Wall Street Update: Is US Stock Market Closed Today For New Year Holiday?

Investors looking to trade on the first day of 2026 will have to wait, as US stock markets are closed today in observance of New Year’s Day. Both the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and Nasdaq will remain shut for the entire session, while bond markets will also remain closed.

The closure aligns with the official holiday calendar of US financial markets, which typically observes major federal holidays including New Year’s Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Trading will resume on Thursday, Jan. 2, with regular market hours from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time (EST).

The first trading day of the year is often closely watched by analysts and investors for early signals on market sentiment. first observed by investment banker Sidney B. Wachtel in 1942, January has been associated with the “January Effect,” where stocks, tend to see buying interest as portfolios rebalance. That said, today’s holiday pause means those trends will only begin tomorrow.

On Dec. 31, 2025, the main US stock market indices opened little changed, in the backdrop of the weakness exhibited in the week so far. The indices pared the marginal gains in the early minutes of trade and ticked lower.

US markets ended 2025 on a positive note, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500, and Nasdaq Composite all posting annual gains amid easing inflation and expectations of rate cuts by the Federal Reserve.

For market watchers tracking global markets, major Asian and European exchanges operated normally today, with mixed trends reflecting cautious optimism for 2026. Investors are expected to focus on upcoming US economic data releases and corporate earnings later this week.

With Wall Street taking a break, attention shifts to international markets and cryptocurrency trading, which continues uninterrupted. The next full trading session in US equities will set the tone for the year ahead.