After hours trading refers to the buying and selling of securities outside of the regular trading hours of the major stock exchanges.
The regular trading hours for the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the Nasdaq are from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. After hours trading typically takes place between 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
The volume of trades is typically lower than during regular trading hours, and the prices of securities can be more volatile. This is because there are fewer market participants trading during these hours, which can lead to a lack of liquidity in the market.
It’s important to note that not all securities are available then, and the availability of a security may vary depending on the brokerage firm. Additionally, the prices may not reflect the prices during regular trading hours, so it’s important to be aware of this when making investment decisions.
For full control over the price, a market order is recommended. You can read more about trading tickets & order types.