If you’re staring at your trading terminal this morning wondering why the tickers aren’t moving or if you should be placing that limit order, here is the short answer: No, the U.S. stock market is not open today.
Today is Saturday, January 17, 2026.
Basically, the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the Nasdaq are always closed on weekends. That’s the standard rule. But there is a little more to the story this specific weekend because we are heading into a federal holiday. Usually, people ask is the stock market open today when they’re confused by a long weekend or an "observed" holiday.
Right now, we are in the middle of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day break. While today is a Saturday, the markets will also remain closed this coming Monday, January 19, 2026. This means you’re looking at a full three-day hiatus for Wall Street.
The Weekend Reality Check
Honestly, it’s easy to get turned around with dates, especially when you’re trading crypto 24/7 or looking at international markets. But for the big U.S. equities, the schedule is rigid.
The NYSE and Nasdaq operate on a Monday through Friday schedule. They open the doors at 9:30 a.m. and ring the closing bell at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. If it’s Saturday or Sunday, the "open" sign is flipped to "closed." No exceptions for regular trading.
You might see some movement in futures or international exchanges, but the heart of the U.S. market is quiet.
What About the MLK Holiday?
This year, Martin Luther King Jr. Day falls on Monday, January 19.
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Because today is Saturday the 17th, we are officially in the "pre-holiday" weekend. The Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA) and the major exchanges follow the federal holiday calendar pretty closely.
If you were hoping to catch some action on Monday, you’ll have to wait. Both the stock and bond markets take the day off to honor Dr. King. Banks are closed too. If you try to move money between your brokerage and your checking account, don't expect it to land until Tuesday at the earliest.
2026 Stock Market Holidays at a Glance
To help you plan the rest of your quarter, here is how the early part of 2026 looks for Wall Street. I’ve noticed people always forget about Good Friday, so keep an eye on that one.
- New Year’s Day: Thursday, January 1 (Closed)
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day: Monday, January 19 (Closed)
- Presidents' Day: Monday, February 16 (Closed)
- Good Friday: Friday, April 3 (Closed)
Notice how these are mostly Mondays? The market loves a three-day weekend.
Does Anything Actually Trade Today?
You might be thinking, "I see prices changing on my app." You aren't crazy.
While the "stock market" (equities) is closed, other corners of the financial world never sleep. Cryptocurrency is the obvious one. Bitcoin, Ethereum, and the rest of the bunch trade 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. If you’re itching to hit a "buy" button today, January 17, that’s where you’ll find the action.
Futures are a different beast. Standard equity futures usually pause on Friday evening and don't kick back off until Sunday night. So even the futures traders get a bit of a breather today.
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Why the Bond Market is Different
Kinda weirdly, the bond market doesn't always play by the same rules as the NYSE.
For instance, the bond market observes Columbus Day (Indigenous Peoples' Day) and Veterans Day, while the stock market stays open. However, for this specific weekend in January 2026, both are in agreement. Bond traders are home today, and they’ll be home on Monday too.
If you are dealing with fixed-income assets, SIFMA usually recommends an early close (usually 2:00 p.m. ET) on the Friday preceding a major holiday. If you tried to trade bonds late yesterday, January 16, you might have already run into some liquidity issues.
Common Misconceptions About Market Hours
I’ve talked to plenty of folks who think "after-hours trading" means they can trade on a Saturday. That’s not quite how it works.
Pre-market trading usually starts as early as 4:00 a.m. ET on weekdays, and after-hours goes until 8:00 p.m. ET. But once that Friday 8:00 p.m. bell hits, the lights go out.
There is no "Saturday session."
If you see a "current price" for a stock like Apple or Nvidia on a Saturday, you are looking at the closing price from Friday afternoon. It won't budge until Sunday night futures or Monday morning pre-market (or in this case, Tuesday morning because of the holiday).
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Practical Steps for Your Portfolio Today
Since you can't actually trade right now, use the downtime. Weekend research is often more productive because you aren't fighting the "noise" of live price action.
First, check your open orders. If you have "Good 'Til Canceled" (GTC) orders sitting out there, remember they won't execute until Tuesday morning. If news breaks over the weekend regarding one of your holdings, those orders might trigger at a price you no longer like.
Second, verify your dividend dates. If a company went ex-dividend on Friday, the price adjustment is already baked in.
Lastly, take a look at the earnings calendar for the week of January 20. Since the market is closed Monday, Tuesday morning is going to be incredibly volatile as the market "catches up" to three days of news.
The best thing you can do today? Set your alerts, do your homework, and enjoy the Saturday. The tickers will be back soon enough.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Review your GTC orders: Ensure any standing buy/sell orders are still valid given the 3-day market gap.
- Update your calendar: Mark Tuesday, January 20, as the next full trading day.
- Monitor Sunday Night Futures: Check the index futures at 6:00 p.m. ET on Sunday to see how the market is leaning for the Tuesday open.