Forex trading sessions: Tokyo, London and New York hours

The three main sessions

Approximate hours in UTC. They shift by one hour with daylight saving time, and Europe and the US do not change clocks on the same day, so always check updated times:

• Asia (Tokyo): about 00:00-09:00
• London: about 07:00-16:00
• New York: about 13:00-22:00

When there is more movement

The overlap between London and New York (about 13:00-16:00 UTC) is usually the phase with the highest volume and volatility: tighter spreads and larger moves on euro, sterling and dollar pairs.

The Asian session

It tends to be quieter on euro and dollar pairs, but it is central for the yen, Australian and New Zealand dollars, because that is when data from those countries is released.

How to use the sessions

• Pick the pairs that move most during the hours you are at the chart
• Check the session's economic releases in the calendar
• Avoid trading during the end-of-day rollover, when spreads widen
• Remember that liquidity is lower late on Friday and on Sunday evening