidays this month.

Both stock exchanges’ standard opening hours are Monday to Friday 9:30am to 4pm Eastern Standard Time (EST) time, which is 2:30pm to 9pm in the UK.