Which U.S. stock exchange was closed for four months after the 1914 outbreak of World War I?

The New York Stock Exchange was closed for four months after the 1914 outbreak of World War I.

The exchange suspended trading on July 31, 1914, as war in Europe created uncertainty about securities prices, international capital flows, and the ability to settle transactions. The closure lasted until December 12, 1914, making it one of the longest shutdowns in the exchange’s history.

The halt was intended to prevent disorderly selling and protect the financial system. When trading resumed, the market rose sharply in part because previously unrecognized U.S. financial strength and wartime demand became clearer. The reopening also helped restore an organized venue for trading American securities.

This episode is sometimes described as a stock-market crash even though it was primarily a wartime closure and financial emergency rather than a single-day exchange collapse. It also differs from the 1929 Wall Street Crash, which involved a sustained wave of selling after the New York market had remained open.