Esikaupankäynti

Esikaupankäynti, also known as pre-market trading, refers to trading activity that occurs before the regular trading hours of a stock exchange. These sessions typically happen in the early morning and/or late evening after the close of the main market. During esikaupankäynti, investors can buy and sell securities, and the prices can be more volatile due to lower trading volumes compared to regular market hours.

The primary purpose of esikaupankäynti is to allow investors to react to news or events that have occurred outside of normal trading hours. For example, a company might release its earnings report after the market closes. Investors can then trade the stock in the pre-market session based on this information before the main exchange opens. Similarly, significant geopolitical events or economic data releases can also influence pre-market trading.

Participation in esikaupankäynti is generally limited to institutional investors and individual investors who have accounts with brokers that offer these extended hours. The liquidity, or the ease with which a security can be bought or sold without affecting its price, is typically lower during pre-market trading. This can lead to wider bid-ask spreads, meaning the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept is larger. Consequently, investors engaging in pre-market trading should be aware of the increased risks associated with potential price fluctuations and lower liquidity.