Analyst: Korean Exchange to Test Late-Night Trading Next Week, Putting Global Demand to the Test

Odaily News: South Korea's main stock exchange will extend trading into the evening hours, breaking with Asian trading conventions as it seeks to capture persistent demand from global investors. As a step toward the Korea Exchange's goal of 24-hour trading starting in December 2027, the KRX will open trading on Monday for nearly all local stocks until 8 p.m., compared with the previous regular close of 3:30 p.m. This marks the first such move among major Asian exchanges, but it follows the global trend toward round-the-clock markets.

The new measure launching next Monday in South Korea will test whether it can maintain sufficient liquidity during longer trading sessions and prove that investors genuinely need the extra hours—even as interest in Korean stocks is cooling. Lee Young-jae, senior investment manager at Pictet Asset Management in London, said: "A longer trading window generally means investors have more flexibility, which makes the market more efficient. Investors with a stronger trading orientation and higher turnover, or hedge fund-type investors, may use it more frequently." Edward Kim, head of Korean equity sales at Bank of America, said this is "another step in the continued evolution of the Korean capital market and its accessibility to global investors." (Jinshi)