The forex market runs 24 hours a day from Sunday about 5:00 p.m. ET (22:00 GMT) to Friday about 5:00 p.m. ET, rotating through four sessions: Sydney, Tokyo, London and New York. London (roughly 3:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. ET) is the busiest, and the London–New York overlap (roughly 8:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. ET) is usually the most liquid and volatile window. Trade each pair when its home markets are open.
Forex never sleeps during the week, but its liquidity does. The same pair can move 10 pips in the Asian session and 80 pips after London opens. Matching your trading hours to the right session is one of the easiest edges to get.
Session times
| Session | ET (New York) | GMT/UTC | CET (Frankfurt) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney | 5:00 p.m. – 2:00 a.m. | 22:00 – 07:00 | 23:00 – 08:00 |
| Tokyo | 7:00 p.m. – 4:00 a.m. | 00:00 – 09:00 | 01:00 – 10:00 |
| London | 3:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | 08:00 – 17:00 | 09:00 – 18:00 |
| New York | 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. | 13:00 – 22:00 | 14:00 – 23:00 |
Times are approximate and shift with daylight saving. The US, UK/EU and Australia change clocks on different dates, so the overlaps move by an hour for a few weeks each spring and autumn. Always check against your broker's server time.
The overlaps
| Overlap | ET | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Tokyo–London | ~3:00 a.m. – 4:00 a.m. | Brief; yen and European pairs pick up |
| London–New York | ~8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | The deepest liquidity of the day; most US data releases at 8:30 a.m.; big moves in EUR/USD, GBP/USD, USD/JPY and gold |
Score the Setup Before You Take It
TRADZY's Void Engine rates any setup 0–100 across 12+ variables: structure, trend alignment, volume, momentum and key levels.
Score a Setup Free →Best times for major pairs
| Pair | Most active |
|---|---|
| EUR/USD, GBP/USD | London open to London–NY overlap |
| USD/JPY | Tokyo session and NY session |
| AUD/USD, NZD/USD | Sydney/Tokyo sessions, plus the NY overlap |
| USD/CAD | New York session (Canadian and US data, oil) |
| EUR/GBP | London session |
| XAU/USD (gold) | London and New York, especially around US data |
For session tactics, see how to trade the London session and how to trade the New York session.
Quiet times to avoid (usually)
- Late New York to the Sydney open: thin liquidity and wider spreads, especially around the daily rollover (5:00 p.m. ET).
- Friday afternoon (US): liquidity fades into the weekend close.
- Major holidays in the US, UK or Japan.
Weekend gaps
Forex closes on Friday evening and reopens on Sunday evening (ET). News over the weekend can cause gaps at the open, and stops can fill well past their level. Many traders close positions or reduce size before the weekend.
Economic data timing
Most market-moving releases arrive in predictable windows:
- UK and eurozone: early London session (2:00–5:00 a.m. ET).
- US: 8:30 a.m. ET (CPI, jobs, retail sales) and 10:00 a.m. ET.
- FOMC: 2:00 p.m. ET.
- Japan and Australia: evening ET.
Check the calendar daily. See how to use the Forex Factory calendar.
Pick your session and stick to it
Most successful forex traders trade one or two sessions, not all of them. Choose based on your time zone and the pairs you trade, then journal results by session. Many traders find their edge only exists in one window. More basics in what is forex trading.
TRADZY's session analytics break your results down by London, New York and Asian hours, so you can see exactly where your forex edge lives.
FAQ
What time does the forex market open?
Sunday at about 5:00 p.m. ET (22:00 GMT), with the Sydney session. It closes Friday at about 5:00 p.m. ET.
What is the best time to trade forex?
Usually the London–New York overlap, roughly 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. ET, when liquidity and volatility are highest for most major pairs.
Is forex open 24 hours?
Yes, 24 hours a day from Sunday evening to Friday evening (ET), though liquidity varies a lot by session.
Which forex session is most volatile?
The London session and its overlap with New York are typically the most active and volatile.
Does daylight saving time affect forex hours?
Yes. The US, UK/EU and Australia change clocks on different dates, which shifts session times and overlaps for a few weeks each year.
Put This Into Practice
- Score your next setup 0–100 with the Void Engine before entering
- Log the trade and tag the setup in the TradLog
- Review weekly: keep what pays, cut what doesn't
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Educational content, not financial advice. Trading involves substantial risk of loss.