Nasdaq is moving closer to around-the-clock stock trading, a shift that some on Wall Street are calling unnecessary — and potentially destabilizing.The exchange said it plans to submit paperwork to the Securities and Exchange Commission to allow U.S.-listed equities and exchange-traded products to trade nearly 24 hours a day, five days a week. If approved, the new schedule would launch in the second half of 2026.Under the proposal, Nasdaq would expand trading hours to 23 hours each weekday from the current ...

Core Insights - Nasdaq is set to implement a significant change by introducing 23-hour trading for U.S. stocks and ETFs, responding to the increasing demand for continuous trading access [1][2]. Trading Schedule Changes - The new trading schedule will extend from 16 to 23 hours on weekdays, featuring a day session from 4 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Time, followed by a one-hour break, and a night session from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. the next day [3][5]. - The trading week will commence on Sunday at 9 p.m. and conclude on Friday at 8 p.m. [4]. Market Context - The move is driven by the rising foreign ownership of U.S. equities, which reached $17 trillion last year [4]. - Currently, extended-hours trading operates in three sessions over 16 hours, but the new plan aims to streamline this into two longer sessions for better access for international traders [5]. Industry Trends - The push for 24-hour trading is gaining traction, with the SEC having approved the first 24-hour stock exchange over a year ago [7]. - Other broker-dealers, including Charles Schwab and Robinhood, have already adopted 24-hour trading capabilities for U.S. stocks and ETFs [7]. - Competitors like CBOE Global Markets and Intercontinental Exchange have also filed for extended trading hours with the SEC [8].