Money never sleeps, but the people who trade it certainly do. If you're staring at your screen wondering about the stock market closes today at what time, the answer is actually simpler—and perhaps more frustrating—than you'd think.
It's Sunday, January 18, 2026.
The market is closed. Period.
Most retail investors get caught up in the 24/7 news cycle of crypto or the relentless ticking of global futures, but the big American engines—the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and Nasdaq—operate on a very traditional schedule. They don't do Sundays. They don't even do Saturdays.
The Core Schedule: When Does the Bell Ring?
Usually, the "core" trading session runs from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. That’s the window where the real action happens. That’s when the liquidity is thickest and the spreads are thinnest.
🔗 Read more: USD to UZS Rate Today: What Most People Get Wrong
If today were a Tuesday, you’d be looking at a 4:00 p.m. sharp cutoff for regular orders. But since we are sitting in the middle of a weekend, the physical floor in Manhattan is quiet. The servers are basically just humming in a data center in New Jersey, waiting for Monday.
Except Monday is different this week.
The MLK Day Factor
You’ve gotta check your calendar. Tomorrow is Monday, January 19, 2026. That is Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
The U.S. stock market stays closed for the entire day.
💡 You might also like: PDI Stock Price Today: What Most People Get Wrong About This 14% Yield
Basically, if you didn't get your trades in by the closing bell last Friday (January 16), you're stuck waiting until Tuesday morning at 9:30 a.m. ET. That is a long three-day wait in a world where news moves at the speed of a fiber-optic cable.
What About the "Other" Markets?
It’s kinda funny how we talk about "the market" as one thing. It isn't. While the NYSE is dark today, other things are very much alive.
- Crypto: Bitcoin doesn't care about Sundays or MLK Day. It's trading right now.
- Futures: Globex and other electronic platforms often "thaw out" on Sunday evenings. For instance, CME Group often opens up for Sunday evening sessions around 6:00 p.m. ET.
- Over-the-Counter (OTC): Mostly dead on weekends, following the lead of the big guys.
Honestly, the "after-hours" and "pre-market" windows are where people get confused. On a normal business day, you can actually trade as early as 4:00 a.m. ET on the Nasdaq. You can stay as late as 8:00 p.m. ET. But those sessions are thin. If you try to move a big block of shares at 7:00 p.m., you might get a price that makes you want to cry.
Why 4:00 PM Matters So Much
The closing auction at 4:00 p.m. ET is arguably the most important moment of the financial day.
📖 Related: Getting a Mortgage on a 300k Home Without Overpaying
Investment banks, mutual funds, and pension managers all want to "mark to market" at that specific price. It's the benchmark. When someone asks "where did Apple close?", they aren't asking about the weird price it hit in the after-hours session at 6:15 p.m. They want the 4:00 p.m. auction price.
Survival Tips for the Long Weekend
Since the stock market closes today at what time isn't the concern (because it never opened), you’ve got some time to breathe. Use it.
- Stop refreshing. Your portfolio isn't going to move until Tuesday morning unless you're heavy into Ethereum.
- Audit your limits. Check any "Good 'Til Canceled" (GTC) orders you have sitting out there. A lot can happen over a three-day weekend. If some major geopolitical event drops tonight, you might not want those orders to trigger the second the bell rings on Tuesday.
- Watch the Futures. If you really can't help yourself, watch the S&P 500 futures on Sunday night. They’ll give you a "tell" on how the big money is feeling about the coming week.
Managing your expectations around market hours is basically Level 1 of being a serious investor. The market isn't a vending machine; it's a regulated exchange with specific, rigid windows.
Take the win. Enjoy the Sunday. Tuesday will be here soon enough, and the volatility will likely be waiting for you.
Next Steps for Your Portfolio:
Review your open orders tonight to ensure they still align with your strategy before the pre-market sessions begin on Tuesday morning. If you hold positions in international markets, check the local holiday calendars for London (LSE) or Tokyo (TSE) to see if they are trading while Wall Street is dark.