Bruce Markets to usher in 24/7 U.S. stock trading, pending regulatory reviewExpansion draws on Nasdaq’s trading technology and clearing services from Apex Clearing CorporationNew weekend session expected to go live in the coming months

CHICAGO, Sept. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Bruce Markets LLC, an SEC-registered broker-dealer and operator of Bruce ATS™, today announced a landmark agreement to extend U.S. equity trading throughout the weekend, subject to regulatory review. The initiative is designed to bring continuous 24/7 stock trading to global investors.

To power this expansion, Bruce Markets will leverage new strategic investments from PEAK6 Investments, the majority shareholder, and Robinhood Markets. Apex Fintech Solutions, Fidelity Investments, Nasdaq Ventures, NH Investment & Securities, tastytrade and Webull remain investors.

Bruce Markets will expand its use of Nasdaq’s trading technology, while clearing, carrying, and custody services will be provided by Apex Clearing Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Apex Fintech Solutions, Inc.

The agreement marks a major milestone in U.S. equity market structure. By extending the weekend session to enable 24/7 market access, Bruce Markets and its partners will establish the first ever round-the-clock U.S. equity trading ecosystem for global investors. Bruce Markets expects the new weekend session to launch in the coming months.

Jason Wallach, CEO, Bruce Markets: “We are changing the way customers can access U.S. equities and finally ushering in true 24/7 trading. Market-moving news does not wait for Monday’s open, and soon, neither will investors. Together with our partners, we are breaking down the limitations of traditional market structure and redefining how the world trades.”

Jenny Just, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, PEAK6 Investments: “The world doesn’t take weekends off, and now neither will the markets. This is the end of the five-day market. For the first time, markets will keep moving with the people, and Bruce Markets is here to lead that change.”

Steve Quirk, Chief Brokerage Officer, Robinhood: “Market-moving news can break at any moment, including over the weekend. With 24/7 trading, Robinhood customers will soon be able to trade equities around the clock, seven days a week, so they can manage their portfolios in real time and trade on their own schedule.”

Magnus Haglind, Head of Capital Markets Technology, Nasdaq: “Always-on markets demand resilient, flexible and scalable infrastructure. Our trading technology gives Bruce Markets a proven foundation to extend resilient, transparent market access throughout the weekend.”

William Capuzzi, CEO, Apex Fintech Solutions: “Apex continues to modernize market infrastructure, and weekend trading is a natural next step in that work. We’re proud to support Bruce Markets, PEAK6, and Robinhood in delivering it.”

ABOUT BRUCE MARKETS

Bruce Markets operates Bruce ATS™, a U.S. equities alternative trading system enabling overnight trading from 8:00 PM to 4:00 AM ET. Underpinned by exchange grade technology and market rules, led by industry veterans and backed by leading firms from across the trading ecosystem, Bruce provides a high-performance, resilient venue that bridges the U.S. after-hours and pre-market sessions. By providing a credible source of after-hours liquidity for brokers and investors and leading the evolution of always-available markets, Bruce brings needed competition to the ecosystem and is redefining after-hours trading worldwide. To learn more, visit www.brucemarkets.com.

Media Contact
Forefront Communications for Bruce Markets
bruce@forefrontcomms.com 

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SOURCE Bruce Markets

New research from Loop shows more than half of Australian shoppers have walked away from a brand over its returns policy, while retailers wrestle with what returns are really costing them

55% of Australian shoppers have either stopped buying from a fashion brand or abandoned a purchase because of its returns policyJust 10% of Australian retailers think losing customers is the biggest financial cost of returns, exposing a widening “returns revenue gap”53% of Australian retailers offer instant exchanges, the highest of any region in the study

MELBOURNE, Australia, Sept. 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The way a brand handles returns has become one of the biggest tests of customer loyalty in Australian ecommerce, and new research suggests most retailers don’t realise it. More than half (55%) of Aussie online shoppers have walked away from a fashion brand, either by stopping shopping with it altogether or abandoning a purchase, because of the way it handles returns.

