Most UK investors are familiar with the main US trading session, which runs from 2:30pm to 9:00pm UK time (during British Summer Time). However, some of the biggest share price moves often occur before or after those hours, particularly when companies release earnings or major news. For UK retail investors, understanding how extended-hours trading works can help explain why a US share opens sharply higher or lower, and whether it’s worth trading outside normal market hours. What is extended-hours trading? US stocks trade in three main sessions: SessionUS Eastern TimeUK time (BST)Typical activityPre-market4:00am–9:30am9:00am–2:30pmEarnings reactions, economic dataRegular session9:30am–4:00pm2:30pm–9:00pmHighest liquidityAfter-hours4:00pm–8:00pm9:00pm–1:00amCompany results and…

AI data and analytics play Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ:PLTR) produced another blockbuster quarter that comfortably cleared Wall Street’s already lofty expectations. More importantly, management significantly increased full-year guidance, reassuring investors that demand for its Artificial Intelligence Platform (AIP) remains exceptionally strong across both government and commercial customers. This compelling combination sparked a +15% surge in Palantir stock after-hours following the announcement as investors focused on accelerating growth and another substantial guidance upgrade. Palantir investor relations Palantir (NASDAQ:PLTR)Price: $144.86 (~+15% after-hours)Market cap: ~$347bn Q2 results versus expectations MetricReportedConsensusVerdictRevenue$1.94bn~$1.80-1.81bn✅ BeatAdjusted EPS$0.41$0.33-0.35✅ BeatRevenue growth+93% YoY~81% expectedStrong beatFree cash flow$1.22bnn/aRecordFull-year revenue guidance$8.15-8.16bnPrevious ~$7.65bnMajor raise Source:…

After one of the strongest bull markets in its history, Japanese equities have suffered a sharp correction – the Nikkei 225 has fallen by around 10,000 points ( -15% approx) from its June 2026 peak in little over a month. The sell-off has prompted investors to question whether Japan’s long-awaited renaissance is stalling or whether this is simply a healthy correction within a longer-term bull market. Fund managers increasingly talk of tides turning in Japan, where investors face an evolved landscape. But crucially, they see scope for robust dividend yields and high-quality companies fuelling tech progress, and a diversified approach…

Popular tech fund Allianz Technology Trust (LON:ATT) delivered an impressive H1 2026, outperforming its benchmark by a distance as stock selection across semiconductors and mid-cap technology names more than offset continued volatility among the AI mega caps. The performance clearly underlines the point that Allianz Technology Trust remains one of the strongest actively managed technology investment trusts available. The shares initially traded modestly higher following the results as investors welcomed another period of benchmark outperformance, although gains were limited by broader weakness across the technology sector. Allianz Technology Trust investor relations Allianz Technology Trust (LON:ATT)Price: 673.5p (+0.5%)Market cap: ~£2.22bn For…

In CEO Tim Cook’s last earnings call, Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) delivered another set of headline-beating results, but investors were looking beyond the June quarter. Instead, the market focused on slowing revenue guidance, supply constraints and rising component costs. That saw the shares plunge more than 7% after-hours despite record revenue and profit. Apple investor relations Q3 results vs expectations MetricReportedConsensusVerdictRevenue$109.4bn~$109.0bnBeatEPS$2.02~$1.89BeatiPhone revenue$54.3bnAbove expectationsStrong beatServices revenue$30.7bnSlightly below expectationsMissGross margin50.1% (48.1% ex tariff refunds)AheadBeat Source: Apple, Reuters. Why did the shares fall? This was a classic case of good results but an underwhelming outlook. The market had already priced in an exceptionally strong quarter…

