New York, Jan 19, 2026, 10:07 (EST) — Market closed.
- BRK.B closed Friday at $493.29, marking a 0.13% gain; BRK.A rose 0.28%.
- U.S. markets remain closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, so futures and international trading will drive the early tone.
- Investors are focused on Tuesday’s reopen and the inflation and spending data set for Jan. 22, hunting for signals on interest rates.
Berkshire Hathaway Inc (BRK.A, BRK.B) starts the week as Wall Street remains closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, with risk appetite shaky following new tariff warnings from President Donald Trump. Its Class B shares ended Friday at $493.29, a slight 0.13% gain, while Class A shares closed at $740,750, up 0.28%. 1
That matters for Berkshire given how closely it tracks the market, despite its safe-house reputation. Investors flock to it in turbulent times, yet its hefty stock holdings still face losses.
The New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq will reopen Tuesday, compressing days of holiday-delayed trades into one session. Watch the opening hour closely—it might reveal more than any headline. 2
Trump announced a new 10% import tariff starting Feb. 1 on goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Finland and Britain. That rate would jump to 25% on June 1 if no Greenland deal is struck. Early Asian trading saw U.S. stock futures dip about 0.7%. (Futures trade when the cash market is closed and often indicate the likely opening move.) 3
George Saravelos, Deutsche Bank’s global head of FX research, issued a stark warning: “It is a weaponization of capital rather than trade flows that would by far be the most disruptive to markets.” That blunt assessment is rattling traders. 4
Berkshire kicked off 2026 with Greg Abel taking the reins and a hefty cash reserve on hand. As of Sept. 30, it held $381.7 billion in cash and equivalents, Reuters reported earlier this month. “Berkshire is often viewed as the market’s safe, reliable choice,” said Michael Ashley Schulman, partner and chief investment officer at Running Point Capital Advisors. 5
A Berkshire filing revealed Abel took over as president and CEO on Jan. 1, while Warren Buffett remains chairman. Abel’s annual cash salary was increased to $25 million. 6
The dollar dropped while the Swiss franc gained ground, with investors turning to classic safe havens. Still, some voices urged caution about overinterpreting a single day’s shift. “I would really caution against assuming that the dollar’s safe-haven status is gone,” said Rabobank chief currency strategist Jane Foley. 7
Tariff battles have a habit of flipping unexpectedly, and with a holiday thinning out trading volumes, signals can easily get blown out of proportion. Should the talk toughen and retaliation kick in, Berkshire’s portfolio would take a hit, and its operating businesses wouldn’t escape unscathed either.
After Tuesday, the market will turn to Jan. 22 for another rate signal, when the Bureau of Economic Analysis releases personal income and outlays data for October and November. This report features the PCE price index that the Federal Reserve keeps close tabs on. Berkshire’s annual shareholder meeting is set for May 2. 8
