After-Hours
Trading that happens outside standard market hours, typically with wider spreads and lower liquidity.
Quick answer
After-hours trading is activity outside standard market hours, with thinner liquidity and wider spreads.
Definition
After-hours trading is activity that happens outside a market standard hours, such as evenings for equities. It moves on thinner volume and wider spreads than the regular session. Retail traders get less favourable prices and more slippage when the regular session is closed.
How It Works
- Volume is thinner after hours
- Spreads and slippage widen
- Only a subset of instruments trade
Trading Tips
1
Treat after-hours fills as less reliable than session fills
2
Check the liquidity before sizing after-hours trades
3
Session hours matter more than the clock in your timezone
Related Terms
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