U.S. stock markets, including the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq, will be closed on Jan. 9 to observe a National Day of Mourning for former President Jimmy Carter, who passed away at the age of 100 at his home in Plains, Georgia. Both exchanges announced their decision to close in honor of the 39th U.S. president and global humanitarian.
The Nasdaq held a moment of silence on Monday to remember Carter, while the NYSE will fly its U.S. flag at half-staff during the mourning period. Nasdaq President Tal Cohen stated that the exchange will be closing its markets to celebrate Carter's life and honor his legacy, highlighting his exemplary leadership and dedication to improving the human condition.
NYSE Group President Lynn Martin also emphasized Carter's enduring legacy of humanitarianism and announced plans to honor his lifetime of service. President Joe Biden declared Jan. 9 as a National Day of Mourning following Carter's passing, a customary practice for deceased American presidents.
This closure marks a continuation of Wall Street's tradition of paying homage to the nation's late leaders. The last time both the NYSE and Nasdaq closed trading for a president's death was in 2018 for President George H.W. Bush. Previous closures include the death of President Gerald R. Ford in 2007.
While closures on non-holidays are rare, the NYSE, with its centuries-old history, and the Nasdaq, established in 1971, have suspended trading for other notable figures and national tragedies. The NYSE closed after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968, and both exchanges halted trading following the September 11, 2001 terror attacks, remaining closed until Sept. 17, 2001.
