{"id":893511,"date":"2020-12-08T23:00:10","date_gmt":"2020-12-09T04:00:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/ca\/?p=893511"},"modified":"2026-11-04T17:00:12","modified_gmt":"2026-11-04T22:00:12","slug":"after-hours-trading","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/ca\/stock-trading\/after-hours-trading","title":{"rendered":"After-hours trading in Canada"},"content":{"rendered":"

After-hours trading lets investors place trades outside of standard market hours, allowing more flexibility but also introducing additional risks.<\/p>

While it can be useful for reacting quickly to breaking news or earnings announcements, it typically comes with lower liquidity, wider bid-ask spreads and increased price volatility that can make after-hour trades more unpredictable. So before you engage in after-hours trading, it\u2019s important to weigh the benefits against the risks.<\/p>

What is after-hours trading?<\/h3>

After-hours trading means buying or selling securities<\/a> outside of regular exchange hours. This includes both pre-market trading (before the market opens) and post-market trading (after it closes). In Canada, access to extended trading hours depends on the brokerage, the exchange and the type of security being traded.<\/p>

How does after-hours trading work?<\/h3>

During extended trading sessions, orders are facilitated by electronic communication networks (ECNs) instead of stock exchanges. Trades run through the platform\u2019s partnered ECN, where buy and sell orders are matched electronically, typically based on price.<\/p>

For example, if you place a limit order to buy 50 shares of Amazon stock at $200 per share, the ECN will search its network for someone willing to sell 50 shares at that price. Once a match is found, the trade will be executed automatically.<\/p>

Trading activity is usually lower after hours, as not all brokerages offer pre- or post-market trading and most active traders restrict their activity to regular market hours. This reduced participation can lead to lower liquidity, wider bid-ask spreads and sharper price movements, sometimes influenced by institutional traders who trade in much larger volumes.<\/p>

What brokerages allow you to trade after-hours?<\/h3>
Broker<\/th>After-hours trading<\/th>Details<\/th>Get offer<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
\"Questrade\"<\/a>

Questrade<\/p><\/td>

Yes<\/td>Questrade supports after-hours trading on Canadian exchanges from 4:15\u20135:00 p.m. and extended trading for U.S. securities from 4:00\u20132:00 a.m.<\/td>
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\"Qtrade\"<\/a>

Qtrade Direct Investing<\/p><\/td>

Yes<\/td>Qtrade offers pre-market trading on US exchanges from 8:30 to 9:29 a.m. and post-market trading from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m.<\/td>
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