Forex market hours in UK time: the sessions and when to trade them
The forex market never sleeps during the week, but it does take turns. Liquidity moves around the world with the business day, from Sydney to Tokyo to London to New York. Knowing where it is at any hour tells you when your pairs will move and when they’ll just drift.
When is the forex market open?
Forex opens on Sunday at around 22:00 UK time (17:00 in New York) and closes on Friday at around 22:00 UK. In between, it trades continuously, with a short pause at the daily rollover at many brokers.
| Session | UK time (approx.) | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Sydney | 22:00–07:00 | Quietest. AUD and NZD pairs most active. |
| Tokyo | 00:00–09:00 | JPY pairs active. Others tend to range. |
| London | 08:00–17:00 | The biggest session. GBP, EUR and gold come alive. |
| New York | 13:00–22:00 | US data and the stock market drive the dollar. |
Sydney and Tokyo times shift by an hour at points in the year, because Australia, Japan, the UK and the US change their clocks differently (Japan doesn’t change at all).
The London and New York overlap
From 13:00 to 17:00 UK, the two biggest centres are open at once. It’s the most liquid part of the day: tight spreads, big volume, and the US data releases at 13:30. For EURUSD, GBPUSD and gold, these four hours plus the London morning are where most of the day’s range is made.
Which session suits your pairs?
| You trade… | Focus on |
|---|---|
| GBPUSD, EURUSD, EURGBP | The London open (07:00–10:00) and the overlap |
| Gold (XAUUSD) | The London open and the New York morning (12:00–15:00) |
| USDJPY, GBPJPY | The Tokyo session and the London open |
| AUDUSD, NZDUSD | Sydney and Tokyo, plus US data |
| US indices | From the US stock open at 14:30 UK |
Sessions vs kill zones
A session is the whole trading day of a centre. A kill zone is the short window inside it when the best setups tend to form: 07:00–10:00 UK for London, 12:00–15:00 UK for New York. Many traders only look for trades in the kill zones and ignore the rest of the day. See London kill zone times (UK) and ICT Silver Bullet times.
What changes when the clocks change
The UK and US both change their clocks, but on different dates: the UK on the last Sunday of March and October, the US on the second Sunday of March and the first Sunday of November. For about three weeks in March and one week around the end of October, New York is four hours behind the UK instead of five. During those weeks, New York’s open, US data (12:30 instead of 13:30 UK) and the weekly open and close all happen an hour earlier in UK time.
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Frequently asked questions
What time does the forex market open in the UK?
Sunday at around 22:00 UK time, when Sydney opens and New York’s Friday is long over. It closes on Friday at around 22:00 UK.
What is the best time to trade forex in the UK?
The London open (07:00–10:00 UK) and the London and New York overlap (13:00–17:00 UK) are the most liquid hours for most pairs.
Is forex open 24 hours?
Yes, from Sunday evening to Friday evening UK time, with a short daily pause at many brokers around 22:00 UK.
When is the London session in UK time?
Officially 08:00 to 17:00 UK. The busiest part is the first two or three hours.
Educational content only, not financial advice. Trading carries a high level of risk and you can lose more than you expect. Examples use illustrative prices.