23 hours a day: Nasdaq to extend trading - starting in December

Nasdaq has officially announced the extension of US trading hours to nearly 23 hours a day, five days a week, starting December 6, pending SEC approval. The new schedule will add a night session between 9:00 PM and 4:00 AM, alongside a day session from 4:00 AM to 8:00 PM with a maintenance break. The move aims to meet growing global demand for US stocks, but Wall Street banks have expressed concerns about low liquidity and high volatility.

Nasdaq has officially announced that it will extend US trading hours to nearly 23 hours a day, five days a week, starting December 6, pending approval from the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The move is intended to address the growing worldwide demand for US stocks. The extended schedule will add a new overnight trading session between 9:00 PM and 4:00 AM Eastern Time. Nasdaq currently operates three daily sessions: pre-market (4:00–9:30), regular market (9:30–16:00), and after-hours (16:00–20:00). With the transition, the exchange will operate two sessions: a day session from 4:00 AM to 8:00 PM with a one-hour maintenance break, and a night session from 9:00 PM to 4:00 AM. The new trading week will begin on Sunday at 9:00 PM and end on Friday at 8:00 PM. Regular trading hours between 9:30 AM and 4:00 PM will remain unchanged. The exchange plans to add protective measures for overnight trading, including range settings that will reject orders that bypass restrictions. The plans were first revealed last December, when supporters argued the move would allow investors outside the US to respond quickly. However, banks trading on Wall Street have expressed concerns about lower liquidity, higher volatility, and uncertainty regarding investment returns.