August 14, 2024

Robinhood 24/7 Trading

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Unfortunately, Robinhood doesn't offer 24/7 trading. Luckily, it comes close: 24/5. Does it fit you and your trading style?

In 2023, Robinhood introduced its 24 Hour Market. This allows investors to track and trade stocks and ETFs on Robinhood even when other markets are closed.

But is it any good? What type of traders would benefit from this feature, and who should avoid it? Read on.

Caution: Overnight trading carries significant risks. Price volatility, reduced liquidity, and unexpected news events could lead to substantial losses. Only experienced traders with a thorough understanding of the risks involved and robust risk management strategies should consider overnight trading.

How often do you trade on Robinhood?

What Is The Robinhood 24 Hour Market?

Robinhood's 24 Hour Market lets you trade stocks and ETFs 24 hours a day, 5 days a week. And while the concept of 24/5 trading isn't exclusive to Robinhood, what makes them unique is that they're the only one offering single-name stocks.[1]

This 24-Hour Market is available from Sunday at 8:00 PM ET through Friday at 8:00 PM ET, excluding stock market holidays and half-days.

On half-days, the market is open from 12:00 AM to 5:00 PM ET. It's also open from 8:00 PM to 12:00 AM ET on the day before, either a full trading day or a stock market half-day.

However, it's worth noting that this market only offers a limited number of stocks and ETFs. When it first launched on May 10, 2023, it started with 43 stocks and ETFs.[2] In February 15, 2024, they raised that number to 922.[1]

Pros + Cons

  • Single-name stocks available
  • 24/5 access to real-time stats, charts, and volumes
  • Limited stocks/ETFs
  • Risker than trading during normal hours

What time of day do you usually place your trades?

Key Features

Robinhood's 24 Hour Market can be a game-changer for investors, offering the ability to trade stocks around the clock. Here are some of its key features:

  • 24-hour orders
    Place whole-share, limit orders for any asset on Robinhood's 24 Hour Market list.

  • 24-hour charts
    Robinhood's 1-day (1D) and 1-week (1W) charts will continue to show active market data, even during overnight and pre-market hours.

  • 24-hour volume
    The overnight volume for supported symbols will show the number of shares traded during the 8 PM - 4 AM (ET) trading window.

  • 24-hour stats
    The "Key statistics" section for supported symbols will show the highs and lows of each day (12 AM to 12 midnight) from Monday to Thursday.

    On Sundays, values will reflect changes from 8 PM ET to 12 AM (in your time zone). On Fridays, the highest and lowest values will reflect changes from 12 AM (your time zone) until 8 PM ET.

Is night trading profitable?
Yes, night trading can be profitable if traders take advantage of market changes after closing. However, it's worth noting that it usually comes with more risk.

What matters most to you in a stock trading platform?

How It Works

You can use Robinhood's 24-hour market via a web browser or mobile app. Here's how to place an order:

  1. Choose what to buy/sell
    Select a stock or ETF in the 24 Hour Market list to purchase/sell.

  2. Input your price
    First, click "Dollars" or "Shares" depending on what type of order you want. Then, select "Limit Order" to switch to a limit order. You can also click "Trade now" to place a 24 Hour Market Order (if you don't see this, it may not be available).

  3. Set trading hours and time in force
    Select the 24 Hour Market trading session. If you set up a limit order, choose when it should be executed or when it should expire.

From there, all you need to do is review the order and place it. After placing your order, you can refresh the page anytime to get your order summary.

What are normal trading hours on Robinhood?
Robinhood's normal trading hours are Monday through Friday, 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM ET (except holidays). However, with the addition of their 24 Hour Market, users will now be able to trade virtually any time they want on weekdays.

Who Is It Best For?

Robinhood's 24 Hour Market is best for those who understand how overnight trading works and all the risks involved.

It's great for traders who want to strengthen their positions by capitalizing on price movements outside regular hours.

Those who analyze macroeconomic trends and use event-driven strategies can also react to and take advantage of after-hours news in real time.

