For instance, the NYSE operates based on Eastern Standard Time (EST), while the TSE operates on Japan Standard Time (JST). Since the forex market is global, it operates across different time zones. To facilitate trading across these different time zones, the forex market uses Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), also known as Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), as its standard reference time. The simplest way to find out when the Forex market opens for your time zone is to use our special Forex trading hours.
The New York Session
- Economic news and events from both the US and Europe have a significant influence on market sentiment.
- While some minor exchanges and select futures markets operate during the weekend, there are no regular trading hours for stocks on Saturdays or Sundays.
- You need to know when the forex market opens and closes as well as the four main trading sessions.
- He develops investment strategies adaptable to any level of experience and has been actively investing in stocks, bonds and ETFs since 2018.
- During the weekdays, there’s always at least one forex trading session open although there are periods of downtime when the market is really quiet and trading volume is low or “thin”.
This is why in practice; you should spend your active trading hours when there are ample buyers and sellers in the market. One of the largest hurdles to extended trading on any exchange was after-hours access to the Securities Information Processors (SIPs) that provide real-time quotes. In the spring of 2025, the SIPs operating committees announced their intent to expand their operating hours to include near-24-hour access during the week. With this hurdle surmounted, other exchanges will also have a clear path forward to expand trading models closer to 24-hour trading.
Forex Market Hours Based Strategy No# 1: Trading Price Gaps During Market Open on Monday
- Regardless of how you trade, knowing when to trade can make or break your strategy.
- From bitcoin to the smallest altcoin, if you have an itch, you can scratch it whenever you’d like.
- Just because you can trade the market any time of the day or night doesn’t necessarily mean that you should.
All information on this website represent subjective views of the authors and they are solely informational. The operator of the website or the authors of the articles do not bear any responsibility for any decisions that visitors may make after reading articles published on the TradingBeasts website. When you trade Forex, CFDs or other financial instruments you are exposed to a high risk of loss. We review and rate companies offering trading platforms for Forex, CFDs and other financial instruments. We do our best to warn people about scams and promote only companies we personally consider to be very good. If you’re looking to trade global markets and international stocks in real time, you’ll need to grab an evening pot of coffee first, depending on which country you’re following.
How to Use the Forex Market Hours Live Tool (Step-by-Step Guide)
Day traders in particular must be very knowledgable about the active currencies and market conditions during the hours they trade. The best time to trade forex in the United States is during the overlap of the New York and London trading sessions between 8am to 12pm EST. It is at this point that forex markets experience the greatest liquidity and price movements. Our this tool has been designed to give you an amazing experience so you can know the opening & closing time of all 4 major forex market sessions in your own local time on a glance. Below is step by step instructions on how to use & understand this forex market hours tool.
Is the Forex market open 24 hours?
All four sessions overlap one another to varying degrees, with the Sydney and Tokyo sessions having the longest overlap (six to seven hours), followed by the London and New York sessions (four hours). The overlapping London and New York session in particular has a large volume during its business hours since the USD and EUR are the top two traded currencies globally. The Forex market is closed on weekends, meaning that no trading can occur on Saturday and Sunday. However, after-hours trading is possible through electronic communication networks (ECNs) that permit traders to buy and sell securities outside of regular market hours. Most of the trading activity for a specific currency pair will occur when the trading sessions of the individual currencies overlap. The best time to trade is when the market is active with lots of forex traders opening and closing positions, which creates a large volume of trades.
However, it is recommended to use the tool at the top of this page, which automatically adjusts the session timings according to your local time, making it easier and more convenient for you. The Forex market never sleeps, but that doesn’t mean traders need to stay awake 24/7. Understanding forex market hours is key to smart trading — and that’s exactly where our tool, the Forex Market Hours Live helps. The stock market is closed on weekends and holidays, and each exchange has its own set trading hours during weekdays. Knowing which market is open and the specific trading hours can help traders plan their strategies and make informed decisions. By keeping up to date with the market hours and patterns, traders can maximize their profits and minimize their risks.
Tools
We’re also a community of traders that support each other on our daily trading journey. For example, AUD/JPY will experience a higher trading volume when both Sydney and Tokyo sessions are open. And EUR/USD will experience a higher trading volume when both London and New York sessions are open. He develops investment strategies adaptable to any level of experience and has been actively investing in stocks, bonds and ETFs since 2018.
Strategically placed limit orders can capture peaks or dips from breaking news and execute trades while the investor attends to other tasks, like sleep. If you are located outside of the Eastern Standard Time Zone, the best time to trade forex in the US is shown in the table below. Sydney and Tokyo sessions tend to be less volatile, with Tokyo being the first to open market hours forex after the weekend and Sydney being driven primarily by local Australian markets. The London session is the busiest and most volatile trading session as it overlaps with both Tokyo and New York. The New York trading session is the second busiest due to it overlapping with the London session. A vertical purple line shows your current local time on the chart, helping you see which sessions are open right now.
For instance, commodities trade electronically from 6 pm Sunday to 5 pm Friday on CME Group exchanges. But regular trading hours at the competing Intercontinental Exchange run from 8 pm Sunday to 6 pm Friday. The best tools or platforms for 24-hour trading depend on what assets investors intend to trade. The best platforms will allow limit, stop-loss, and conditional orders, provide custom alerts and watchlists, and give access to expanded charting.
The NYSE has announced plans to expand trading on its Arca Equities Exchange to a 22/5 schedule. Meanwhile, the 24X National Exchange, which will trade 23/5, will begin operating in September 2025. These times are impacted by various Daylight Saving Time (DST) changes throughout the year. For example, locations below the equator, like Sydney, are often in DST when those above it, like New York, aren’t (and vice versa—or they may overlap). Always double-check timezone conversions for a specific date and see our section about DST below for more information. Click on a time zone for Daylight Saving Time (DST) transition dates and times.
The forex market is generally considered open from Monday to Friday, based on the local timings of major trading sessions. However, depending on the user’s local time zone, the market may appear to open on Sunday evening as well, as Monday has already started in another region of the world. The four major forex trading sessions are the Sydney, Tokyo, London, and New York sessions. Each session has its unique characteristics, and understanding these can help South African traders identify the best times to trade. After all, as a retail Forex trader with limited capital, you will not be in a position to move the market. You will solely rely on larger players like banks and institutional investors to create the trends and hopefully catch a few to turn a profit.