If you’re staring at your screen wondering if you have time for one last trade or if the bell is about to ring, I’ve got the short answer for you right now. The U.S. stock market (NYSE and Nasdaq) closes at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time today, January 14, 2026. It's a normal Wednesday. No holidays. No weird early closures.
But honestly, if you're a serious trader, "closing time" is a bit of a moving target depending on what you’re actually trading. The 4:00 p.m. bell is just the end of the "core" session. There's a whole world of activity that happens after that, and if you aren't careful, the post-market price swings can bite you.
What Time Does the Market Close Today? The Specifics
Most people asking what time does the market close today are looking for the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) or Nasdaq. For today, Wednesday, January 14, the schedule is the standard one you’re likely used to:
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- Core Trading Session: 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET.
- Late/After-Hours Trading: 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET.
It’s worth noting that Nasdaq recently proposed moving toward a 23/5 trading model to keep up with global demand, but for today, the 4:00 p.m. cutoff remains the big one. Why? Because that’s when the "closing auction" happens. This is where the big institutional money settles their positions, and it’s usually the point of highest liquidity for the entire day.
If you are trading over in India on the NSE or BSE, they already wrapped up their normal session at 3:30 p.m. IST. Interestingly, today was actually a pre-poned expiry day for Sensex because of a holiday tomorrow (January 15). Just a little reminder that "market hours" are a global patchwork that rarely sleeps at the same time.
Why Today Isn't an Early Close
Sometimes Wall Street likes to go home early. We see this on the day after Thanksgiving or occasionally around Christmas Eve, where the markets shut down at 1:00 p.m. ET.
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Today is not one of those days.
We are currently in the middle of a busy earnings week. Big banks like Wells Fargo and Citigroup have been reporting, and the volatility is real. As of this morning, the S&P 500 was sliding a bit—down about 0.7%—mostly because of those mixed bank reports and some jitters around oil prices. When the market is this active, that 4:00 p.m. close feels like it arrives faster than usual.
The "After-Hours" Trap
You've probably seen those flickering numbers on your brokerage app after 4:00 p.m. That’s the extended-hours market. While you can trade until 8:00 p.m. ET, it’s a different beast entirely.
The volume drops off a cliff.
When fewer people are trading, the "spread" (the difference between what a buyer will pay and what a seller wants) gets wider. This means you might end up paying a lot more for a stock than you intended, or selling it for much less. Most pros suggest staying away from after-hours unless there’s a massive piece of news—like an earnings miss—that you absolutely have to react to.
Important 2026 Dates to Watch
Since we’re already looking at the clock, you might want to mark your calendar for the next few times the market won't be following the standard 4:00 p.m. rule.
- Monday, January 19: Markets are closed all day for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
- Monday, February 16: Closed for Presidents' Day.
- Friday, April 3: Closed for Good Friday.
It’s easy to get tripped up on these, especially since the bond market occasionally takes different days off than the stock market. For today, though, you’re safe. You have until 4:00 p.m. sharp to manage your portfolio before the closing auction takes over.
Actionable Next Steps
If you have open positions today, here is what you should do before the bell:
- Check your limit orders. Prices have been volatile today thanks to the bank earnings; make sure your "buy" or "sell" triggers are still where you want them.
- Watch the 3:50 p.m. "Imbalance." This is when the NYSE starts publishing data about the closing auction. It can give you a hint about which way the price might "pop" in the final seconds of trading.
- Decide on overnight risk. With the market currently sinking a bit on global tensions, think about whether you want to hold through the night or cash out before 4:00 p.m.
The market is currently open and will stay that way until the standard 4:00 p.m. ET close. Keep an eye on those bank stocks—they're the ones driving the bus today.