Spread betting broker IG has introduced 24/5 access to 110 of the most popular US stocks, giving UK investors the ability to trade shares like Apple, Tesla and NVIDIA almost continuously throughout the working week.
The move extends trading hours to 1am Monday through 10pm Friday, up from the 16 hours previously available, and allows clients to respond more flexibly to earnings announcements, economic data and breaking news. The service will be offered across both leveraged CFD trading and traditional investing accounts.
Michael Healy, UK Managing Director at IG, said the change reflects shifting investor behaviour:
“We want to give our UK customers the best possible access to global markets so that they can invest and trade easily at their own convenience. With round-the-clock trading during the week, UK investors now have more of a level playing field with their US peers when it comes to the world’s most traded stocks.”
Healy added that the new generation of investors increasingly expect access, flexibility and convenience, and suggested that UK equities may eventually follow the US example in extending trading hours beyond the traditional 8am–4.30pm London Stock Exchange day.
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The development highlights a broader trend across financial markets towards 24-hour availability. Cryptocurrencies already trade seven days a week without interruption, setting a standard that equity brokers are gradually moving towards. IG itself was one of the first to offer weekend trading on indices and forex, allowing clients to react to political events and global news even outside normal market hours.
Other trading platforms have also expanded access. Interactive Brokers and Saxo Markets already provide extended US equity hours, while Robinhood in the US recently introduced 24-hour trading on selected shares.
IG’s latest move builds on a year of product launches that include adding cryptocurrencies to its platform and rolling out commission-free stock investing. For UK investors, it marks another step towards markets that never sleep, and a signal that the boundaries between crypto-style 24/7 trading and traditional asset classes are starting to blur.
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