so good friday always trips me out because like, wall street is completely closed but it's not even an official federal holiday lol. been wondering is wall street open on good friday or not? nope, full shutdown on NYSE, NASDAQ, everything. all the major exchanges just decided historically that's the day and it stuck around since the 1800s basically.

the practical thing is reduced trading volume anyway - so many people take it off for religious reasons or just personal stuff that markets would be a mess with fewer participants. better to just close everything and avoid the volatility. makes sense when you think about it.

what's wild is bond markets follow suit too, so it became this de facto market holiday even though technically it's not federal. SIFMA recommends the closure and everyone just goes with it.

if you're not religious and get the day off, honestly you don't have to do anything ceremonial about it. some people use it for reflection and journaling, some volunteer or do charity work, some just catch up on rest and hang with family. the whole vibe is about compassion and taking a step back from the grind, which works whether you're observant or not.

so yeah, is wall street open on good friday? straight answer: nope. full market closure, reopens monday morning. kind of nice having a market-free day to reset honestly.