Forex and gold trading sessions
Sydney, Tokyo, London, New York: when markets move, and the best hours for gold and FX.
Forex and gold trade 24 hours a day from Monday to Friday, but not every hour is equal. Volume, and therefore movement, comes in waves as financial centres open and close.
The four sessions (GMT)
- Sydney: 22:00–07:00. Quiet; AUD and NZD pairs move most.
- Tokyo: 00:00–09:00. JPY pairs active; ranges often form.
- London: 08:00–17:00. The busiest session; about a third of all forex volume.
- New York: 13:00–22:00. USD news, US stock market open, big moves in gold and indices.
The London–New York overlap
From 13:00 to 17:00 GMT both major centres are open. This is usually the most liquid and volatile window of the day, the best time for breakout and trend trades on EURUSD, GBPUSD and XAUUSD.
Practical tips
- The Asian session often builds a range; London frequently breaks it.
- Gold moves most during London and the New York open, especially around US data releases.
- Avoid opening new trades in the last hour on Friday and during very thin holiday sessions.
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Educational content only, not financial advice. Trading involves risk of loss.