U.S. stock markets close for Martin Luther King Jr. Day on January 19, 2026
U.S. stock markets will pause trading on Monday, January 19, 2026, for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The federal holiday honours the civil rights leader’s legacy and contributions to equality. While American exchanges like the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq close, global markets in London, Paris, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Tokyo remain open as usual.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day has been observed on the third Monday of January since 1983, when President Ronald Reagan signed it into law. The day commemorates King’s fight for racial justice, including his 1963 'I Have a Dream' speech and his 1964 Nobel Peace Prize for nonviolent resistance. His efforts led to key laws like the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which dismantled segregation and expanded voting protections.
On January 19, 2026, the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq will halt trading, along with bond markets and over-the-counter networks. The closure comes during a busy earnings season, with major banks releasing quarterly results. Meanwhile, tech stocks—particularly memory chip firms like Sandisk—have seen rising trading activity in recent weeks. Outside financial markets, FedEx will run a modified schedule, and UPS will limit services to Express Critical deliveries only. No details were available on whether individual U.S. banks would open, though federal banking institutions will close for the holiday.
The holiday marks a day of reflection on King’s impact while disrupting normal financial operations in the U.S. Global markets, however, will continue trading without interruption. The pause in American exchanges arrives as investors await key corporate earnings reports.