The findings, drawn from an independent study of 1,000 Australian consumers and 200 Australian retail decision-makers by ecommerce operations platform Loop, reveal how sharply the returns experience now shapes where Australians choose to spend, how far many retailers still are from recognising it, and why Australia is leading ahead of the US and UK in returns innovation.

While 55% of shoppers have already changed their behaviour over a returns policy, only 10% of Australian retailers name customer churn as the biggest financial impact of returns. Most are still focused on lost revenue (29%) and logistics costs (24%), suggesting many are managing the cost of returns while missing the customers those returns are costing them, causing a returns revenue gap.

Returns make or break a purchase decision

For Australian shoppers, the returns policy has become something to check before buying, not a fallback if something goes wrong. 85% of shoppers say they check a retailer’s returns policy at least sometimes before making an online purchase, with one in three shoppers saying they check it every single time.

Return fees weigh heavily on that decision. The vast majority (91%) of Australian shoppers say return fees change how they shop online in some way. Half (50%) say fees make them more careful about what they buy, over a third (37%) shop less often with retailers that charge them, and more than a quarter (28%) say fees push them back into physical stores.

However, roughly one in five Australians (21%) said they would be willing to pay a small upfront fee in exchange for a more premium returns experience, giving retailers an opportunity to reduce customer churn due to return costs.

Australia leads in exchanges over refunds

Australian retailers are already moving faster than their overseas peers on the shift from refunds to retained revenue. They report the highest use of instant exchanges of any market in the study (53%, versus 50% in the US and 45% in the UK), and the lowest share of returns settled as cash refunds (42%, compared with 43% in the US and 53% in the UK).

Hannah Bravo, CEO of Loop, commented: “Shoppers are judging brands on what happens after the sale, and that judgment turns into action. Looking at the data, shoppers are saying that a bad returns policy has made them walk away from a brand, whereas many retailers still aren’t recognizing or acknowledging this risk. This gap represents a significant opportunity for the brands that do see returns as a driver of growth, rather than a cost center.”

She continued: “The ultimate outcome of a return experience is a major driver of customer retention, good or bad. A staggering 86% of Australian shoppers report a willingness to take an exchange under the right circumstances, and the value of that opportunity is eye-popping: over $2 billion globally to the brands Loop serves today.”

The findings form part of Loop’s latest research report, The Returns Revenue Gap, examining changing consumer and retailer attitudes towards the post-purchase experience and the growing role that returns, exchanges, tracking, refunds and customer communication play in shaping long-term retail loyalty.

Key findings

55% of Australian shoppers have stopped shopping with a fashion brand or abandoned a purchase because of its returns policy.Only 10% of Australian retailers see customer churn as the biggest financial impact of returns, versus 29% who point to lost revenue.91% of shoppers say return fees influence how they shop online in some way; 50% say fees make them more careful about what they buy.57% of shoppers always or often check a retailer’s returns policy before buying.21% of Australian shoppers would pay a fee for a premium returns experience.34% of shoppers would try new brands, and 32% would buy more, if they had greater confidence in a retailer’s returns policy.68% of Australian retailers agree the returns experience significantly affects customer loyalty.53% of Australian retailers use instant exchanges (the highest of any market studied); refunds account for just 42% of returns (the lowest).

Methodology

The independent research was conducted online by Sapio Research on behalf of Loop between May and June 2026. The study surveyed 1,000 AU consumers who had made an online return in the previous six months and 200 AU retail decision-makers responsible for ecommerce returns strategies.

*Loop applied the 87% of consumers who told us (via our Sapio-commissioned survey) they would take an exchange under the right conditions, to the actual refund in dollars, Loop merchants issued over the past 12 months in each region, showing how much of what is currently paid out as cash refunds, could instead stay in the merchant’s business as retained revenue.

About Loop

Loop is an operations platform built for retention. We drive customer confidence across the full shopper journey. Before purchase, Loop reduces hesitation; after purchase, it makes everything that follows predictable—from tracking and returns to exchanges, protection, and support. Trusted by more than 5,000 of the world’s most-loved brands, Loop has processed over 100 million returns and counting. Through innovative features like Workflows, Instant Exchanges, Shop Now, Checkout+, and Bonus Credit, Loop helps brands unlock cost savings, increase customer lifetime value, and retain more revenue. Learn more at loopreturns.com.

