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Pre and post market sessions

North American stock markets are open from 9:30 am to 4:00 pm ET, Monday to Friday (excluding certain holidays). Each day, most trades take place during these hours. But big news doesn’t just happen during regular market hours. Influential company announcements and geopolitical events can happen at any time.

This is where pre-market trading comes in: the pre-market session lets you act on big news before many traders are out of bed. Pre-and post-market trading sessions are additional times investors can trade outside of standard trading hours. Depending on the exchange, there are rules on how pre-and post-market trades are placed.

For Canadian listed securities:

Canadian stocks do not have a pre-market. A limited post-market exists for Canadian stocks at or near the closing price. To trade Canadian stocks in the post-market, from approximately 4:15 p.m. to 5 p.m. ET, please follow these directions.

  • Must be Limit at the Last price the security was traded at on its native exchange (i.e. TSX or TSX-V)
  • Choose AUTO as the preferred ECN
  • Choose DAY as the duration
  • The Quantity must be a multiple of a standard board lot (i.e. 100/200 shares)

For U.S. listed securities:

The U.S. pre-market hours are from 7:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. ET. The post-market hours are from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET. To trade in these extended market hours, please follow these directions:

  • The order must be placed as a limit order
  • Choose ARCA, or NSDQ as the preferred ECN - ECN fees may apply.
  • Choose GTEM (good til’ extended market) as the duration

Although ECNs allow after-hours trading until 8 pm for U.S. markets, Questrade's cut-off time is 5:30 p.m EST.

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The information contained in this website is for information 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.

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