Forex market hours in UTC
| Session | Mid-January (UTC) | Mid-July (UTC) |
|---|---|---|
| Sydney | 8:00 PM to 5:00 AM | 9:00 PM to 6:00 AM |
| Tokyo | 12:00 AM to 9:00 AM | 12:00 AM to 9:00 AM |
| London | 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM | 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM |
| New York | 1:00 PM to 10:00 PM | 12:00 PM to 9:00 PM |
| London and New York overlap | 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM | 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM |
Sessions are shown as each city's 8 to 5 business day (Sydney 7 to 4, Tokyo 9 to 6). Brokers draw them slightly differently. Clocks change in March, April, October and November, so use the live clock above for today's exact times.
The four forex sessions
Sydney opens the week. It is the quietest session, with most of its activity in AUD and NZD pairs.
Tokyo brings in the yen pairs. Major pairs such as EUR/USD often range here, and ICT traders mark that range because London tends to run its high or low. See my guide to the Asian session range.
London handles more currency trading than any other centre, and many of the day's biggest moves start at its open. It is the session I trade live every weekday.
New York overlaps with London for its first hours. Major US data, such as the jobs report and inflation figures, comes out at 8:30 AM New York time and can move every USD pair.
When is the best time to trade forex?
For most major pairs the busiest window is the London and New York overlap, 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM UTC in January and 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM UTC in July. The London open is the other key window. I trade it live every weekday from 7:45 AM London time, and the live page shows that start time in your time zone.
The quiet hours between the New York close and the Tokyo open tend to have wider spreads and fewer clean moves, so many traders avoid them.
When does the forex market open on Sunday?
The forex week opens at 5:00 PM New York time on Sunday, which is 10:00 PM UTC in January and 9:00 PM UTC in July. It closes at 5:00 PM New York time on Friday. Your broker's platform may show slightly different times, and the first hour of the week often has wide spreads.
ICT killzones in UTC
ICT killzones are set in New York time, so they move with US daylight saving. See killzone trading and the London open killzone for how traders use them.
| Killzone | New York time | Mid-January (UTC) | Mid-July (UTC) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian killzone | 8:00 PM to 12:00 AM | 1:00 AM to 5:00 AM | 12:00 AM to 4:00 AM |
| London open killzone | 2:00 AM to 5:00 AM | 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM | 6:00 AM to 9:00 AM |
| New York killzone | 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM | 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM | 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM |
| London close killzone | 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM | 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM | 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM |
Questions
What time does the London session open?
The London session opens at 8:00 AM London time. That is 8:00 AM UTC in winter and 7:00 AM UTC when the UK is on summer time. Use the clock on this page to see it in your own time zone.
What time does the New York session open?
The New York session opens at 8:00 AM New York time, which is 1:00 PM UTC in winter and 12:00 PM UTC in summer.
When do the London and New York sessions overlap?
From the New York open until the London close: 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM UTC in January and 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM UTC in July. It is usually the most active part of the trading day for major pairs.
Is the forex market open on weekends?
No. Forex trades from 5:00 PM New York time on Sunday to 5:00 PM New York time on Friday. Prices can gap when the market reopens if there was news over the weekend.
Do forex session times change with daylight saving?
Yes. Each session follows its own city's clock, and the UK, the US and Australia change their clocks on different dates. This page uses time zone data for today's date, so the times shown are always current.
What are the ICT killzones?
Killzones are the windows ICT traders focus on, set in New York time: the Asian killzone from 8:00 PM to midnight, the London open killzone from 2:00 AM to 5:00 AM, the New York killzone from 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM and the London close from 10:00 AM to noon.