Understanding forex trading hours is essential for any trader aiming to optimise performance in the global currency markets. Unlike stock markets that operate during local business hours, forex trading is open 24 hours a day, five days a week. These extended hours create opportunities across various global trading sessions and influence market volatility depending on which financial centres are active.

What This Guide Covers:

• The global forex market schedule
• Major trading sessions and time overlaps
• Best times to trade forex for high liquidity
• Real-world example of timing strategy execution
• FAQs with Google-rich results schema

Key Takeaways

• Forex markets are open 24 hours a day, Monday to Friday
• The market is divided into four major trading sessions: Sydney, Tokyo, London, and New York
• Trading volume peaks during session overlaps, especially London-New York
• Different sessions favour different currency pairs and strategies
• Timing your trades according to session activity improves precision and risk control

Forex Market Opening and Closing Times

The forex market operates continuously from Sunday 22:00 GMT to Friday 22:00 GMT, thanks to the rotation of time zones across the globe.

Here’s a general overview of when each major session opens and closes (GMT):

Trading Session	Open (GMT)	Close (GMT)
Sydney	22:00	07:00
Tokyo	00:00	09:00
London	08:00	17:00
New York	13:00	22:00

The cycle then repeats every week, offering uninterrupted trading across continents.

Major Forex Trading Sessions Explained

Sydney Session (Pacific)

• First session to open for the week
• Suitable for AUD and NZD pairs
• Low liquidity but good for carry trades

Tokyo Session (Asian)

• Focus on JPY, AUD, and USD/JPY
• Less volatile, suitable for breakout setups on Asian pairs

London Session (European)

• Highest liquidity and volatility
• Affects EUR, GBP, CHF, and USD
• Suitable for most strategies including scalping and trend-following

New York Session (North American)

• Second highest trading volume
• Overlaps with London from 13:00 to 17:00 GMT
• Good for USD, CAD, and GBP pairs

Best Times to Trade Forex

Optimal trading windows are typically during overlaps, when two sessions are open simultaneously:

• London & New York Overlap (13:00–17:00 GMT)
  Highest volume and volatility—ideal for major pairs like EUR/USD, GBP/USD, USD/JPY
• Tokyo & London Overlap (08:00–09:00 GMT)
  Less volatile, but good for preparing positions
• Tokyo & Sydney Overlap (00:00–07:00 GMT)
  Lower volume—best for swing or range strategies

Session Activity by Currency Pairs

Pair	Best Session	Reason
EUR/USD	London/New York	High volume and liquidity
USD/JPY	Tokyo/New York	Strong influence from both economies
GBP/USD	London/New York	Volatile during economic announcements
AUD/USD	Sydney/Tokyo	Active during Asia-Pacific hours

Case Study: Timing Strategy With Session Volatility

Milan, a forex student at Traders MBA, learned to use session timing as part of his day trading system. By focusing only on the London-New York overlap (13:00–17:00 GMT), he reduced false signals and increased trade accuracy. He applied price action setups on GBP/USD and EUR/USD, combined with high-impact news from the economic calendar.

This focused time window helped him improve trade consistency by 28% over 60 days. He used insights from the Forex Course to align strategy with market sessions and build a professional routine.

Fundamental vs Technical Analysis

Feature	Fundamental Analysis	Technical Analysis
Focus	Economic events, policy decisions	Charts, price patterns
Time Horizon	Long-term outlooks	Short to medium-term trades
Tools Used	Central bank meetings, news releases	Indicators, trendlines, support/resistance
Strength	Predicts long-term directional moves	Identifies optimal entry/exit points
Best For	Swing and position traders	Day traders and scalpers

Frequently Asked Questions

What are forex trading hours?
Forex trading hours span from Sunday 22:00 GMT to Friday 22:00 GMT, covering all global sessions across five business days.

Which forex session is most volatile?
The London session, especially during its overlap with New York, is the most volatile and liquid time to trade.

Can I trade forex 24/7?
Forex trading is open 24 hours a day during the workweek but closes on weekends. It is not available 24/7.

What’s the best time to trade EUR/USD?
The best time to trade EUR/USD is during the London-New York overlap (13:00–17:00 GMT) due to high liquidity.

Should beginners avoid trading during news releases?
Yes, beginners should avoid trading during major news events as volatility can cause unpredictable price spikes.