Cboe has unveiled plans to extend its Russell 2000 Index (RUT) options to trade at nearly 24 hours a day, five days a week.
Rob Hocking
The new offering, expected to go live on 9 February 2026, will expand the cash-settled, European-style options’ current trading hours of 9.30am ET to 4.15pm ET Monday to Friday to also cover an overnight session, allowing for trade activity during Cboe’s Global Trading Hours (GTH), from 8.15pm ET to 9.25am ET the next morning.
Specifically, by expanding RUT options trading hours, Cboe aims to enhance global investor access to US equity market exposure, to increase the ability to quickly react to market events, adjust positioning and manage risk.
“Extending trading hours for Cboe’s Russell 2000 Index product suite will be another significant milestone in our efforts to expand access to US 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 US equity and volatility exposures – covering both small caps and large caps – at their discretion.”
Cboe has highlighted growing demand for overnight trading as a key driver for the RUT options expansion.
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The addition of RUT options also expands Cboe’s current product suite which currently offers extended trading hours during its GTH session, including S&P 500 Index (SPX), Mini-SPX (XSP) and Cboe Volatility Index (VIX) options.
The firm also plans to add an additional trading session, called Curb Trading Hours, to its overnight offering, set to run from 4.15pm to 5pm ET, Monday to Friday.
Shawn Creighton, director of index derivatives solutions at FTSE Russell, said: “Cboe’s decision to offer nearly 24-hour trading for Russell 2000 options is an exciting development for global investors.”
“The Russell 2000 Index is a recognised benchmark for US small-cap equities, and expanded access will give market participants worldwide greater flexibility to manage risk and capture opportunities as markets move.”