Honestly, the "is the market open" question used to be so simple. You'd check the calendar, see if it was a weekday, and look for any major holidays. But in 2026, the answer is kinda becoming a "it depends on who you're asking and what you're trading."
If you’re looking at today—Tuesday, January 13, 2026—the short answer is a resounding yes. The major U.S. exchanges, the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the Nasdaq, are open for business. No federal holidays are standing in your way today.
But here’s the thing. Just because the big doors at 11 Wall Street are open doesn't mean "the market" ever actually closed for some people. We’ve entered an era where the traditional 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET window is starting to feel like a suggestion rather than a rule.
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Are the stock markets open today and what are the actual hours?
The "standard" session is still the heartbeat of the financial world. For most of us, that means the opening bell rings at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time and the closing bell tolls at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
Today being a Tuesday in mid-January, you’re clear of the New Year's Day hangover and still a few days away from the next scheduled closure. The markets are operating at full tilt.
However, "open" is a relative term now.
You’ve probably noticed your brokerage app—whether it’s Schwab, Fidelity, or Robinhood—buzzing long before you’ve had your first coffee. Pre-market trading actually kicks off as early as 4:00 a.m. ET. Then, after the 4:00 p.m. close, the "after-hours" session keeps the lights on until 8:00 p.m. ET.
The 2026 Shift: Why "Closed" is Disappearing
We have to talk about what's happening behind the scenes this year.
Nasdaq recently pushed a massive proposal to the SEC to extend U.S. equities trading to 23 hours a day, five days a week. They’re calling it the "Night Session." While they’re still ironining out the kinks with clearing houses like the NSCC—which is eyeing a June 28, 2026, transition to 24/5 clearing—the reality is that the gap between "open" and "closed" is narrower than ever.
If you’re trading certain ETFs or big-name stocks like Nvidia or Apple, you might find that you can trade them 24 hours a day on platforms like Interactive Brokers or Blue Ocean. It’s wild.
What most people get wrong about market holidays
Even though are the stock markets open today has a "yes" for an answer, people constantly get tripped up by the "observed" rule.
In 2026, we have a few weird ones. Take Independence Day. July 4th is a Saturday this year. Because of that, the markets actually shut down on Friday, July 3rd. If you wait until the actual holiday to realize the market is closed, you’ve already missed a full day of trading.
There are also the "half-days" that catch people off guard. On Friday, November 27, 2026 (the day after Thanksgiving), and Thursday, December 24, 2026 (Christmas Eve), the markets pull the plug early at 1:00 p.m. ET.
Liquidity dries up fast on those days. If you're trying to exit a large position at 12:45 p.m. on Christmas Eve, you’re basically asking for a bad fill.
The 2026 Holiday Checklist
Just so you can plan your week (and your sanity), here are the big closures for the rest of this month and the near future:
- Monday, January 19, 2026: Markets are closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
- Monday, February 16, 2026: Markets are closed for Presidents' Day (Washington's Birthday).
- Friday, April 3, 2026: Markets are closed for Good Friday.
Notice a pattern? Wall Street loves a long weekend.
Beyond the NYSE: Bonds, Crypto, and Global Markets
It’s easy to get tunnel vision and only think about the NYSE or Nasdaq. But the bond market—which basically runs the world’s interest rates—is a different beast.
Bond markets are usually open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET, but they follow a slightly different holiday schedule. They often close for "bank holidays" like Columbus Day or Veterans Day when the stock market stays wide open.
And then there’s Crypto.
Bitcoin doesn't care if it's Tuesday, January 13, or Christmas morning. It’s 24/7/365. This creates a weird disconnect where a major piece of news can break on a Sunday night, crypto prices react instantly, and stock investors have to sit on their hands until the 4:00 a.m. pre-market opens on Monday.
What about London, Tokyo, and Hong Kong?
If you’re a global macro trader, your "today" started yesterday.
The Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE) and Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKG) were active while most of the U.S. was sleeping. European markets like the London Stock Exchange (LSE) and Euronext are currently in the middle of their sessions as you read this in the morning hours of the East Coast.
Sometimes, a massive move in the Nikkei or the DAX can tell you exactly how the U.S. market is going to open before the first trade even happens in New York.
Actionable Steps for Today's Trading
Since the markets are open today, here’s how you should actually use that information:
- Check the "Gap": Look at the difference between yesterday’s 4:00 p.m. close and this morning’s 9:30 a.m. open. If there’s a big "gap," it’s usually driven by overseas news or overnight earnings reports.
- Avoid the "Amateur Hour": The first 30 minutes (9:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.) are famously volatile. This is where all the overnight orders get dumped into the system. Professionals often wait until 10:30 a.m. for the "opening range" to settle.
- Watch the Bond Yields: Since it's a normal Tuesday, keep an eye on the 10-year Treasury yield. In the 2026 economy, stock prices are hypersensitive to even tiny moves in the bond market.
- Verify your Broker's Hours: If you plan on trading after 4:00 p.m., make sure you know your broker's specific rules. Some require you to use "Limit Orders" only during extended hours to protect you from the low liquidity and crazy price swings.
The markets are humming today, so the opportunity is there. Just remember that in a world moving toward 24/7 trading, the most important thing isn't just knowing if it's open—it's knowing when the big institutional players are actually at their desks.
Happy trading.
Next Steps:
- Verify your specific brokerage's pre-market access rules for the 4:00 a.m. window.
- Review the SIFMA holiday calendar if you hold significant positions in Treasury bonds or municipal debt.
- Set price alerts for the 9:30 a.m. ET open to catch the initial volatility surge.