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Is the Stock Market Open on MLK Day? What About Your Mail?

Every third Monday in January, we honor Martin Luther King Jr. Day (MLK Day). But if you’re an investor, a business owner, or just waiting on a package, you might be wondering: is the stock market open? Will the post office deliver your mail? These might seem like small questions, but they can really shake up your plans—and your wallet.

From personal experience, I’ve seen people scramble last minute because they didn’t check the holiday schedules. Missed trades, delayed shipments, and unexpected stress happen all too often. So, let’s break down what really goes down on MLK Day when it comes to the markets and mail.

The Stock Market? It’s Closed.

Here’s the straightforward part: the U.S. stock markets, including the NYSE and NASDAQ, shut down on MLK Day. It’s a federal holiday, so no buying or selling happens. If you try to place a trade, it won’t go through until the market opens again on Tuesday.

And no, after-hours trading won’t save you here. Those electronic platforms that sometimes let you trade outside normal hours also take this day off. So if you’re thinking you can sneak in a quick move on MLK Day, think again.

What About Bonds?

The bond market follows suit and is closed as well. Whether it’s treasuries, municipal bonds, or corporate debt, nothing trades on MLK Day. Sometimes there’s an early close the day before, but not for this holiday.

International Markets Keep Rolling

Here’s where it gets a bit tricky: not all countries observe MLK Day. European, Asian, and other international markets are usually open as normal. So if you’re trading foreign stocks or American Depositary Receipts (ADRs), you might see price action overseas—but you won’t be able to act on it in the U.S. until Tuesday.

Will the Post Office Deliver?

Nope. The U.S. Postal Service doesn’t deliver mail or packages on MLK Day. All post offices are closed, so if you’re waiting on something important—a check, a legal document, or a package—expect delays.

This trips up a lot of people every January. “Priority mail” doesn’t mean “always delivered,” especially on federal holidays. If you have deadlines involving the mail, plan ahead.

What About UPS and FedEx?

Private carriers like UPS and FedEx are a bit different. Most of their services take MLK Day off, but they’ll still handle “critical” shipments. UPS Express Critical and FedEx custom critical deliveries continue, but regular ground and express services pause.

Why Should You Care?

On the surface, it might seem like a simple holiday pause. But in real life, it can throw a wrench into payroll, trade settlements, contract deadlines, and more. I’ve seen small businesses lose out just because a payment didn’t clear on time, or a trader miss an important market move by a day. That single “off” day can ripple through your operations.

How to Prepare for MLK Day

Here’s what I’d suggest to avoid headaches:

• Check the official holiday calendars for markets and delivery services at the beginning of the year and mark your calendar.
• Build in a buffer of a couple of days when planning trades, payments, or shipments around MLK Day.
• Don’t assume your brokerage or bank will remind you—they usually won’t.

Even if something says “instant,” back-end processes like settlement cycles still pause on holidays. I’ve seen payments that should have cleared on Monday get delayed until Wednesday just because MLK Day wasn’t accounted for.

Some Exceptions to Keep in Mind

Not everything stops completely. Some fintech apps or robo-advisors let you enter trades on holidays, but execution is always delayed until markets open. This can give a false sense of activity, so don’t get fooled.

Also, some post office counters inside grocery stores or pharmacies might be open for limited service, but no actual mail gets processed or delivered. Just because you see a light on doesn’t mean your package is moving.

Money Moves on MLK Day?

Bank branches are closed, but ATMs still work and you can move money between your own accounts online. However, wire transfers, bill payments, and other banking activities won’t clear until the next business day. If you’re running payroll or vendor payments due on MLK Day, this can be a real pain.

Digital Doesn’t Always Mean Instant

We live in a world that’s supposed to be instant, right? But federal holiday schedules still affect the underlying systems. I’ve seen people try peer-to-peer apps like Venmo or Zelle to get around delays. Those can work for person-to-person payments, but anything involving banks usually waits until after the holiday.

Crypto Is the Wild Card

Cryptocurrency markets never close, so if you’re trading Bitcoin or Ethereum, you’re good to go 24/7, even on MLK Day. Just remember, if you want to convert crypto to cash or move it into a traditional bank account, those transactions will still face delays because of bank holidays.

Wrapping It Up

So, to answer the big questions: the stock market is closed on MLK Day, and the post office doesn’t deliver mail. These closures might seem small, but they affect a lot more than just the obvious. The key is to stay aware and plan ahead—don’t assume things work just because you can access them online.

And a quick tip: always double-check before sending an urgent payment or expecting a critical delivery around any federal holiday. A single missed day can cost way more than you expect.

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