Nasdaq Extends EWY Options Closing Time to 4:15 p.m. ET

Nasdaq said all of its options exchanges would change the daily closing time for options on the iShares MSCI South Korea ETF, ticker EWY, from 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time to 4:15 p.m. Eastern Time effective Wednesday, April 29, 2026.

The notice is narrow, but it is still a practical market-structure change for traders who use EWY options to manage exposure to Korean equities and related macro moves. A 15-minute extension can matter on days when U.S. markets are repricing late headlines, ETF flows, or currency-linked sentiment after the equity close.

EWY is one of the more widely used U.S.-listed vehicles for trading South Korea exposure, so listed options on the fund are often part of global macro and single-country allocation trades. Extending the close gives traders a little more room to hedge, roll, or adjust positions after the main cash session ends, while still keeping the activity on a listed venue instead of pushing everything into the next session.

The alert only identified EWY and did not announce a broader basket of ETFs moving at the same time, which makes this a targeted timetable change rather than a full options-hours overhaul.

Why it matters

Small session changes can alter hedging habits, order timing, and liquidity patterns for active options traders in specific products.

What to watch next

Watch whether Nasdaq applies the same 4:15 p.m. close to additional ETF options or keeps the longer session limited to selected names.