If you’re checking your watch or staring at a flickering ticker symbol wondering if you can actually place a trade, here’s the short version: Yes, the stock market is open today, Wednesday, January 14, 2026.
The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the Nasdaq are running on their standard schedule. No holidays are getting in the way this morning. But "open" is kinda a relative term in 2026. While the "core" session hasn't changed in decades, the lines between when the market is awake and when it's asleep are getting blurrier by the month.
Honestly, it’s easy to get confused. We just came off the New Year's Day break, and we’re staring down a long weekend for Martin Luther King Jr. Day in just a few days. If you’re trading from a laptop in a coffee shop or just checking your 401(k) on a lunch break, here is the ground truth for today's session.
The Clock is Ticking: Today's Trading Hours
For the vast majority of us, the day revolves around the 9:30 a.m. ET opening bell. That’s when the high-volume "Core Trading Session" kicks off.
If you want the specific breakdown of how today looks, here it is:
- Pre-Market Session: 4:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. ET
- Core Trading Session: 9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. ET
- After-Hours Session: 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. ET
Basically, if it’s between 9:30 and 4:00 in New York, the big institutional "liquidity" is there. Outside those hours? You can still trade, but things get a bit wild. Spreads get wider, meaning you might pay more than you want to, and the price swings can be much more aggressive because there are fewer people at the table.
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Why Some People Think Today is a Holiday
It’s a fair question. The financial calendar is littered with "bank holidays" that don't always align with "market holidays." For instance, the bond market and the stock market are like two siblings who can never agree on a vacation schedule.
Today, January 14, is a normal Wednesday for US markets. However, in some parts of the world, like Morocco or Sri Lanka, local exchanges are actually closed for bank holidays like Tamil Thai Pongal Day. If you’re trading international ADRs or global ETFs, you might see some weirdly low volume in specific sectors because of those global pauses.
But here in the US? We’re full steam ahead. The next time the NYSE and Nasdaq actually pull the plug is Monday, January 19, 2026, for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. That will be a full closure—no pre-market, no core session, nothing.
The 24/5 Evolution: A New Reality in 2026
We have to talk about how much things have changed recently. For a long time, the idea of the "market being open" was binary. It was either 9:30 a.m. or it wasn't.
But as of early 2026, the push for 24/5 trading has moved from a "maybe someday" thing to a "happening right now" thing. The SEC has been reviewing proposals from Nasdaq and various ATSs (Alternative Trading Systems) to extend hours even further—sometimes up to 23 hours a day.
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Many retail brokers, including giants like Charles Schwab and Robinhood, now offer "Overnight Sessions." This means for over 1,000 popular stocks and ETFs (think the S&P 500 or the big tech names), the market basically never sleeps from Sunday night to Friday night. So, if you're asking "is the stock market open today" at 1:00 a.m., the answer for you might actually be "yes," depending on what broker you use and what ticker you’re eyeing.
What About the Bond Market?
This is where it gets tricky for the professionals. The bond market (managed by SIFMA) often plays by its own rules. While the stock market is open today, bond traders sometimes face "early close" recommendations or full closures on days the NYSE stays open—like Columbus Day or Veterans Day.
For today, January 14, the bond market is also operating on a normal schedule. No early 2:00 p.m. ET flight to the Hamptons for the bond desk today.
Practical Tips for Trading Today
Since the market is open and it’s a standard mid-week session, here’s how you should approach it:
1. Watch the "MLK Weekend" Drift
Historically, the days leading up to a long weekend (like the one coming up on Jan 19) can see volume start to dry up by Friday afternoon. Today, Wednesday, is usually the "peak" of the week’s activity. If you have big moves to make, doing them today or tomorrow is often better than waiting for the low-liquidity "pre-holiday" Friday.
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2. Mind the Volatility
Earnings season is starting to ramp up. Check the calendar for any major banks or tech firms reporting after the bell. Even though the "market" is open, your specific stock might be halted for news or experience a massive gap if an earnings report drops.
3. Use Limit Orders
Even on a regular Wednesday, I always tell people to avoid "Market Orders" like the plague. Use a Limit Order. It tells the exchange exactly what you’re willing to pay. In the age of high-frequency trading and 24-hour cycles, price "glitches" happen. Don't let a momentary spike drain your account.
Actionable Next Steps
If you’re ready to trade today, your first move should be to check your specific broker’s "Status" page. While the NYSE and Nasdaq are open, individual platforms occasionally have technical "gremlins" or maintenance windows.
Next, verify if any stocks on your watchlist have earnings calls scheduled for this afternoon. The "regular" session ends at 4:00 p.m. ET, but that's exactly when the real fireworks usually start during earnings season.
Finally, keep an eye on the clock. If you’re looking to exit a position, the "Power Hour" (3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET) is when the big institutions rebalance their portfolios. It’s often the most liquid—and most chaotic—time of the day.
The market is open. The data is flowing. Good luck out there.
Summary of 2026 Market Holidays (Upcoming)
- January 19: Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Closed)
- February 16: Presidents' Day (Closed)
- April 3: Good Friday (Closed)
- May 25: Memorial Day (Closed)