Greek Brokers Seek Extended Trade Hours For Athens Stock Exchange

Athens Stock Exchange brokers are seeking a four-hour extension to trading hours to bring the exchange closer to international practice. Currently the Athens bourse holds a 30-minute preliminary session starting at 10.15 (08:15 GMT). Regular trading begins after this and lasts until 13:30 (11:30 GMT). Longer trading hours will have practical implications for brokerages, custodians and the clearinghouse, the staff of which are already hard-pressed to cope with higher trading volumes and stricter regulations.