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What are Pre-Market and After-Hours Quotes?
Written by The Inspired Investor Team | Published on December 5, 2022
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The regular trading day on North American stock exchanges takes place between 9:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. Eastern time, Monday through Friday, with the exception of holidays. But as most investors know well, a lot can happen outside of regular trading hours that can affect how markets or securities react when trading reopens.
How can you gauge what's going on outside of regular trading hours? Enter pre-market and after-hours quotes.
You've likely heard market commentators refer to a stock being up or down in pre-market or after-hours trading, particularly if big news breaks before or after regular market hours. They base their information on trading that takes place outside of standard stock-exchange hours, which can signal what may be in store for the next trading session. Some investors monitor pre-market and after-hours trading to see where markets and individual securities may go when trading for the next session opens.
When looking at pre-market and after-hours quotes at RBC Direct Investing to help inform your trades for the day ahead, it's important to keep a few things in mind:
- Pre-market and after-hours quotes are only available for U.S. markets.
- Quotes you see reflect trading happening during official U.S. pre-market and after-hours sessions.
- RBC Direct Investing extended hours quotes for NYSE, AMEX and NASDAQ listed securities are based on Cboe One Real-Time Quote, and may not include quote information from all market participants.
- When using quotes outside regular market hours to help inform your trades, be aware that activity during extended market hours generally has lower trading volumes and thinner liquidity, so large bid-ask spreads can be common.
Read What to Know About About Pre-Market and After-Hours Trading if choosing to trade outside of regular market hours and visit the Investing Academy for more insights and how-to resources.
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