Brokers may have to bolt their food today, but they can console themselves that their jobs may be safer.
Starting today, the city's more than 400 stockbrokers will have 60 minutes down at midday instead of 90 minutes previously. The change resulted from new trading hours imposed by the stock exchange in the face of strong opposition from the industry.
The move follows similar action last March, when Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing opened trading 30 minutes earlier and slashed the two-hour lunch break to 90 minutes. The HKEx says it is trying to better compete with overseas markets operating six to eight hours a day. The Hong Kong market used to open for just four hours - the shortest trading day among major markets.
Now, the market will be open for five-and-a-half hours. Brokers have criticised the change saying they lacked the staff to arrange shift duty. Small brokers have also taken to the streets in protest.
But some participants conceded that change was inevitable and Hong Kong may eventually cancel the lunch break altogether, bringing it in line with international practice.
'I can't remember when the US or British markets took a break for lunch,' said a fund manager with 30 years of experience.