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Spread bets and CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 69% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading spread bets and CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how spread bets and CFDs work, and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
Spread bets and CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 69% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading spread bets and CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how spread bets and CFDs work, and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

After-hours trading on stocks

Volatility doesn’t wait for the main market session. Take a position on over 70 US stocks pre-market open and after-hours.

Call 0800 195 3100 or email newaccounts.uk@ig.com to talk about opening an account.

Contact us 0800 195 3100

Get info fast via our instant help and support portal. Available for account queries, ProRealTime, product info and more.

Visit help and support for more information.

Get info fast via our instant help and support portal. Available for account queries, ProRealTime, product info and more.

Visit help and support for more information.

Call 0800 409 6789 or email helpdesk.uk@ig.com if you have any questions about trading or investing. We’re available from 9am to 5pm (UK time), Monday to Friday.

Contact us 0800 409 6789

Call 0800 195 3100 or email newaccounts.uk@ig.com to talk about opening an account.

Contact us 0800 195 3100

Get info fast via our instant help and support portal. Available for account queries, ProRealTime, product info and more.

Visit help and support for more information.

Get info fast via our instant help and support portal. Available for account queries, ProRealTime, product info and more.

Visit help and support for more information.

Call 0800 409 6789 or email helpdesk.uk@ig.com if you have any questions about trading or investing. We’re available from 9am to 5pm (UK time), Monday to Friday.

Contact us 0800 409 6789

Why trade after hours with us?

Discover unique opportunities

Go long or short on a range of US stocks outside normal dealing hours

Take advantage of volatility

Make the most of price movements – over 80%1 of trades can occur outside of the main session

Get ahead of the competition

Trade earnings announcements and breaking news without waiting for the main session

Choose how you trade

Open a position using CFDs, spread bets, direct market access (DMA) or our share dealing service

What are the risks of after-hours trading?

The risks of pre-market, post-market and weekend trading include:
  • Lower liquidity: many market participants prefer to trade during the main session when prices are generally more stable. This means there may be fewer active participants to fill the other side of trades out of hours
  • Higher volatility: lower liquidity can result in more dramatic swings in prices, which can be good or bad – depending on your individual risk appetite
  • Wider spreads: the difference between the buy and sell price, known as the spread, can widen when volatility rises or liquidity falls
You can manage your risk using stops and limits, which automatically close your trade when the price hits a pre-determined level. Guaranteed stops are the best way to cap risk, because these always close your trade at the exact level you specify – even if the market moves quickly or ‘gaps’. A small premium is payable if a guaranteed stop is triggered.

What are pre-market and after-hours shares trading?

Pre-market and after-hours trading are extensions of the market session. They enable you to find opportunities before and after normal trading hours.

Most UK traders can only trade the US stock market from 2.30pm to 9pm (UK time), but with our extended hours you can trade for much longer.

  • CFD and spread bets on All Session US shares
    9am to 1am Monday to Thursday, and 9am to 10pm Friday (UK time)
  • Share dealing on All Session US shares
    12pm to 10:30pm Monday to Thursday, and 12 to 10pm Friday (UK time)

You’ll find our extended hours markets labelled ‘All Session’, to distinguish them from stocks only available in normal US market hours.

Why would I want to trade shares before or after-hours?

Trading on All Session stocks enables you to take advantage of any opportunities that happen outside the main trading window – like volatility around US company earnings and news announcements.

The importance of out-of-hours trading

Stock prices can see significant volatility as traders and investors react to company earnings announcements. The amount of movement largely depends on whether or not the results are in line with analysts’ estimates.

As most US companies release their earnings outside of the main session, the majority of trading takes place in the pre- and post-market sessions. This makes out-of-hours trading vital for taking advantage of earnings volatility.

This is just one example of how to use out-of-hours trading to your advantage. You can also capitalise on price movements around macroeconomic data releases, and major news events.

Open an account now

*Demo accounts are only available for spread betting and CFD trading.

Open an account now

Fast execution on a huge range of markets

Enjoy flexible access to 17,000+ global markets, with reliable execution

Deal seamlessly, wherever you are

Trade on the move with our natively designed, award-winning trading app

Feel secure with a trusted provider

With 50 years of experience, we’re proud to offer a truly market-leading service

*Demo accounts are only available for spread betting and CFD trading.

Open an account now

Open an account now

Fast execution on a huge range of markets

Enjoy flexible access to 17,000+ global markets, with reliable execution

Deal seamlessly, wherever you are

Trade on the move with our natively designed, award-winning trading app

Feel secure with a trusted provider

With 50 years of experience, we’re proud to offer a truly market-leading service

Start trading now

Log in to your account now to access today’s opportunity in a huge range of markets.

Start trading now

Log in to your account now to access today’s opportunity in a huge range of markets.

How to trade shares out of hours

Spread bet or trade CFDs to free up your capital with leverage. Get direct market access for increased visibility and control. Or use our share dealing service to buy stock outright.

Spread betting

Place a bet on whether a share’s price will move – up or down. There’s no capital gains tax or stamp duty to pay.2

CFD trading

Trade the difference in a share’s price from when you open the position and when you close it. CFDs are free from stamp duty and are a useful hedging tool.2

DMA

Trade directly in the order book with our shares direct market access (DMA) service for advanced traders. Simply enable DMA on your share dealing or CFD account, and find it in the ‘order’ tab for ‘all sessions’ shares.

Share dealing

Buy the underlying shares and gain shareholder rights – such as voting privileges and dividend payments.
Deal three times a month with us and pay zero commission on US.3

How much does share trading before or after hours cost?

When you trade out of hours with us, our spread and commission are the same as those you’d get during regular market hours.

However, underlying market spreads can widen due to reduced liquidity. So, you might find you pay more to open or close a trade.

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You won’t find as many 24/74 markets anywhere else

1 Based on Amazon.com earnings (13 Jan - 14 Feb).
2 Tax laws are subject to change and depend on individual circumstances. Tax law may differ in a jurisdiction other than the UK.
3 Trade in your share dealing account three or more times in the previous month to qualify for our best commission rates.
4 24/7 excludes the hours from 10pm Fri to 8am Sat, and 20 mins just before the weekday market opens on Sunday night.