The Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) of Taiwan has announced that extending the stock market’s trading hours is not currently a priority, with no specific timeline established for such changes. Chairman Peng Jin-lung emphasized that any consideration to extend the trading hours, which currently run from 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., would necessitate widespread agreement among the public and industry stakeholders.
This statement comes on the heels of ongoing discussions by the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TWSE), which is investigating the potential benefits of extending trading until 3:30 p.m. The exchange’s objective is to better synchronize with global markets, as it believes that longer trading hours might boost market activity. However, consultations with brokerage firms are still underway to gauge the feasibility of this proposal.
In a separate development, the TWSE has disclosed plans to advance the start time for odd-lot trading to 9:00 a.m., moving it up from the current 9:10 a.m. This change is expected to be implemented by the end of this year. Moreover, to enhance trading efficiency and market liquidity, the exchange intends to decrease the order matching interval for odd-lot trades from five seconds to one second, starting next year.
While the potential extension of trading hours remains a topic of study and discussion, these adjustments to odd-lot trading schedules and processes indicate the TWSE’s commitment to refining and streamlining market operations. These steps are aimed at bolstering overall market functionality and accessibility for investors.