The head of Taiwan’s Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC), Peng Jin-lung, has emphasized that extending the stock market’s trading hours is not currently on the agenda, and there is no set timeline for such a change. According to Peng, any move to extend trading hours beyond the existing schedule of 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. would necessitate widespread agreement from both the public and industry stakeholders before any steps are taken.
This statement comes amid ongoing discussions by the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TWSE), which is evaluating the potential benefits of extending trading hours until 3:30 p.m. The exchange argues that longer trading periods could enhance market activity and better align Taiwan’s market with international counterparts. However, the TWSE is still in the phase of consulting with brokerage firms to gather insights and opinions on the proposal.
In the meantime, the TWSE has introduced changes to its trading schedule, announcing that from the end of this year, odd-lot trading will commence earlier at 9:00 a.m., rather than the previous start time of 9:10 a.m. Additionally, the exchange plans to expedite the order matching process for odd-lot trades by reducing the interval from five seconds to just one second starting next year. These adjustments are aimed at enhancing trading efficiency and boosting market liquidity.
While the idea of extended trading hours is being explored, the FSC’s current stance suggests that such a shift might take considerable time and discussion to come to fruition. The focus remains on ensuring any significant change is backed by comprehensive support from relevant parties, reflecting both the market’s capacity and readiness for such an evolution. The ongoing consultations will play a crucial role in determining the feasibility and timing of any potential extension to trading hours.