Key facts
- Nasdaq will offer nearly 23 hours of trading daily starting December 6.
- A new overnight session will operate from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. ET.
- The expansion aims to compete with 24/7 crypto markets and attract foreign investors.
- Foreign holdings of U.S. equities reached $17 trillion by mid-2024.
Nasdaq has announced it will extend its trading hours to nearly 23 hours per day, beginning December 6, by introducing a new overnight session. This move, which is subject to SEC approval, will allow trading from Sunday evening to Friday evening with minimal interruption. The new session, running from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. ET, is designed to compete with the 24/7 availability of cryptocurrency and tokenized markets, and to capture a greater share of the significant and growing foreign investment in U.S. equities, which reached $17 trillion by mid-2024.
Nasdaq president Tal Cohen stated the expansion aims to broaden investor access and create wealth-building opportunities. The exchange is also looking to capitalize on demand for real-time trading, particularly in light of geopolitical events that have occurred when traditional markets were closed. Other exchanges are also moving to extend trading hours, with NYSE having already secured SEC approval for a 22-hour trading day and Cboe outlining similar plans.