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Outside RTH

Trading Term

Otherwise known as Outside Regular Trading Hours. Trader Workstation allows traders to enable trading outside of RTH by default or on a per order basis for all eligible products. Trading outside of RTH is available in both Mosaic and Classic TWS.

Regular Trading Hours (RTH) are the standard hours during which a particular market or exchange is open for trading. For example:

  • NYSE (New York Stock Exchange) and NASDAQ have RTH from 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM ET on weekdays.
  • Other exchanges may have different RTH schedules depending on the asset being traded.

Outside RTH (or after-hours or pre-market trading) refers to trading activity that occurs before or after these regular hours.

Orders can be submitted outside regular trading hours (Outside RTH) in two ways:

At the time of order creation:

  • In Mosaic TWS: Click the Time-in-Force (TIF) drop-down in the Order Entry panel and check “Fill Outside RTH”
  • In Classic TWS: Click the Time-in-Force (TIF) drop-down on the Order Row and check “Fill Outside RTH”

Through Order Presets:

  • Go to Global Configuration via File or Edit menu
  • Select Presets and choose an instrument type
  • Under Timing section, check “Allow order to be activated, triggered, or filled outside of regular trading hours”
  • Click OK to save

Once configured, the Outside RTH settings will apply across all platforms including TWS, IBKR Mobile, and Client Portal.

Important Considerations:

  • Liquidity: Trading during Outside RTH often has lower liquidity, meaning there may be less volume of trades, which can lead to wider bid-ask spreads and potential slippage.
  • Price Volatility: Because fewer participants are trading during Outside RTH, prices may be more volatile compared to regular hours.
  • Market Orders: Be cautious when using market orders outside of regular hours, as they may be executed at unfavorable prices due to low liquidity.

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