Stock Market Considers Not Opening on Makeup Holidays|台股週六補班開市 最快明年取消

The American Chamber of Commerce says the Financial Supervisory Commission should consider making up for extended holidays on weekends because it keeps the stock market open on Saturdays. This doesn't happen anywhere else in the world. The commission says it is asking the securities association to survey public opinion. If a consensus is reached, the stock market will not open on Saturdays starting next year at the earliest.


Taiwan often has extended public holidays with an extra holiday on a weekday in exchange for a make-up work day on a Saturday. This means the Taiwan Stock Exchange is the only market in the world that is sometimes open on weekends. The Financial Supervisory Commission says opinions on this vary.

It's the Taiwan Stock Exchange that is assessing the feasibility. So, the TSE is looking at what other countries do to help decide whether to keep the market closed on make-up holidays.

The Taiwan Securities Association is surveying members on this issue. If a consensus is reached, the TSE will no longer trade on Saturdays starting perhaps next year. In 2017, the TSE recorded trading volume of NT$61.98 billion, NT$46.1 billion and NT$54.28 billion on three trading Saturdays, which was 44 to 59 percent of the annual daily average. Despite lower trading volume, many securities firms say any day the market is open is beneficial.

However, we have to consider other financial services that should not be affected by special circumstances. If it is a workday for the entire nation, it should be a workday for banks too.

The commission is assessing the feasibility of keeping forex markets open on working Saturdays although this could create a whole new host of issues.