You're probably staring at your screen wondering why the tickers aren't moving or if you missed a memo. Honestly, it happens to the best of us. Whether you're a day trader or just someone checking their 401(k), knowing the schedule is basically rule number one.
Today is Thursday, January 15, 2026. If you are looking at the U.S. markets—the NYSE and the NASDAQ—the short answer is: Yes, the stocks are open today. But if you’re looking at the Indian markets (NSE and BSE), things are a bit weirder. They’re actually closed. Let's break down the chaos because it's not as straightforward as a simple "yes" or "no" depending on where you are in the world.
The U.S. Scene: Business as Usual (Mostly)
For those of us in the States, today is a normal trading day. The New York Stock Exchange and the NASDAQ are running on their standard "Core Trading" hours. No federal holidays are getting in the way this week, though we do have one lurking around the corner.
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Market Hours for Thursday, Jan 15:
- Pre-Market: 4:00 AM – 9:30 AM ET
- Core Trading: 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM ET
- After-Hours: 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM ET
If you're seeing some red on your screen, don't blame it on a holiday. Yesterday, the major indexes took a bit of a breather. The Nasdaq dipped about 1%, and the S&P 500 followed suit. Investors are currently chewing on some mixed bank earnings from the likes of JPMorgan and Citi, plus some weird volatility in gold and silver.
The Surprise Closure in India: NSE and BSE
Now, if you’re trying to trade the Nifty 50 or the Sensex, you’ve hit a wall. Both the National Stock Exchange (NSE) and the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) are closed today, January 15, 2026.
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Why? It’s not a national holiday like Diwali or Republic Day. It’s actually because of municipal corporation elections in Maharashtra.
This caught a few people off guard. Originally, the exchanges had this marked as a "settlement holiday," which usually means you can still trade, but the money won't move between accounts until the next day. However, they changed their minds on January 12. They upgraded it to a full trading holiday.
What This Means for Indian Traders:
- No Equity Trading: You can't buy or sell stocks today.
- F&O Expiry: Because today was supposed to be the Sensex expiry day, the exchanges actually moved the expiry up to yesterday, Wednesday, January 14.
- Commodities (MCX): The morning session is closed, but trading usually resumes in the evening session around 5:00 PM IST.
Why Do Markets Close for Local Elections?
It seems kinda overkill to shut down an entire national exchange for a local election, right? Well, Mumbai is the financial heart of India. If the banks in Mumbai are closed for polling—which they are—the "clearing and settlement" side of the stock market can't function.
If you can't move the cash, you can't really trade the stock. So, the SEBI (the regulator) and the exchanges usually just pull the plug for the day to avoid a massive backlog of un-settled trades.
Looking Ahead: The Next Closures
Don't get too comfortable with the open markets in the U.S. We have a long weekend coming up very soon.
Upcoming U.S. Market Holidays:
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- Monday, January 19, 2026: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (Closed)
- Monday, February 16, 2026: Presidents' Day (Closed)
For the folks in India, the next big break is Monday, January 26, for Republic Day. After that, you've got a long stretch of "no holidays" in February, so enjoy the grind while it lasts.
The 2026 Market Vibe
So far, 2026 has been... interesting. Analysts from firms like J.P. Morgan and Goldman Sachs have been putting out these massive 100-page outlooks saying they expect the S&P 500 to hit somewhere around 7,600 to 7,800 by the end of the year.
But it's not all sunshine. We’re dealing with what Bruce Kasman at J.P. Morgan calls "sticky inflation." Basically, prices aren't coming down as fast as the Fed wants. Plus, there's the whole AI spending wave. Companies are pouring billions into data centers, but investors are starting to ask, "Okay, where are the actual profits?"
Actionable Steps for Today:
- Check your limit orders: If you’re trading in the U.S. today, double-check those "Good 'til Cancelled" orders. The volatility from earnings season can trigger them faster than you think.
- Watch the 10-year Treasury: It’s hovering around 4.15%. If that spikes, tech stocks usually take a hit.
- Plan for Monday: Remember that the U.S. market is closed this coming Monday. If you don't like holding positions over a 3-day weekend, tomorrow (Friday) is your exit window.
- India Traders: Use today to do your research. Since the tickers aren't flickering, it’s a great time to look at the "One Big Beautiful Act" tax implications that are starting to ripple through corporate balance sheets.
The markets will be back to full global strength tomorrow, Friday, January 16. Until then, keep an eye on those earnings reports—they're the real story this week.
Make sure you've mapped out your trade exits before the Friday close, especially with the MLK Day long weekend coming up in the U.S., as liquidity tends to dry up late Friday afternoon. For those in India, verify your contract notes from yesterday’s pre-poned expiry to ensure all positions were closed or rolled over as intended.
Next Step: You can look up the specific earnings calendar for the remaining banks reporting tomorrow to see if more volatility is headed your way.