you mean trade equities or futures, during those times, you could easily catch a quick trade, because sandp futures react to early news before they are quantified, or you could play a quick oil or gold trade, bc the news was just to quick and a ny or west coast trader makes a trade to hastily. It happens once in a while, so its fun.
I've thought about it, but our gummint has decided to make it extremely difficult to trade the products I want in foreign markets, mainly equity options. There is also another issue that I can't seem to get around and that is I would have poor information resources to track companies as well as other local issues. Technically, you don't need to know fundamentals to trade options, but I use them. The Kospi trades a ton of volume, I would be interested in taking a closer look at that. However, if I do look to trade markets outside the U.S., it would probably be Europe. I traded there and am familiar with the companies and how the indexes trade. If I ever join the new firm I have been waiting on, I might look into it this fall.
Somebody please post the way to comment to the SEC on this issue when it becomes open for comment. I was down on a Chicago trading floor in 1985 when everybody had to get up a half hour earlier "to get the far east business". Your standing down there waiting for the additional paper that never comes. And you realize you've been had. And that it's now IRREVERSIBLE. The NYSE will throw your existing life style on the bonfire, with very little worry.
the guys in the sugar pits are the smart ones, 10-4 after Sept 11, and in their new digs, changed in to 10-12. Volume shot up!
A previous poster mentioned that people threw a fit in the early 90's about the open being moved to 9:00 from 9:30. It was mostly SF based brokerages such as Montgomery, H+Q, Schwab, etc. that led the charge against that early open. Montgomery essentially no longer exists (BofA Securities is almost entirely in NY now). And, I don't think Schwab will put up much of a stink about it. It will probably happen.
Volume packed in to a shorter time period creates a little more volatility, which probably attracts more paper. That is a self-reinforcing positive cycle. NYSE hours should be shortened to gain similar positive effects. I'm writing this because I have time during the "dead zone" in the center of the NYSE trading day.
Predictability and price improvement far outweighs volatility. Our newer traders are learning in the best possible environment, with little fear of big price moves costing them significant money. Our traders around the globe, with various clearing firms, trade virtually 24 hours (all the same NYSE hours, of course), but their local time sure varies. 5:30 is no big deal, most of our guys are here by then anyway. Don