Korea Exchange to close night trading session of derivatives Sept. 23

The Korea Exchange (KRX) plans to introduce an after-market trading session starting September 14, allowing investors to trade stocks in real time until 8 p.m. following the regular market close, according to a report on Wednesday. The bourse operator stated that this move aims to expand trading opportunities for domestic investors and address actions taken by major U.S. exchanges to extend trading hours.

The current system will be phased out, replacing it with continuous trading between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. Under the new system, trades will be executed in real time whenever buy and sell orders match, as opposed to the existing 10-minute intervals with a single price auction mechanism.

For initial considerations, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and exchange-traded notes (ETNs) will be excluded from trading amid potential market volatility. The KRX intends to review the inclusion of these instruments after evaluating market stability and liquidity. To maintain order in the trading process, only limit orders will be permitted, while market orders will not be accepted. The daily price limits imposed during regular trading hours will remain in place during this extended session as well.