Taiwan's exchange is making it easier for small investors to buy expensive stocks like TSMC, a modest win for retail traders.

• From Dec. 7, odd-lot trades will run at 9 a.m., the same time as the regular session, with orders accepted from 8:30 a.m.
• Odd-lot trading lets people buy fewer than the usual 1,000-share block, so a single TSMC share costs a few thousand Taiwan dollars instead of millions.
• The exchange is adding pre-market price information and a delayed-opening feature to keep prices orderly.
• Odd-lot and regular trading stay separate systems, so opening prices and times for the same stock can differ.
• The change fits President Lai Ching-te's push to turn Taiwan's market into an Asian version of the Nasdaq.

Outlook: Expect more rule loosening around odd-lot and day trading as Taiwan courts retail money and startup listings.