What happens on the day of an IPO

What happens on the day of the IPO?

On the day of the IPO, anyone who has subscribed, or registered their interest, will receive their allotment before the market opens. This is what is known as the primary market, which takes place between the company and investors – via an underwriter, usually a bank. Traditionally, the process is only open to institutional investors, but it is starting to be opened up to retail investors too.

The share allotment happens, and the investors officially become shareholders. But, once the stock market opens, they are free to sell their holding to other market participants at a higher (or lower) price. This is called the secondary market.

From the first day of an IPO, the shares enter what is known as ‘conditional trading’. During this time, all purchases have deferred settlement and you won’t necessarily be guaranteed that the trade goes ahead. Conditional trading periods can last from a few days to a week. Once unconditional trading starts, the shares are said to be freely traded on the open market.

Find out more about what an IPO is and how the process works.

What is an IPO price?

The IPO price is the value that the underwriter and company will set for the stock to begin trading at on the market – this can be different to the target price that was given in the prospectus for the IPO. If the starting price is higher than the target price, it’s an indication that there was a lot of interest in the shares pre-IPO, and the company expects it can make more money.

But it’s a fine line. If the IPO price is too high, the shares will drop on opening. A recent example of this would be Deliveroo’s listing on the London Stock Exchange – its shares fell from an opening price of 390p to 284p at close.

What time do IPOs start trading?

The time IPOs start trading will vary depending on the stock exchange the listing is taking place on. In general, for the US and UK, a stock that has IPO’d will be available to retail traders and investors when the market opens – at 2:30pm and 8am (UCT) respectively. But due to a lot of administrative red tape, they can be delayed by a few hours.

For stocks listing on the London Stock Exchange, once an IPO price is set, it is usually revealed at 7am. Conditional trading will then begin at 8am (UCT) and will last for a few days.

In some other countries, newly-listed shares will start trading at specific times. For example, in India, IPO securities will start trading at 10am.

How to trade top stocks

Once an IPO has taken place, you can trade the shares with FOREX.com in these easy steps:

Open a FOREX.com account, or log in if you’re already a customer
Search for the company you want to trade in our award-winning platform
Choose your position and size, and your stop and limit levels
Place the trade

StoneX Europe Ltd makes no representation or warranty and assumes no liability as to the accuracy or completeness of the information provided, nor any loss arising from any investment based on a recommendation, forecast or other information supplied. You should always seek independent advice as to your suitability to speculate in any related markets and your ability to assume the associated risks, if you are at all unsure. We are not under any obligation to update any such material. Any opinion made may be personal to the author and may not reflect the opinion of StoneX Europe Ltd.

CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 76% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. Please ensure you fully understand the risks involved by reading our full risk warning.

FOREX.com is a trading name of StoneX Europe Limited, and FOREX.com/ie is a domain operated by StoneX Europe Ltd, a member of StoneX Group Inc. StoneX Europe Ltd, is a Cyprus Investment Firm (CIF) company registered to the Department of Registrar of Companies and Official Receiver with a Registration Number HE409708, and authorized and regulated by the Cyprus Securities & Exchange Commission (CySEC) under license number 400/21. StoneX Europe is a Member of the Investor Compensation Fund (ICF) and has its registered address at Nikokreontos 2, 5th Floor, 1066 Nicosia, Cyprus.

StoneX Europe Limited is registered with the German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin). BaFin registration ID: 10160255

FOREX.com is a trademark of StoneX Europe Ltd, a member of StoneX Group Inc.

The statistical data and the awards received refer to the Global FOREX.com brand.

This website uses cookies to provide you with the very best experience and to know you better. By visiting our website with your browser set to allow cookies, you consent to our use of cookies as described in our Privacy Policy.

Through passporting, StoneX Europe is allowed to provide its services and products on a cross-border basis to the following European Economic Area ("EEA") states: Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden.

Additionally, StoneX Europe Ltd is allowed to provide Investment and Ancillary Services to the following non-EU jurisdiction: Switzerland.

StoneX Europe Ltd products, services and information are not intended for residents other than the ones stated above.

Tied Agent Information: KQ Markets Europe Ltd with Company No. HE427857.
Address: Athalassas 62, Mezzanine, Strovolos, Nicosia Cyprus.
Services Provided: Reception and Transmission of Orders.
Commencement Date: 06/12/2022
Website: KQ Markets - CFD Trading | KQ Markets

We may pay inducements, such as commissions or fees, to affiliates or third-party introducers for referring clients to us. This is in line with regulatory guidelines and fully disclosed where applicable.

StoneX Europe Ltd may make third party material available on this website which may contain information included but not limited to the conditions of financial markets. The material is for information purposes only and does not contain, and should not be construed as containing, investment advice and/or investment recommendation and/or an investment research and/or an offer of or solicitation for any transactions in financial instruments; any decision to enter into a specific transaction shall be made by the client following an assessment by him/her of their situation. StoneX Europe Ltd makes no representation or warranty and assumes no liability as to the accuracy or completeness of the information provided, nor any loss arising from any investment based on a recommendation, forecast or other information supplied. You should always seek independent advice as to your suitability to speculate in any related markets and your ability to assume the associated risks, if you are at all unsure. We are not under any obligation to update any such material. Any opinion made may be personal to the author and may not reflect the opinion of StoneX Europe Ltd.