Why don't people trade on Monday?

Asked by: Daphnee Abernathy  |  Last update: July 8, 2026
Score: 4.6/5 (41 votes)

People often avoid trading on Monday due to high volatility, unpredictable price gaps following weekend news, and the "weekend effect," where stocks traditionally underperform or drop early in the week. Monday's market is often slow, with low liquidity and, in forex, a tendency for price manipulation, making it difficult to establish a clear trend.

Is Monday a bad day to trade?

In a bear market, some say the market is at its most volatile on Monday and Tuesday, when stocks tend to fall the most. In contrast, some say Thursday is a good day for selling because stocks tend to rise.

Why don't traders trade on Monday?

The reason is Mondays make big retracements or continuations for the weekly bias , and Fridays because they are reversal days sometimes thursdays too.

Why are mondays bad for stocks?

Analysis of ex-dividend days of the sample companies during the sample period suggests that nearly 94 percent of ex-dividend days are Mondays. This alone is sufficient to depress the stock price on Mondays.

Do stocks usually drop on Monday?

So, if an exchange or index was trending up on Friday, common trading wisdom states that it'll likely continue in that vein, though often with lower returns, when markets open again on Monday. However, some traders and investors believe that markets tend to trend downward on Mondays.

$100 Silver Wasn’t the Shock—It Was the Disappearance of Bids | Michael Oliver

31 related questions found

What is the 90% rule in trading?

The "90-90-90 rule" in trading is a harsh reality check stating that 90% of new traders lose 90% of their money within the first 90 days, highlighting the high failure rate due to emotional decisions, poor risk management, and lack of education/strategy. It serves as a cautionary tale, emphasizing that success requires discipline, a solid trading plan, continuous learning, and strict risk control (like risking only 1-2% per trade) to avoid the common pitfalls that wipe out most beginners. 

What is the Monday theory?

The term Monday effect refers to a financial theory that suggests that stock market returns will follow the prevailing trends from the previous Friday when it opens the following Monday.

What is the cheapest day to buy stocks?

Our analysis of over 6,200 trading days shows that Tuesday has historically produced the highest average daily returns at 0.062%, while Friday and Monday show the lowest average returns at about 0.009% each.

What is the 2% rule in day trading?

One popular method is the 2% Rule, which means you never put more than 2% of your account equity at risk (Table 1). For example, if you are trading a $50,000 account, and you choose a risk management stop loss of 2%, you could risk up to $1,000 on any given trade.

What is the 84% rule in trading?

The 84% Rule in trading is a concept where traders re-enter a trade at the same key level with identical parameters (stop-loss, target) after an initial stop-out, expecting an ~84% success rate for the second attempt, especially after a fake-out or liquidity grab, leveraging the idea that the market often respects the original level despite the initial false move. It's a trade management technique to recover losses or capitalize on high-probability setups when price returns to the original thesis, often involving identifying market imbalances like Fair Value Gaps (FVGs) for confirmation. 

Who owns 88% of the stock market?

A 2019 study by Harvard Business Review found either Vanguard, BlackRock or State Street is the largest listed owner of 88% of S&P 500 companies. There is a perception that a few select companies own a vast majority of the stock market.

What is the 3-5-7 rule in stocks?

The 3-5-7 rule in stock trading is a risk management strategy: risk no more than 3% of capital on a single trade, keep total open position risk under 5%, and aim for a minimum 7% profit target or 7:1 reward-to-risk ratio, ensuring capital preservation and disciplined growth by setting clear limits and avoiding emotional decisions. 

Which days to avoid trading?

Saturdays and Sundays tend to be the least favourable days for trading forex. Most traders tend to avoid trading forex during holidays and around major news events.

What is the 90% rule in stocks?

The "Rule of 90" in stocks most commonly refers to Warren Buffett's advice for his wife's inheritance: 90% in a low-cost S&P 500 index fund for growth and 10% in short-term government bonds for stability, designed for long-term investors. However, a more pessimistic "Rule of 90-90-90" suggests 90% of new traders lose 90% of their capital within 90 days, highlighting the high failure rate due to lack of education, emotional trading, and poor risk management.
 

Does stock price drop on Monday?

The Monday effect is a well-known market anomaly, denoting the significant decline in stock prices immediately after weekends compared with those after other weekdays (French, 1980). Classical studies attempt to address potential causes of this anomaly or the day-of-the-week seasonality in stock returns.

How long will $500,000 last using the 4% rule?

Your $500,000 can give you about $20,000 each year using the 4% rule, and it could last over 30 years. The Bureau of Labor Statistics shows retirees spend around $54,000 yearly. Smart investments can make your savings last longer.

Should I sell stocks on Monday?

In bear markets, Mondays and Tuesdays tend to be the most volatile, which means stocks fall the most on these days, according to J.P. Morgan Wealth Management. When this happens, you're usually better off standing pat rather than selling or buying.