- Russell 2000® Index (RUT) options to trade nearly 24x5 during Cboe's Global Trading Hours
- Expansion that may allow European and Asia-Pacific traders to more easily manage U.S. small-cap exposure
- Initiative is part of Cboe's ongoing efforts to expand global access to its proprietary U.S. equity index options
Cboe Global Markets, Inc. (Cboe: CBOE), the world's leading derivatives and securities exchange network, today announced plans to extend trading hours for its Russell 2000 Index (RUT) options suite to nearly 24 hours a day, five days a week, beginning February 9, 2026.
RUT options are currently available for trading during regular U.S. hours, from 9:30 a.m. ET to 4:15 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday. With the planned addition of an overnight session during Cboe's Global Trading Hours (GTH), RUT options (including the RUT Weeklys options) will also trade from 8:15 p.m. ET to 9:25 a.m. ET the following morning, Monday through Friday. As investors globally increasingly seek to access U.S. equity market exposure, the ability to trade RUT options nearly around the clock is expected to help them respond to market-moving events, adjust positioning, and manage risk with greater precision in real time.
Cboe currently offers several flagship index options including S&P 500 Index (SPX), Mini-SPX (XSP) and Cboe Volatility Index (VIX) options during its GTH session. The addition of RUT options to GTH will expand this lineup, giving investors even more tools to access U.S. equity large cap, small cap and global equity market exposure – ultimately, potentially creating more trading, hedging, and liquidity opportunities during this overnight trading session.
Demand for overnight trading is evident in the growth of Cboe's GTH sessions, which have experienced record volumes in 2025, up 179% year-to-date compared to full year 2022 as global appetite for U.S. markets has grown and Cboe expands its product availability to meet this demand.
"Extending trading hours for Cboe's Russell 2000 Index product suite will be another significant milestone in our efforts to expand access to U.S. index options for investors worldwide," said Rob Hocking, Global Head of Derivatives at Cboe. "With nearly round-the-clock availability, Cboe will help empower market participants to further diversify, manage and hedge their U.S. equity and volatility exposures–covering both small caps and large caps–at their discretion. We look forward to continuing to collaborate with FTSE Russell to deliver meaningful solutions to our growing global customer base."
The Russell 2000 Index measures the performance of U.S. small-cap equities across sectors and has long served as a barometer of small-cap performance. As of the end of November, average daily volume in Cboe's RUT options has grown to nearly 75 thousand contracts, up 66% compared to full year 2022, as more traders look to manage risk and implement daily options strategies. The Russell 2000 Index has historically been more volatile than large-cap measures and more sensitive to interest rates – making RUT options a potentially effective tool to trade small-cap volatility and secular trends.
To track implied volatility for the Russell 2000, Cboe publishes the Cboe Russell 2000 Volatility Index (RVX), a VIX-style measure of 30-day expected volatility. Similar to realized volatility measures, RVX has historically been higher than the VIX Index, reflecting the unique risk profile of small-cap stocks.
"Cboe's decision to offer nearly 24-hour trading for Russell 2000 options is an exciting development for global investors," said Shawn Creighton, Director of Index Derivatives Solutions at FTSE Russell. "The Russell 2000 Index is a recognized benchmark for U.S. small-cap equities, and expanded access will give market participants worldwide greater flexibility to manage risk and capture opportunities as markets move."
Exclusively listed on Cboe Options Exchange, Russell 2000 Index (RUT) options and Russell 2000 Index Weeklys (RUTW) options are cash-settled, European-style options, meaning there is no risk of early exercise and no need to deliver or receive unwanted shares. Cboe offers a range of expirations—including every weekday, end-of-month, and quarterly—allowing investors to implement a diverse range of trading strategies.
In addition to offering GTH hours for RUT options, Cboe proposes to add Curb Trading Hours – an additional trading session that will run from 4:15 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday.
For more information on Russell 2000 Index options, visit RUT Index Options.
