Pre-open
9:00–9:30 EAT
Orders may be entered for the opening process. The opening auction determines the opening price.
ESX practical guide
Trading hours and
how an order becomes a trade.
The normal ESX day runs from 9:00 to 15:00 East Africa Time on Ethiopian business days. Exchange notices can change a session or close the market for a holiday.
Continuous trading
9:30–15:00 EAT
Eligible orders are matched electronically using the exchange’s trading rules and price-time priority.
Market close
15:00 EAT
Normal trading stops. ESX may alter hours or approve an exceptional extension through an official notice.
Normal schedule reviewed 27 October 2026. Always check a recent ESX notice before relying on the timetable for a particular day.
From instruction to settlement
The basic path
1. Use a licensed provider
An investor places an instruction through a provider licensed for the relevant capital-market service.
2. Choose the order terms
A market order seeks the prevailing price; a limit order sets the worst price the investor is willing to accept. Availability depends on the member and security.
3. ESX matches eligible orders
The automated trading system uses the exchange’s matching rules. Thin liquidity can leave an order partly filled or unfilled.
4. Clearing and settlement follow
After execution, securities and funds move through the applicable central securities depository and settlement arrangements.
Before placing an order
Ask for the full cost and process.
- Confirm the provider and the exact service are licensed by ECMA.
- Ask about brokerage, custody, exchange, settlement and tax-related charges.
- Confirm how the order can be changed or cancelled and when cash or securities become available.
- Do not treat a displayed price as a promise that the same quantity can trade immediately.