HKEX Trading Hours Review Could Extend Hong Kong Market Access

A review of HKEX trading hours could significantly extend access to Hong Kong's equity market as the exchange explores earlier openings, continuous daytime trading and a new evening session to improve international competitiveness.

According to Bloomberg, Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing is considering beginning cash equity trading at 9 a.m., eliminating the existing one-hour lunch break and introducing an after-hours trading session between 8 p.m. and midnight.

The traditional 4 p.m. market close would remain for clearing and settlement purposes, while any evening session would initially focus on selected large-cap stocks.

HKEX said discussions with major brokers and trading firms remain at an early exploratory stage and that any changes would require formal market consultation, regulatory approval and consideration of operational impacts on the Stock Connect programme linking Hong Kong and mainland China.

Longer trading hours would bring Hong Kong more closely into line with leading international financial markets.