Source: https://mochatrade.com/learn/glossary/pre-market-and-after-hours-trading

# Pre-market and after-hours trading
URL: https://mochatrade.com/learn/glossary/pre-market-and-after-hours-trading
Last modified: 2026-10-17

Pre-market and after-hours are the thin sessions around the US day: pre-market from 1:30 PM IST, after-hours until 5:30 AM IST, an hour later from November to March. Spreads are wide and volume is low, and most companies [publish results into the after-hours book](https://mochatrade.com/learn/us-market-structure/us-earnings-explained), so the reaction shows up as [a gap at the next open](https://mochatrade.com/learn/us-market-structure/how-us-stock-prices-form).

## Related terms

- Volume: https://mochatrade.com/learn/glossary/volume
- Overnight session (24-hour stock trading): https://mochatrade.com/learn/glossary/overnight-session
- Opening auction: https://mochatrade.com/learn/glossary/opening-auction
- Closing auction (official close): https://mochatrade.com/learn/glossary/closing-auction
- NASDAQ: https://mochatrade.com/learn/glossary/nasdaq
- Earnings season / earnings report: https://mochatrade.com/learn/glossary/earnings-season-earnings-report