Investors might want to put down their trading apps and crack open a cold beer on Independence Day Thursday.
Celebrated annually on the 4th of July, this holiday marks the beginning of the second half of 2024. In the first half, traders saw big market gains.
Dow Jones Industrial Average
It has risen 4.3% this year.
S&P 500
16% increase,
Nasdaq Composite Index
It increased by 21%.
The strong performance in the first half of the year can be attributed primarily to investments in companies involved in generative artificial intelligence, such as Nvidia and Microsoft.
.
But recently, cracks have appeared in trader optimism, and concerns that stock valuations may be too high have begun to gain attention.
Trading hours for July 4th are as follows:
Is the stock market open today?
Because Independence Day is a federal holiday, both the New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq Stock Market will be closed on Thursday. Bond markets and over-the-counter trading will also be closed in observance of Independence Day.
Advertisement – Scroll to continue
U.S. markets, which closed early Wednesday afternoon, are due to reopen at their usual hours on Friday.
What is American Independence Day? Are international markets open today?
The holiday celebrates America’s declaration of independence from Great Britain on July 4th, 1776.
As the Fourth of July is a US-only holiday, international markets will remain open, meaning investors will be able to trade as usual on the London Stock Exchange, Euronext Paris, Toronto Stock Exchange, Hong Kong Stock Exchange, Shanghai Stock Exchange and Tokyo Stock Exchange.
Advertisement – Scroll to continue
How does the market typically perform after the Fourth of July?
Over the past 20 years, the Dow Jones Industrial Average has risen an average of 1% in the seven trading days following the July 4 holiday, while the S&P 500 has risen an average of 0.9% and the Nasdaq Composite has risen an average of 1.1%, according to Dow Jones Market Data.
What should investors be watching this month?
Economists and investors may spend the Fourth of July thinking about the June jobs report, due to be released before markets open on Friday, a key indicator for the Federal Reserve, which wants to see the labor market cool before cutting interest rates. Economists surveyed by FactSet expect employers to have added 189,000 nonfarm payrolls last month, a big change from May’s unexpectedly big gain of 272,000.
The June consumer price index is also due to be released on July 11. Economists expect headline inflation to have risen 3.1% year-on-year in June, slightly lower than the 3.3% reported in May.
Contact Angela Palumbo at angela.palumbo@dowjones.com.
