Is the stock market open on Good Friday? (SP500)

Traders will get some time off from the stock market in observance of Good Friday, and equity index futures won’t be active. The U.S. bond market, and the metals and commodities market – including for Nymex crude oil and Comex-traded gold – will be closed as well.

For those needing a trade, crypto will be available all day, with Bitcoin last changing hands down 2.5% at $40,136. There will also be the release of some economic data on Friday morning, including the Empire State Manufacturing Index, Industrial Production for March and Treasury International Capital.

Some history: The NYSE exchange has been closed for Good Friday since at least 1864, when such records began, though the market holiday (which is not a federal holiday) likely dates back to 1792, when the exchange was officially founded on Wall Street. There were only three exceptions when the NYSE remained open on Good Friday in 1898, 1906 and 1907.

What to watch: Following the latest pause and Easter Sunday, U.S. traders will return to the thick of earnings season, which saw JPMorgan kick off results in the bank sector on Wednesday. Investors will also be keeping an eye on the latest developments in the war in Ukraine, as well as the effects of high inflation, which came in at a whopping 8.5% Y/Y in March. The FOMC is set to meet on May 3-4, with Fed Vice Chair Lael Brainard recently saying the central bank could reduce its balance sheet “at a rapid pace” following the gathering.