Moscow Exchange expands trading session: start at 9:00 from September 14, 2026
The Moscow Exchange is preparing a significant update to its trading regulations, which will come into effect on September 14, 2026. The main trading session will start an hour earlier — at 9:00 instead of the usual 10:00, extending its duration to ten hours. This decision will affect key market segments: the stock, derivatives, currency, and precious metals markets.
New schedule: what exactly will change
According to the new scheme, the morning session on the stock and derivatives markets 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, and for securities not admitted to morning trading, the opening auction will be held from 9:00 to 9:10. The evening session will remain unchanged — from 19:00 to 23:50. The weekend trading mode will also be preserved: transactions will be 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 taking place before 9:00. The money market will operate on a separate schedule: risk-free modes will be available from 10:00 to 19:00, and the evening session — from 19:00 to 23:50. The most significant shift will affect negotiated repo transactions, deposits, and loans — their start will be moved from 9:30 to 8:30.
The logic behind the decision: a focus on institutional investors and regions
Expanding the schedule is not a technical formality but a strategic step driven by the demands of market participants. The exchange's management board chairman, Viktor Zhidkov, emphasized that the extra hour will allow investors to diversify their trading strategies and provide additional liquidity, primarily through institutional players who need to implement their strategies during the main session. Additionally, clients from Siberia and the Far East will gain comfortable trading hours, reducing the time barrier for regional participants.
The focus on institutional investors looks logical: large asset management companies concentrate the bulk of their orders precisely during the main session, and the extra hour gives them more room to execute large orders. Meanwhile, retail investors remain a driver of activity: in July, private investors directed 142.9 billion rubles into securities, and their share in equity transactions reached 63.3%.
Infrastructure steps and new instruments
In parallel, the exchange is developing its infrastructure and product lineup. Recently, the platform entrusted the verification of software code to neural networks, building a chain of AI agents to search for vulnerabilities. Starting July 27, the set of instruments for betting on foreign assets is expanding: fixings for 23 foreign securities are being calculated, including shares of Coinbase and Tesla, with plans to issue futures and options linked to them.
My view: Extending the trading session is a signal of market maturity and the exchange's ambition to compete for liquidity with global platforms. However, the success of the innovation will depend on how actively institutional players restructure their algorithms and how well retail investors adapt to the new rhythm. In the medium term, this could increase volatility in the first hours of trading, creating both risks and new opportunities for experienced traders.