The New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq will close for trading today to observe a national day of mourning for former President Jimmy Carter. Carter, the 39th President of the United States, passed away at the age of 100 on December 29, 2024, at his home in Plains, Georgia. His funeral will be held today in Washington, D.C., where he will be eulogized.
President Biden is expected to deliver a eulogy at the funeral, and a eulogy written by Gerald R. Ford, who passed away in 2006, will be read by his son Steven Ford. The financial industry decided to honor Carter’s legacy by closing the stock markets.
NYSE President Lynn Martin acknowledged his “lifetime of service to our nation” in a press release announcing the closure.
Markets observe mourning for Carter
While the stock markets will remain closed, bond markets will stay open until 2 p.m.
Tal Cohen, president of Nasdaq, explained that his company, along with other exchanges and regulators, made significant preparations for today’s closure.
“It was a large undertaking,” he said. “But we thought it was worth the effort.”
The United States Postal Service (USPS) will also suspend mail delivery and retail service today in observance of the national day of mourning. Limited package delivery service will be provided, but normal retail, delivery, and collection schedules will resume on Friday, January 10, 2025.
President Biden has declared that “all executive departments and agencies of the Federal Government shall be closed on Jan. 9,” with exceptions for those necessary for “national security, defense, or other public need.” Federal employees will have the day off as part of the observance. To honor Mr.
Carter, American flags at the White House, public buildings, military bases, naval ships, and U.S. embassies around the world will be flown at half-staff for 30 days following his death.
