Can someone explain to me how "after-hours" trading works?

[Filthy Keynes]

I noticed that there were some "interesting" moves today in after-hours trading. If exchanges are closed, then how can people trade "after-hours"? Anyone care to explain?

Thanks!

[Cebu_4_2]

Well most common trading platforms do not support after hours. With that said you need to trade with one that does LOL. Any real time broker/platform that supports real time level 1 platforms allow you to trade after hours & before hours too. Pink stocks generally cant be traded out of normal hours.

Okay my explanation sucks... I tried.

Edit: I use Trade Wallstreet Financial and they use the DAS trade software.

http://www.dastrader.com/DasManual.PDF

[Filthy Keynes]

Thanks Cebu - although it didn't clarify much for me, but thanks for trying! LOL! :)

My comfort zone is in "economics" (aka freedom and liberty) not trading or technical stuff like that.

The reason I'm interested is because of my own curiosity and also what happened today "after hours".

Surge Of Inexplicable After Hours Selling Takes Gold Volatility Index To All Time Low
http://www.zerohedge.com/article/surge-after-hours-selling-takes-gold-volatility-index-all-time-low

[JohnQPublic]

Probably not much better, but-

COMEX is the main futures trading platform. This is where the big boys mainly play. GLOBEX is an after hours futures trading platform. I am not sure what restrictions there may be, but this is usually what is reffered to as "after hours" (in the US at least).

[Cebu_4_2]

Probably not much better, but-

COMEX is the main futures trading platform. This is where the big boys mainly play. GLOBEX is an after hours futures trading platform. I am not sure what restrictions there may be, but this is usually what is reffered to as "after hours" (in the US at least).


And you need a "margin" account to trade after hours of 25K. I took 50k up to 120 and then turned it into 7k trying to make up for losses. Never saw a market behave like it did, after the fact I realized that it was all manipulated then they tell us were in a recession... fvck. Always use stop loss protection.

[Sparky]

After hours, most of the market goes away, but there is a small fraction that continues to play the game. This consists of two groups:

1) Large investors like mutual funds or hedge funds
2) Retail investors who pay for this premiums service

Because it is only a fraction of the market, the price action does not necessarily reflect the sentiment of the full market. Since the market volume is reduced, the big players can push the price around a bit, and it may not reflect the true market action of the next day. As a result, the small time retail players can be exploited if they don't know what they're doing.

[gunDriller]

And you need a "margin" account to trade after hours of 25K. I took 50k up to 120 and then turned it into 7k trying to make up for losses. Never saw a market behave like it did, after the fact I realized that it was all manipulated then they tell us were in a recession... fvck. Always use stop loss protection.


actually i think it's selling associated with stop loss protection that brings on some of the delicious market drops that we have.