Why is the stock market open on Columbus Day? We have answers about the holiday

If you are off on Columbus Day and need something to do, here's one option: Watch the stock ticker.

The U.S. stock market will be open on Monday. Columbus Day, which many people now observe as Indigenous Peoples' Day, is not one of the 10 holidays that halt trading in 2023 on the New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ. (If you're keeping track, the next one is Thanksgiving.) The bond market, however, will be closed.

If you're looking for action, Monday isn't a bad time to watch stocks. The market can be volatile on Columbus Day because trading tends to be light.

Columbus Day is a federal holiday, albeit a divisive one, as many Americans now regard the explorer Christopher Columbus as a colonial oppressor. Last year, the Biden Administration issued a proclamation declaring the second Monday of October Indigenous Peoples' Day. The commemoration of Native American history and culture is now officially recognized alongside Columbus Day. 

Post offices will close Monday, along with many public schools and banks.