Don’t Panic: Stock Markets Are Still Moving While Wall Street Is Off

Quiet on Wall Street, Busy Worldwide

Wall Street is closed today for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which means U.S. equity markets are shut. MLK Day is observed on the third Monday in January each year; in 2026, that’s Monday, January 19.

This isn’t usually a big problem since Asian and European markets are still open for trading. But a couple of things are a little different today: liquidity drops globally because many international investors, banks, and funds route activity through U.S. markets. Also, we miss a bit of guidance since Wall Street is often the hotspot to watch for market sentiment and direction.

So don’t get nervous, folks. Stock markets are still working today, we just have a little less liquidity and no U.S. price signals to lean on.

“The time is always right to do what is right.”

Martin Luther King