The Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) of Taiwan has indicated that the extension of stock market trading hours is not currently a priority, and there is no set timeline for when such changes might occur. According to FSC Chairman Peng Jin-lung, any decision to extend trading hours beyond the existing schedule of 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. would necessitate widespread agreement among the public and industry stakeholders before it could be implemented.
This statement comes in the wake of 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 is considering this adjustment to better synchronize with international markets. The TWSE believes that longer trading hours could potentially boost market activity, but discussions with brokerage firms are still in the consultation phase.
While the topic of extending trading hours remains under consideration, the TWSE has announced a couple of immediate changes aimed at enhancing trading efficiency. Starting at the end of this year, odd-lot trading will commence at 9:00 a.m., shifting from the previous start time of 9:10 a.m. Furthermore, in an effort to improve market liquidity, the order matching interval for odd-lot trades will be reduced from five seconds to one second, beginning next year.
The suggestion to extend trading hours is part of a broader strategy by the TWSE to align itself more closely with global markets, which typically operate for longer periods. However, the FSC’s stance emphasizes the need for thorough discussions and consensus-building among all relevant parties before such a significant change is made to the trading schedule.