Investing Defined > Types Of Trade Orders

Day Orders

Unless you give your broker specific instructions to the contrary, orders to buy or sell a stock are "day orders," meaning they are good only during that trading day. Orders that have been placed but not executed during regular trading hours will not automatically carry over into after-hours trading or the next regular trading day. Similarly, day orders placed during after-hours trading can only be executed during that after-hours session. If your order is not executed during a trading session, you will have to place a new order in the next trading session.

For more information on the different types of orders you can place when you buy or sell a stock, please read "Brokerage Orders" in our Fast Answers databank.

Source: http://www.sec.gov/answers/dayord.htm