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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 (BTC-USD) last changing hands above the $70,000 level.
There will also be the release of some economic data on Friday morning, including the Fed’s favorite inflation gauge. The core personal consumption expenditures price index is expected to have climbed 2.8% Y/Y in February, matching the same advance in the prior month. On a monthly basis, the core figure likely rose 0.3%, down from 0.4% in January. Central bank watchers today will also be watching a speech from Fed Chair Jerome Powell at 11:30 AM ET.
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: The S&P 500 (SP500) just wrapped up its best first quarter in five years, rising more than 10% YTD. The benchmark index has also notched 22 record closes in that span, while hitting the 5,200 mark that even the most bullish of analysts had predicted for all of 2024. Any weakness hasn’t continued for more than several sessions, with dip buying and fresh money continuing to come off the sidelines.
