Are the trades placed before the market opens/during market off-hours or do I have to be present when the market opens?

Are the trades placed before the market opens/during market off-hours or do I have to be present when the market opens?

If you are based in the UK and spreadbetting, we normally recommend that you place your trades during market hours to avoid gapping.

If you are based outside the UK and/or trading stocks/options, you can place the trades outside market hours if the broker platform has a stop-limit order functionality.  Ideally, you will place the opening order conditional on the stock price (or for an option the underlying stock) doing what you need it to do, and attach a 'Bracket Order' detailing your Initial Protective stop and your P1.