Why Markets Close on Good Friday

• Global Financial Centers Are Closed
  Many major exchanges like the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), London Stock Exchange (LSE), and COMEX (for metals) are closed on Good Friday. Since these are the primary venues for trading commodities and CFDs, the markets shut down globally or operate with limited hours.
   
• Low Liquidity
  Even in countries where it's not a holiday, trading volume drops significantly. Most institutional traders, banks, and brokers are offline, which leads to:
  • Low liquidity
  • Wider spreads
  • Volatile price swings
     
• Risk Management by Brokers and Liquidity Providers
  Liquidity providers and brokers prefer to pause or limit trading to avoid the risk of erratic price movements or technical disruptions caused by thin markets.
   
• CME Group and Other Exchanges Announce Holidays
  Commodity markets like gold, silver, oil, and agricultural futures are primarily traded on exchanges like CME, which are officially closed on Good Friday. That leads to:
  • No price updates
  • No order execution
    
    Good Friday is a major public holiday in several countries, especially those with strong Christian traditions like the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and parts of Europe. Here's how it affects commodities, CFDs, and metals markets:
    
    What Instruments Are Affected
    Gold & Silver (Spot & Futures)                    - Closed
    Crude Oil & Natural Gas                                 - Closed or Early Close
    Indices (e.g., Dow, S&P, FTSE)                    - Closed
    CFDs on US Stocks & Commodities           - Closed
    Forex (Major Pairs)                                        - Open, but low liquidity
    
    Note: Due to lower liquidity and increased trading volume from hedging activities around Good Friday and U.S. market traffic, clients may experience temporary spread widening and higher volatility across certain instruments.