NYSE Euronext has fired the latest salvo in its battle with US rivals over market share after deciding to offer electronic trading in certain stocks earlier in the morning to overcome fears that its specialist traders cannot start work on orders quickly enough.

The exchange, which has lost market share in the US to nimbler technology-driven rivals, said it would start electronic trading for some stocks at 09.30 New York time, but would still let the specialists start work on the more actively-traded issues. Currently all orders are handled via the specialists during a morning auction.