Hong Kong Stock Exchange Will Extend Trading Hours Starting in March 7, 2011

Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing Ltd., operator of Asia’s third-biggest stock market, said it will extend its trading hours from March 7, 2011.

Effective Mar. 7, 2011, Hong Kong Exchange will implement new trading hours as follows:

                                            Current                  Effective Mar. 7, 2011
Pre-opening Session      09:30 to 10:00am       09:00 to 09:30am
Morning Session            10:00 to 12:30pm        09:30 to 12:00pm
Afternoon Session          02:30 to 04:00pm       01:30 to 04:00pm

Trading hours will be further extended, with the lunch break being cut further to one hour from 1.5 hours from March 5, 2012, markets will reopen after the lunch break at 1 p.m instead of 1:30p.m.