Nasdaq's planned 23/5 trading schedule will let participating brokers access a longer US share-trading day. For Australians, the new overnight US session falls during local daytime. Your ability to use it will still depend on your broker, the security and the order you place.
Nasdaq's 24 September 2026 market-data notice says the new session will run from 9:00 pm to 4:00 am US Eastern Time, beginning 6 December 2026. Treat that as an announced launch schedule and check for updates before trading.
What 23/5 means
The schedule combines the new night session with existing sessions to cover 23 hours on trading days. It includes a daily break and does not mean unrestricted weekend trading.
An exchange extending its hours does not automatically extend every retail account's access. A broker might support fewer symbols, different order types or only part of the available day. Fractional-share arrangements can differ from whole-share orders.
If you also trade Australian shares, keep the ASX session guide separate. A US exchange announcement does not change ASX opening hours.
Australian times at the December launch
The table converts the announced overnight session using December's time zones: New York on EST, Sydney and Melbourne on AEDT, Brisbane on AEST, and Perth on AWST.
| US overnight session | Sydney / Melbourne | Brisbane | Perth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opens 9:00 pm Sunday in New York | 1:00 pm Monday | Noon Monday | 10:00 am Monday |
| Ends 4:00 am Monday in New York | 8:00 pm Monday | 7:00 pm Monday | 5:00 pm Monday |
These are time conversions, not a promise that your account can trade at those times. Holidays and broker restrictions still apply.
Australian and US daylight-saving changes happen on different dates. Recalculate the local hours for the actual trading date instead of copying the December table into a year-round calendar.
Read the order conditions before the headline
FINRA's extended-hours guidance identifies lower liquidity, larger price swings and broker-specific restrictions as issues to understand. An overnight quote can differ from the next regular-session opening price.
Before using the new session, get answers to these questions:
- Which securities and account types can participate?
- Does the order need a separate extended-hours setting?
- Which order types work in that session?
- When does an unfilled order expire?
- Can a partial fill leave the remainder active in another session?
- Which price feed and venue does the quote represent?
A standing stop order needs its own check. Do not assume an order intended for regular hours will trigger overnight. Read the broker's trigger rules, eligible sessions and order confirmation.
A spread can absorb the move you wanted
Suppose an overnight market shows a bid of US$99 and an offer of US$101. You buy 100 shares at the offer, spending US$10,100 before fees.
If you immediately sell at the unchanged bid, you receive US$9,900. The difference is US$200, or about 1.98% of the purchase value.
This hypothetical example isolates the spread. It excludes brokerage, currency conversion and any movement in the market. A US$100 chart marker does not mean you could buy and sell at US$100.
A buy limit of US$100 controls the maximum purchase price, but a seller must meet it for the order to fill. An unfilled limit order and an expensive immediate fill are different outcomes to plan for.
For a broader cost calculation, use the cost-adjusted breakeven guide.
Decide whether the extra session serves your trade
Write down the reason for acting during the new session. You might need to respond to material company information, or you might simply prefer the Australian daytime. Those reasons deserve different urgency.
Consider three choices: trade now, place a limit and wait, or review at the next regular session. Compare the available spread, size and information in each case. More available trading hours do not create more qualified setups.
For a swing position, retain the original exit plan and entry and exit conditions where available. If a news release changes the thesis, record the new evidence before changing the order.
Keep timestamps that you can reconcile
Save the broker's execution timestamp, time zone, session label and assigned trade date. An execution can fall on a different local calendar date from the US record. Reconcile your journal to the contract note rather than changing dates to make a chart look familiar.
In Swingfolio, add the session and execution reason to your trade notes, then review the result alongside fees and the original plan. This article does not assume Swingfolio or a particular broker supports every new Nasdaq session.
Questions before the launch
Will all US shares become tradable around the clock?
No. Check exchange eligibility, broker coverage, holidays and session breaks. The announced schedule is 23/5, not continuous seven-day access.
Can I use my normal stop-loss order?
Only if the broker's terms support that order and trigger in the relevant session. Verify the confirmation; an existing order's presence on screen is not enough.
Is daytime access automatically cheaper for Australian traders?
No. Compare execution spread, brokerage and FX costs. Convenient local hours do not establish a better price.
Reviewed 27 September 2026. Session plans can change. Examples are hypothetical; this is general information, not personal financial advice.