Cboe Options Exchange will open pre-market trading in select single-stock equity options at 7:30 a.m. ET starting Monday, August 17, the first time a US options exchange has allowed single-stock options to trade outside the standard 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET window. The launch lineup covers roughly 20 of the most actively traded names, including all seven Magnificent 7 stocks.
Cboe will begin offering pre-market trading sessions for select single-stock equity options at 7:30 a.m. ET on Monday, August 17, two hours before the regular opening bell. It marks the first time a US options exchange has let single-stock equity options trade outside the standard 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET session.
New sessions bracket the trading day
The morning Global Trading Hours session runs from 7:30 a.m. to 9:25 a.m. ET, with order acceptance opening at 7:15 a.m. ET. A 15-minute curb session then extends trading from 4:00 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. ET after the regular close.
Which stocks trade early
The launch lineup covers roughly 20 of the most actively traded names, including all seven Magnificent 7 stocks: Apple, Nvidia, Tesla, Meta Platforms, Amazon, Microsoft, and Alphabet. AMD and Palantir also make the roster. The SEC approved Cboe's proposal on May 28, 2026, after a review process pushed the original July 13 target back by more than a month.
Why the gap mattered
Options traders had to wait until 9:30 a.m. to act on news that equity traders could already trade around before the bell. That gap created a structural disadvantage for options-based strategies, particularly hedging. Portfolio managers holding large equity positions had a 90-minute blind spot each morning, able to watch their stocks move but unable to adjust protection.
Institutional traders may benefit most in the near term. The 7:30 a.m. start aligns with European market hours, which could appeal to global funds managing cross-border portfolios. A London-based trader hedging US tech exposure no longer needs to wait until 2:30 p.m. local time to put on an options position.
Source: Crypto Briefing
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