Lesson Pre and post market trading
Learn more about trading in off-hours before the market opens or after it closes.
The regular hours of operation for North American stock markets are from 9:30 am to 4:00 pm ET, Monday to Friday (excluding certain holidays).
Everyday, the vast majority of trades take place during regular market hours, but big news doesn’t just happen during the day. Influential company announcements and geopolitical events can happen at any time.
For example: many companies announce their earnings reports outside regular market hours.
This is where pre-market and after-hours trading comes in: these sessions let you act on big news while many traders are either still in bed or have gone home for the day.
Questrade is proud to be one of the only brokers in Canada to offer extensive premarket and post market hours for you to trade in.
With trading available as early as 7 am ET and as late as 8 pm ET, we believe in giving you the freedom to trade and invest on your own schedule.
Note: Pre and post market trading may not be suitable for everyone, as there may be additional risks and limitations to consider for these types of trades.
Please explore our article for more info.
Canadian exchanges and securities
There is no pre-market trading available for Canadian securities.
Only a limited post-market exists for Canadian stocks and ETFs at the closing price between 4:15 pm and 5pm ET.
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To trade Canadian stocks and ETFs in the post market, the following conditions apply:
- It must be a security listed on the TSX, or TSX-V. (.TO or .VN).
- Canadian Securities Exchange (.CN) symbols are not eligible.
- The order must be placed between 4:15 pm and 5pm ET.
- Orders placed between 4 pm and 4:15 pm will not be accepted by the exchange(s) and route(s).
- It must be a Limit order, at the Last price the security was traded at on its native exchange (i.e. TSX or TSX-V).
- The Quantity of shares/units must be a standard board lot (i.e. 100/200 shares).
- Odd-lot orders that are not a multiple of 100 are not eligible.
- The order Duration must be set as DAY, and the preferred ECN as AUTO.
U.S. exchanges and securities
The U.S. pre-market hours available at Questrade are from 7:00 am to 9:30 am ET.
Post-market hours are from 4 pm to 8 pm ET.
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To trade U.S. stocks and ETFs during extended market hours, the following conditions apply:
- The order must be placed as a Limit order
- Choose GTEM (good til’ extended market) as the duration
- Select AUTO, NASDAQ or ARCA as the Order Route.
GTEM orders can remain open for the entire trading day including both pre- and post-market hours. If the order is not filled by the end of post-market hours, the order is canceled.
Penny stocks (OTC/Pink sheet/PINX) are not available to trade during extended market hours.
Although some ECNs allow limited pre-market trading as early as 4 am ET for U.S. markets, Questrade's cut-off times are listed above.
Important note for Options: Most option securities only trade during regular market hours from 9:30 am to 4 pm ET, while the underlying security may continue to trade after hours.
A limited number of ETF Options and Index Options (S&P 500 or Nasdaq for example) may be traded until 4:15 pm ET.
Trade your way
No matter which Questrade platform you choose, extended hours trading is available to everyone.
Our two new mobile apps, QuestMobile and Edge Mobile, are fantastic ways to quickly enter your extended hours trades while other traders are still waking up and waiting for the markets to open.
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Note:The information in this blog is for educational purposes only and should not be used or construed as financial or investment advice by any individual. Information obtained from third parties is believed to be reliable, but no representations or warranty, expressed or implied, is made by Questrade, Inc., its affiliates or any other person to its accuracy.
