Merck stock (MRK) heads into a holiday pause as FDA fast-review program draws scrutiny
New York, Jan 18, 2026, 14:53 EST — Market closed. Merck & Company, Inc. shares closed Friday at $108.83, slipping 1.9%. U.S. markets will be shut Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. (Yahoo Finance) Investors now have a few days to weigh a growing regulatory issue for major drug companies: just how much influence the FDA’s drive for quicker approvals should carry. The next regular trading session isn’t until Tuesday. Timelines are crucial for Merck. The stock’s trajectory still hinges largely on upcoming pipeline developments and the pace at which new drugs clear regulatory hurdles. Merck upgraded its forecast