Taiwan's stock exchange is speeding up odd-lot trading so small investors can buy fractions of shares right when the market opens — good news for retail traders who buy in small amounts.

• From December 7, odd-lot trading opens at 9am, the same time as regular full-lot trading, instead of 9:10am.
• Orders can be placed starting at 8:30am, giving buyers more time to line up trades.
• The exchange is also adding pre-open price information for odd lots, so traders can see supply and demand before the bell.
• The two markets set their opening prices separately, so the same stock can open at different prices in odd-lot and full-lot trading.
• Trading halts also work separately, meaning one market can open later than the other.

Outlook: The exchange plans to keep tweaking the odd-lot system, and traders will need to watch both markets' data on opening day.