The London Stock Exchange considers shortening its trading hours to enable a better work-life-balance to the staff manning the desks. The Swiss counterparts however seem not overly keen on such a change.

The London Stock Exchange (LSE) is open to shortening its trading hours – currently, 8 am through 4:30 pm – after a majority voted in favor of such a move in a consultative survey.

The most likely alternative to the current hours would be between 9 am and 4 pm, according to a report by «The Times» on Tuesday (behind paywall). LSE received 140 answers from companies and individuals in the survey.

Less Might Be More

Supporters of the change argue that a shorter day would reduce stress levels among traders and enable more women to work on the stock exchange. Also, with more trades taking place in fewer hours, liquidity in some stocks would increase.

The London Stock Exchange will only pursue a shortening of its trading hours if it can be coordinated with other European markets – which sounds a tad ironic given Brexit.

SIX Just Extended Its Hours

European neighbors seem not overly eager to follow suit. SIX, the Swiss stock exchange operator, has only just extended its trading hours by 10 minutes.

«If a consensus were to emerge among European exchanges, we could also specify our position from a Swiss point of view, together with market participants,» SIX said in a statement to finews.com. «Stock exchanges are heavily influenced by global trading, which is why typically most exchange operators prefer a unified approach.»

German Exchange Is «Lukewarm»

Market participants have argued that opening hours aren't the key parameter to influence the working hours of staff as they have become much more flexible in recent years.

Euronext, which operates exchanges in France, the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, and Ireland, is also yet to be convinced. The group has launched its own consultation at the end of March and has yet to conclude the findings, as «The Times» said. And the German exchange is said to be «lukewarm» about the bid for change in London.