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HKEX to consult on extending Hong Kong stock trading hours
One proposal would move the open to 9 a.m. and remove the noon lunch break, while HKEX says it will keep the market close at 4 p.m. for clearing and settlement.
Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Ltd. will consult stakeholders on a potential extension of Hong Kong stock trading hours to better align with major global markets, LiveMint Markets reports. HKEX chief executive Julia Leung said the exchange will issue a discussion paper on extending hours and its impact for market participants.
Under one option cited by LiveMint, HKEX would start equities trading 30 minutes earlier at 9 a.m. and scrap the one-hour lunch break that begins at noon. The exchange also said it will keep the market close at 4 p.m. to allow for clearing and settlement.
Leung said HKEX will begin with an extension for its derivatives market first, where after-hours trading currently runs until 3 a.m. She added that cash market extension consultations would follow, and did not provide details on timing.
The effort comes as Hong Kong remains one of the few major exchanges still holding a lunch hour, alongside China and Tokyo. LiveMint also notes HKEX has since 2024 kept markets open during extreme weather, replacing its prior typhoon closures, and it is considering an after-hours session to capture early US activity, potentially between 8 p.m. and midnight.