Amazon’s (NASDAQ:AMZN) shares surged close on 10% in after-hours trading after delivering one of the strongest ‘Magnificent Seven’ earnings reports of the season. Investors had feared soaring AI spending would overshadow otherwise solid results. Instead, Amazon demonstrated that AI investment is already translating into accelerating cloud growth and improving profitability. Amazon investor relations Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN)Price: $258 (+9.553% after-hours)Market cap: $2.77tn Q2 2026 at a glance MetricReportedConsensusVerdictRevenue$200.6bn$197.0bnBeatEPS$5.75$1.82Huge beatOperating income$27.5bnAbove expectationsStrong beatAWS revenue growth+37% YoY~31% expectedMajor beatAdvertising revenue$19.8bn (+26%)AheadStrong2026 CapexRaised to $220bnPreviously $200bnIncreased investment Why did the shares jump? The market was prepared for another quarter of enormous AI spending without sufficient…

Aero-engines maker Rolls-Royce (LON:RR.) delivered another outstanding set of results, comfortably beating market expectations and, crucially, raising full-year guidance for both profit and free cash flow. The announcement reinforces what has become one of the FTSE 100’s most remarkable corporate turnarounds under CEO Tufan Erginbilgic. The key question for investors has shifted. Three years ago, it was ‘Can Rolls-Royce recover?’ Today it is ‘How much more upside remains?’ More plainly, can Roll-Royce emerge as a long-term value creation compounder, as it once was? Rolls-Royce investor relations Rolls-Royce (LON:RR.)Price: £14.40 (~+5%)Market cap: £125.33bn Despite the dramatic recovery, management believes there is…

Chips kit manufacturer Lam Research (NASDAQ:LRCX) delivered another quarter comfortably ahead of Wall Street expectations, reinforcing the view that wafer fabrication equipment remains one of the strongest ways to gain exposure to AI infrastructure spending and Lam Research remains one of the highest quality ‘picks and shovels’ businesses in global technology. While semiconductor stocks have experienced heightened volatility in recent weeks, Lam’s results suggest that demand from memory and advanced logic manufacturers continues to accelerate rather than slow. Lam Research investor relations Lam Research (NASDAQ:LRCX)Price: $271 (+7.4% after-hours)Market cap: ~$339bn Q4 FY2026 headline numbers MetricReportedConsensusVerdictRevenueUS$6.72bnUS$6.65bnBeatAdjusted EPSUS$1.82US$1.68-1.69Strong beatRevenue growth+30% YoY—ExcellentGross margin52%Slightly…

Facebook and Instagram-owner Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) delivered another quarter of exceptional revenue growth, but investors focused instead on the enormous cost of CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s AI ambitions. Although advertising demand remained extremely strong, soaring capital expenditure, sharply lower free cash flow and increased legal costs overshadowed the operating performance, sending the shares sharply lower in after-hours trading. Meta investor relations Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META)Price: $534.39 (-9% after-hours)Market cap: ~$1.36tn Q2 2026 at a glance MetricQ2 2026Market expectationVerdictRevenueUS$60.8bnUS$60.2bn✅ BeatEPSUS$6.18~US$7.13❌ MissRevenue growth+28% YoY+27%StrongFree cash flowUS$784mn/aSharp decline2026 Capex guidanceUS$130-145bnRaisedNegative surprise Revenue remains world class Meta’s advertising engine continues to outperform almost every other internet…

Microsoft’s (NASDAQ:MSFT) fiscal Q4 results were exactly what AI investors had been waiting for. After months of concern that huge spending on AI infrastructure was destroying free cash flow, the company delivered a decisive combination of: Microsoft investor relations Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT)Price: $424.10 (+8.6% after-hours)Market cap: ~$3.15tn The immediate reaction was emphatic. Microsoft shares jumped more than 8% in after-hours trading, helping lift sentiment across AI infrastructure stocks after several difficult months. Q4 FY2026: Reported vs expectations MetricReportedConsensusResultRevenue$90.0bn~$87.6bn✅ BeatEPS$4.74~$4.24✅ BeatRevenue growth18%~15%StrongAzure growth43%~40%ExcellentMicrosoft Cloud growth27%—StrongMicrosoft 365 Copilot seats30m+20m previouslyRapid adoption Source: Microsoft, analyst consensus. Azure remains the engine The most important number…