Tokyo Stock Exchange Extends Working Hours to Boost Trade

The Tokyo Stock Exchange has extended its working hours for the first time in 70 years to attract investors and boost trade, according to Kyodo news agency.

The working hours of the stock exchange have been extended by 30 minutes, allowing trading to take place between 9:00 am and 3:30 pm, with an hour break for lunch.

The stock exchange’s working hours were last adjusted in November 2011, when the morning session was extended by 30 minutes to end at 11:30 am.

The longer opening hours on the Tokyo market also provide investors with more time to trade in case of any problems, such as a system outage, the exchange operator said in a statement.

However, analysts are not sure whether this change will immediately lead to an increase in trading on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

Trade volume on the Tokyo Stock Exchange on the first day of extended working hours was about 1.9 billion shares, down from Friday’s two billion shares, according to Tanjug.