Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) may bring the start of continuous stock trading forward by 30 minutes and remove the market’s one-hour lunch break.
If adopted, the proposal would increase continuous trading time by 90 minutes, or about 27%. The discussion comes as major US exchanges prepare for near-continuous weekday trading.
HKEX’s Trading Session May Become 27% Longer
Under one option reported by Bloomberg, continuous equities trading would begin at 9 a.m. Hong Kong time instead of 9:30 a.m. The exchange would also eliminate the break between the morning session, which ends at noon, and afternoon trading, which currently starts at 1 p.m.
Julia Leung, Chief Executive Officer of Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission, later confirmed that HKEX would issue a consultation paper covering longer trading hours and their effect on market participants.
- HKEX Builds Middle East Presence with Riyadh Office Launch in 2025
- Hong Kong Exchange Appoints Nomura's Former Exec to Lead Global Issuer Services
- HKEX Opens Office in New York, Plans to Launch in Europe
What Longer Hours Would Change
Removing the midday break and opening earlier would require brokers and market makers to operate their trading and risk controls for longer.
The consultation is expected to examine the effect on staffing, clearing and other processes that currently take place during the break.
The interaction with Stock Connect will be another practical consideration. Southbound Stock Connect allows investors in mainland China to trade eligible Hong Kong-listed securities and accounted for 23% of Hong Kong market turnover in the first half of 2025, according to HKEX.
The consultation may therefore need to clarify whether mainland investors would have access throughout an extended session and how trading, clearing and market-data arrangements would operate across the linked exchanges.
US Exchanges Prepare for 23-Hour Trading
Nasdaq received SEC approval in April to operate 23 hours per day, five days per week, and plans to begin the new schedule on 6 December. The model adds an overnight session and retains a one-hour daily pause for system processing and the change of trading date.
Cboe plans to introduce near-24/5 trading through EDGX in December 2026, subject to regulatory approval and the readiness of clearing and market-data systems. NYSE Arca is also preparing a 23-hour weekday schedule with an overnight session.
HKEX is considering a more limited change: extending its Asian daytime session rather than introducing overnight equities trading. The exchange already operates after-hours derivatives sessions that extend to 3 a.m. Hong Kong time.
Leung said changes to derivatives trading hours would be addressed before the proposed cash-market extension takes effect. HKEX has not published the consultation date, implementation timetable or final operating model.