The same applies to algorithmic traders. If you rely on automatic trading, overnight trading lets you act on data points like after-hours price movements and news releases.

How does 24-hour trading work?
24-hour trading, or overnight trading, lets people place limit orders to buy stocks and ETFs 24 hours a day, five days a week. This allows traders to invest when they want, regardless of their schedule.

Who Should Skip It?

If you prefer lower-risk trading strategies or want to preserve your capital, skip Robinhood's 24 Hour Market. Due to unexpected news events, it could be more volatile and less predictable.

You should also skip it if you're a beginner or don't have much time to monitor your trades actively. It'll only complicate things for beginners and introduce a new set of risks, like price gaps.

A price or stock gap happens when a stock opens at a price either higher or lower than the closing price of the day before. This usually happens when news affecting the value of the stock (buy-outs, positive/negative earnings, etc.) is announced after the market closes.

Risks Of Overnight Trading

Before you start overnight trading, you must understand all the risks that come with it:[3]

  • Lower liquidity
    Some stocks will likely have less trading volume on the overnight market. This makes it more difficult to execute trades, and some may not get filled at all during these hours.

  • Large quote spreads
    Since there's less trading activity, you may find wider spreads between the bid and ask prices. This makes it even harder for your orders to get executed at your desired price.

  • Uncertain prices
    The prices of some stocks trading during after-hours sessions may not reflect the prices of those stocks during regular market hours.

  • Higher volatility
    There may be greater price fluctuations on 24-hour markets. News stories announced after-hours could also have greater impacts on stock prices.

  • Greater competition
    You'll likely be against professional traders with large institutions at these hours.

How It Compares

Sold on the idea of overnight trading but aren't sure if Robinhood fits your needs? Here are a few alternatives and how they compare:

Robinhood vs. Interactive Brokers
Interactive Brokers (IBKR)'s overnight hours are from 8:00 PM to 3:50 AM (ET). The first session begins on Sunday at 8 PM (ET) and the last session ends on Friday at 3:50 AM (ET).

Similar to Robinhood, IBKR offers market data free of charge during the US overnight trading session.

However, compared to Robinhood, IBKR offers a wider selection of stocks and ETFs for overnight trading. Some may trade shorter hours, so check when they can be traded.

Also, you'll first need to request access to trade on overnight markets. Luckily, trading permission requests are typically approved overnight.[4]

Robinhood vs. Charles Schwab
Since Charles Schwab acquired TD Ameritrade, its users can now access the thinkorswim platform.[5] This means they now have access to overnight trading.

Their overnight market hours are similar to Robinhood's. It's available 24/5, with orders expiring at 8 PM ET.

Regarding the selection of stocks and ETFs, Charles Schwab's list is also limited to select securities in their "24 Hour Trading" watchlist, although no specific number is mentioned.

However, traders may favor Charles Schwab because of their reputation. They have over 50 years of experience and over 35.5 million accounts, making them one of the biggest names in investing.[6]

Bottom Line

Robinhood's 24 Hour Market can be a game changer for some, while others may not care at all.

It could benefit you if you're looking to capitalize on price movements outside traditional market hours. However, it could add extra complexities and risks, making it unsuitable for beginner or low-risk traders.

Ultimately, it depends on you and the way you trade. Before diving head-first into overnight trading, set your goals and assess whether or not this type of trading makes sense for you.

References

  1. ^ Robinhood Newsroom. New Symbols on the Robinhood 24 Hour Market, Retrieved 05/03/2024
  2. ^ Robinhood Newsroom. The Robinhood 24 Hour Market is Here, Retrieved 06/29/2024
  3. ^ US Securities and Exchange Commission. After-Hours Trading: Understanding the Risks, Retrieved 05/03/2025
  4. ^ Interactive Brokers. Overnight Trading on US Equity Index Options, Retrieved 05/03/2024
  5. ^ Charles Schwab. TDA, Retrieved 05/03/2024
  6. ^ Charles Schwab. Charles Schwab, Retrieved 05/03/2024
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