So, you're sitting there looking at a ticker, maybe checking a position you opened on a whim, and you're wondering what time does the stock exchange close today. It seems like a simple question. Usually, if you're in the U.S., the answer is a quick "4:00 PM Eastern." But honestly, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Depending on the day of the week, the specific holiday calendar, and even the type of asset you’re messing with, that "closing time" can feel like a moving target.
Today is Sunday, January 18, 2026. If you're looking to trade stocks on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) or the Nasdaq right now, I've got some bad news: they are closed. The major U.S. stock exchanges do not trade on weekends.
But there’s a bigger twist. Tomorrow, Monday, January 19, is Martin Luther King Jr. Day. In the U.S., that's a federal holiday, and both the NYSE and Nasdaq will be completely shut down all day. They won't just be closing early; they aren't opening at all. You won't see the opening bell until Tuesday morning at 9:30 AM ET.
What Time Does the Stock Exchange Close Today on a Normal Day?
On a standard Tuesday through Friday, the "Core Trading Session" for the big U.S. players is strictly 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM Eastern Time. That 4:00 PM mark is when the closing bell rings, the floor goes quiet (well, metaphorically, since it’s mostly computers now), and the "official" price for the day is set.
If you aren't on the East Coast, those hours feel a bit weirder.
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- Pacific Time: 6:30 AM – 1:00 PM
- Mountain Time: 7:30 AM – 2:00 PM
- Central Time: 8:30 AM – 3:00 PM
It's kinda wild to think that people in California are often finishing their "trading day" during their lunch break. But wait—there's more. The 4:00 PM cutoff is really just for the casual retail investor using a basic app. For the pros and the "night owls," the market actually stays active way longer.
The Secret World of After-Hours Trading
Just because the bell rings doesn't mean the trading stops. Most major brokerages allow "Extended Hours Trading." This includes:
- After-Hours Session: 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM ET.
- Pre-Market Session: Often starts as early as 4:00 AM ET.
Volume is way lower during these times. That means prices can jump around like crazy (high volatility) because there aren't as many buyers and sellers to keep things steady. If a company like Apple or Tesla drops an earnings report at 4:05 PM, the price you see at 4:10 PM could be vastly different from the 4:00 PM close.
Why the Closing Time Changes (Early Closes)
Sometimes the market gets "lazy" and closes early at 1:00 PM ET. This usually happens around the holidays. For 2026, you've got two big ones to watch out for:
- Friday, November 27, 2026: The day after Thanksgiving (Black Friday).
- Thursday, December 24, 2026: Christmas Eve.
On these days, the liquidity—basically the amount of cash moving around—dries up fast. Most traders are already out the door by noon, so the exchanges just call it a day early to let everyone go home. If you're trying to execute a big trade at 2:00 PM on Black Friday, you’re basically shouting into an empty room.
What About the Bond Market?
Interestingly, the bond market (where people trade government debt) plays by its own rules. While stocks are locked in until 4:00 PM, the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA) often recommends a 2:00 PM close for bonds on those same "early close" days.
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And if you’re trading crypto? Well, crypto doesn’t sleep. Bitcoin and Ethereum don't care about Martin Luther King Jr. Day or a Sunday afternoon. Those markets are 24/7/365. It's a bit of a shock to the system for traditional stock traders who are used to having their weekends off.
When Does the Market Open Again?
Since what time does the stock exchange close today results in a "closed for the weekend" answer, your eyes are likely on next week. Because of the MLK Day holiday on Monday, January 19, the regular schedule is shifted.
Tuesday, January 20, 2026, will be the next "normal" day.
- Pre-Market Starts: 4:00 AM ET
- Regular Open: 9:30 AM ET
- Regular Close: 4:00 PM ET
- After-Hours Closes: 8:00 PM ET
Actionable Steps for Your Portfolio
If you were hoping to trade today and realized you can't, don't just walk away. Use this "dark" time to prep for the Tuesday open.
First, check for "gap" risk. Since the market is closed for three straight days (Saturday, Sunday, and Monday), any news that happens over the weekend—geopolitical drama, a major CEO scandal, or a surprise economic shift—will be "priced in" all at once on Tuesday morning. This often causes the stock to "gap" up or down, meaning it opens at a price significantly different from where it closed on Friday.
Second, review your limit orders. If you have "Good 'Til Canceled" (GTC) orders sitting out there, a three-day weekend is a long time for the world to change. Make sure those prices still make sense for you before the Tuesday morning rush.
Finally, if you really must trade something, look into the 24-hour markets like Forex or Crypto, but be careful. Those markets can be exceptionally thin during U.S. bank holidays, which leads to weird price spikes that can wipe out a stop-loss order before you even finish your coffee. Tuesday will be here soon enough. Keep your strategy sharp and wait for the high-volume liquidity of the regular session.