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SOURCE Loop

HONG KONG, Sept. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) has achieved its best-ever results in the newly released Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2027, advancing three places to rank 70th globally.

CityUHK demonstrated stellar performance across multiple evaluation metrics, notably retaining the world No. 1 spot in the “Industry” pillar for the fourth consecutive year and remaining 1st in Hong Kong in “International Outlook”. These achievements reaffirm the University’s world-class strengths in pioneering research, international collaboration and knowledge transfer. CityUHK also recorded across-the-board score improvements in the three core pillars of Teaching, Research Environment and Research Quality.

The THE World University Rankings 2027 evaluated 2,297 institutions across 118 countries and territories using 17 indicators grouped under five core pillars: Teaching, Research Environment, Research Quality, Industry and International Outlook. Mr Phil Baty, Chief Global Affairs Officer at THE, pointed out that the latest results reflect a permanent shift in the tectonic plates of global higher education, signalling a historic realignment of academic power from West to East and remaking the geography of academic excellence. In its official press release, THE also highlighted that the overall performance of Hong Kong’s higher education institutions continues to be strong, specifically noting that CityUHK has achieved its highest position to date.

“At a time of intensifying global competition, it is remarkable that CityUHK has continued its strong progress in the world university rankings, now moving into the world top 70 group,” said Mr Baty. “Universities need to have real strength-in-depth across our 17 metrics to perform so well in the rankings, but CityUHK has particular strength in its international outlook, which is a fantastic signal of being a global magnet for talent and partnerships and it has the highest score in the world, jointly, for its outstanding industry collaboration and technology transfer. These strengths combine to create a very potent force for good. Congratulations to all at a highly successful global research university.”

In industry-academia-research collaboration and internationalisation, CityUHK scored a perfect 100 in the “Industry” pillar, ranking 1st in the world for the fourth consecutive year. This accolade underscores the University’s pre-eminent standing in patent development, technology commercialisation, and the promotion of a dynamic innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem.

Furthermore, having been named the “Most International University in the World” by THE for three consecutive years, CityUHK retained the top position in Hong Kong in “International Outlook” for the ninth consecutive year.

CityUHK also achieved continuous breakthroughs in academic reputation and research excellence. Scores for “Teaching Reputation” and “Research Reputation” climbed for the second consecutive year, while the “Research Quality” pillar surged into the global top 50, bolstered by full marks across multiple critical indicators. 

“CityUHK has seen robust development in recent years, with its academic achievements and innovative research highly recognised both locally and internationally. The University has firmly established itself among the top 100 worldwide in four major global university rankings, which serves as a resounding affirmation of the CityUHK community’s steadfast commitment to innovation and research excellence,” said Professor Chun-Sing Lee, Acting President of CityUHK. “CityUHK will continue to embrace a pioneering mindset, deepen international research and pedagogical collaboration, and address pressing global challenges through visionary research outcomes and deep-seated industry-academia-research synergy.”

He added, “We remain dedicated to nurturing future leaders equipped with global competitiveness and social responsibility, continuously contributing to developing Hong Kong as an international post-secondary education hub and a cradle of world-class talent.”

CityUHK’s academic excellence has been consistently validated across major international benchmarks. In the QS World University Rankings 2027, CityUHK rose 11 places to 52nd globally, placing it firmly within the top 3% of universities worldwide. In the U.S. News & World Report 2026–2027 Best Global Universities Rankings, CityUHK climbed seven spots to 47th globally. And in the ShanghaiRanking Academic Ranking of World Universities 2026, CityUHK maintained its position among the world’s top 100 for the second consecutive year, ranking 95th globally and 2nd in Hong Kong. These accolades demonstrate the University’s continuously rising academic reputation and influence within the global higher education landscape.

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SOURCE City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK)