# Can I Buy and Sell Stocks Outside of Market Hours?

> Yes. Brokers offer pre-market, after-hours, and 24/5 overnight sessions for actual shares, and stock perps on Liquid let you trade a company's price, long or short, outside those sessions where the market is open.

- Canonical: https://www.liquid.trade/learn/buy-and-sell-stocks-outside-market-hours
- Published: 2026-10-15
- Category: 24/7 Trading
- Tags: Stocks, Extended Hours, Overnight Trading, Stock Perps

---

**Yes. You can trade stocks outside regular market hours in two ways: through a broker's pre-market, after-hours, or overnight session for actual shares, or through stock perpetual futures on Liquid, which track a company's price and can trade when the stock exchange is closed.** Liquid stock perps let you go long or short in a non-custodial account, with no expiry and a market-specific multiplier shown on the order ticket. They do not give you share ownership, and their hours vary by market and venue.

Regular US trading runs 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET on weekdays. Everything before or after that is "outside market hours," and the rules change by session.

## How can I buy and sell stocks outside of market hours?

For actual shares, use one of three extended sessions:

| Session | Typical window (ET) | Who offers it |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Pre-market** | From as early as 4 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. | Webull from 4 a.m.; Schwab from 7 a.m.; Fidelity from 7:30 a.m. |
| **After-hours** | 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. | Most major brokers, including Schwab, Fidelity, and Webull |
| **Overnight (24/5)** | 8 p.m. to the next pre-market, Sunday to Thursday nights | Schwab (thinkorswim, select stocks and ETFs), Robinhood 24 Hour Market, Webull (select securities) |

Windows come from each broker's published pages as checked for Liquid's comparison guides in September 2026. Extended sessions are usually limit-order only, cover a limited list of symbols, and can have wider spreads and thinner liquidity. [FINRA's guide to extended-hours trading](https://www.finra.org/investors/insights/extended-hours-trading) explains the risks.

## Stock perps: the fourth option

A stock perp is a derivative linked to a company's share price. On Liquid you can open one long or short, size it in dollars, and close it when the market is open, including some times when the stock exchange is shut. Because it is a contract rather than a share, it pays or charges [funding](/learn/what-are-funding-rates) instead of dividends, and you have no voting rights.

<CompareTable
  caption="Ways to trade a stock outside regular hours (checked Sept–Oct 2026)"
  columns={["Platform", "Hours", "Products", "Fee model", "Custody", "Leverage"]}
  rows={[
    { label: "Liquid", values: ["Stock perps can trade outside exchange hours; check live status", "Stock perps plus crypto, index, commodity, FX, pre-IPO perps", "% of notional plus funding", "Non-custodial", "Market-specific; shown on the order ticket"] },
    { label: "Charles Schwab", values: ["Pre-market 7:00–9:25 a.m.; after-hours 4:05–8 p.m.; 24/5 overnight on select symbols", "Stocks, ETFs, options, futures", "$0 online stock trades", "Custodial broker", "Margin; extended sessions limit-only"] },
    { label: "Robinhood", values: ["24 Hour Market, Sun 8 p.m. to Fri 8 p.m. ET, select stocks and ETFs", "Stocks, ETFs, options, crypto", "$0 stock commissions", "Custodial broker", "Overnight orders limit-only"] },
    { label: "Interactive Brokers", values: ["Extended sessions 4 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET; no weekend session", "Global stocks, options, futures, FX", "$0 (IBKR Lite) or per-share (Pro)", "Custodial broker", "Margin varies"] },
    { label: "Fidelity", values: ["Pre-market from 7:30 a.m.; after-hours to 8 p.m.; no overnight", "Stocks, ETFs, options, funds", "$0 online stock trades", "Custodial broker", "Limit-only; 5,000-share max in extended hours"] }
  ]}
/>

## Which should you use?

If you want **to own the shares**, use a broker's extended or overnight session, and check the stock is on its eligible list. If you want **to trade the price move**, including a short, with dollar sizing and access on nights and weekends when the market is open, a stock perp is the more flexible tool. Many traders use both: shares for the long-term position and a perp to hedge an overnight event. See [how to hedge Apple stock 24/7](/learn/how-to-hedge-apple-stock-24-7) for a worked example.

## What to check before trading after hours

- **Price reference:** a perp can drift from the last close when the exchange is shut. Expect a reprice at the open.
- **Earnings and news:** after-hours moves can reverse at the open. Size for a gap.
- **Order type:** use limit orders in thin sessions. On Liquid, attach a [stop-loss](/learn/what-is-a-stop-loss) and take-profit when you open the trade.

## How to trade stocks outside market hours on Liquid

1. **Fund your account** by card, transfer, or USDC: [how to fund your Liquid account](/learn/how-to-fund-your-liquid-account).
2. **Rehearse an overnight trade** in [paper mode](/learn/how-to-start-paper-trading-on-liquid).
3. **Open the stock perp** and confirm it is live and what multiplier it allows.
4. **Size in dollars, set exits, and confirm.** Walkthrough: [how to trade on Liquid](/learn/how-to-trade-on-liquid).

More: [where to trade stocks 24/7](/learn/where-to-trade-stocks-24-7) and [where to trade stock perps](/learn/where-to-trade-stock-perps).

## Sources and further reading

- [NYSE hours and calendars](https://www.nyse.com/trade/hours-calendars) · [FINRA: extended-hours trading](https://www.finra.org/investors/insights/extended-hours-trading)
- [Schwab extended-hours trading](https://www.schwab.com/stocks/extended-hours-trading) · [Robinhood 24 Hour Market](https://robinhood.com/us/en/support/articles/24hour-market/) · [Webull 24/5 trading](https://www.webull.com/help/faq/10988-All-about-24-5-trading)
- [Fidelity extended-hours trading](https://www.fidelity.com/webxpress/help/topics/help_notes_ecn.shtml) · [Interactive Brokers commissions](https://www.interactivebrokers.com/en/pricing/commissions-home.php)

Liquid product information checked October 15, 2026.