The New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) is to extend open after-hours trading in platinum group metals.

Exchange president J Robert Collins Jr, announced: "By reducing the brief period that these markets are closed we are a step closer to offering market participants virtually round the clock market access, transparency and efficiency, which is particularly valuable in this time of heightened activity in metals and energy markets."

Beginning on 1 June, trading in the metals contracts will commence at 2:00 pm Mondays through Thursdays on the NYMEX ACCESS electronic trading system.

The closing times for the session will remain at 8:00 am for gold, silver, copper, platinum and palladium futures.

Meanwhile, the Sunday evening opening time of 7:00 pm will remain unchanged.