Nasdaq Inc. on Friday announced the most ambitious plan yet by a major U.S. exchange operator to allow stocks to be traded around the clock.

By Manya Saini (Reuters) -Nasdaq Inc plans to introduce 24-hour trading on its flagship U.S. exchange to capitalize on growing global demand for U.S. equities, a senior executive said in a social media post on Friday.

A round-the-clock trading model will allow exchanges to tap into global demand - which is currently catered to by alternative trading platforms - by attracting investors across time zones, increasing trading volumes, and improving market liquidity.

Nasdaq joins rival exchanges like Cboe Global Markets and Intercontinental Exchange , the operator of the New York Stock Exchange, in planning extended trading hours.