Moscow Exchange extends trading session to 10 hours: new opportunities for investors from September 14
The Moscow Exchange has made an important decision that will significantly change the trading schedule for all market participants. Starting September 14, 2026, the main trading session will begin at 9:00 AM instead of the usual 10:00, extending its duration to 10 hours. This innovation will affect several key markets at once: the stock, derivatives, currency, and precious metals markets.
The calculation and publication of the exchange's main indices will also begin at 9:00. Thus, the total time for concluding deals will expand: participants will have the opportunity to trade 17 hours a day and up to 103 hours a week.
New trading regulations
On the stock and derivatives markets, the morning session will retain its previous framework — from 6:50 to 9:00, with the opening auction taking place in the first ten minutes. The main session will occupy the period from 9:00 to 19:00. For securities not admitted to morning trading, the opening auction will take place from 9:00 to 9:10.
The evening session will remain unchanged — from 19:00 to 23:50. The weekend schedule also remains the same: deals are concluded from 9:50 to 19:00, with the first ten minutes allocated to the opening auction.
On the currency and precious metals markets, the main session will start at 8:50 and end at 19:00, with the opening auction until 9:00. The money market operates on a separate schedule: unsecured modes will be available from 10:00 to 19:00, and the evening session — from 19:00 to 23:50.
The most noticeable changes will occur in negotiated repo transactions, deposits, and loans. Their start will be moved from 9:30 to 8:30, that is, one hour earlier than the current time.
Why the exchange needs an extra hour
The expansion of the schedule is driven by requests from investors. Extending the main session will allow participants to diversify trading strategies and provide additional liquidity, especially through institutional investors, for whom it is important to implement their strategies during the main trading session. In addition, clients from Siberia and the Far East will get an extra hour to trade at a convenient time for them.
The focus on institutional participants looks logical. Large managers usually work during the main session, where the bulk of orders is concentrated, and the extra hour gives them more room to execute large orders.
Retail activity in the Russian market remains strong. In July, private investors directed 142.9 billion rubles into securities, and their share in stock transactions reached 63.3%.
The exchange is simultaneously developing its infrastructure and product line. Recently, the exchange entrusted the verification of software code to neural networks, building a chain of AI agents to search for vulnerabilities. The set of tools for betting on foreign assets is also expanding. Since July 27, the exchange has been calculating fixings for 23 foreign securities, including Coinbase and Tesla shares, and plans to issue futures and options linked to them.
My view: Extending the trading session is not just a convenience, but a strategic step to increase the exchange's competitiveness. An earlier start will allow synchronization with Asian markets, which is critically important amid growing interest in Eastern assets. However, the success of the innovation will depend on how actively institutional participants redistribute their flows to the morning hours. If liquidity shifts, retail investors should reconsider their trading algorithms to avoid missing new opportunities.