# Forex Market Hours and Trading Sessions

> The forex market runs 24 hours, but not all hours are equal. Here is a clear breakdown of the major trading sessions and what each offers.

**Tags:** market-hours, trading-sessions, forex-basics, schedule
**URL:** https://traderjournal.app/forex-basics/forex-market-hours-and-trading-sessions

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# Forex Market Hours and Trading Sessions

The forex market is open 24 hours a day, five days a week - from Sunday evening (US time) to Friday evening. This continuous operation makes forex accessible to traders in any time zone. But the quality and character of price action changes significantly across different times of day.

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## The Four Major Sessions

**Sydney Session (21:00-06:00 UTC)**
The forex week begins in Australia. The Sydney session is the quietest of the four major sessions. Most major pairs experience limited movement. AUD/USD and NZD/USD are slightly more active as Australian economic data is released.

**Tokyo Session (00:00-09:00 UTC)**
The Asian session proper begins with Tokyo opening. Volume is moderate. JPY pairs (USD/JPY, EUR/JPY, GBP/JPY) are most active. EUR/USD and GBP/USD often trade in relatively narrow ranges.

**London Session (07:00-16:00 UTC)**
The highest-volume session in the forex market. European institutional participants drive strong directional moves on EUR, GBP, and CHF pairs. The London open (07:00-09:00 UTC) is often the most decisive period, establishing the day's primary trend for many pairs.

**New York Session (12:00-21:00 UTC)**
Strong volume, especially during the London-New York overlap (12:00-16:00 UTC). Most high-impact US economic data (NFP, CPI, FOMC) is released during this session. USD pairs are highly active.

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## The London-New York Overlap (12:00-16:00 UTC)

This 4-hour window has the highest trading volume of any period. Both European and American institutional participants are active simultaneously. Price action is typically the most directional and liquid of the trading day.

For most retail strategies, this overlap period offers the best conditions: tight spreads, clear trends, and significant movement.

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## When to Trade and When Not To

**Low-quality periods for most retail strategies:**
- Late Sunday/early Monday: thin liquidity, potential for gaps after weekend news
- Asian session on EUR/GBP pairs: low volatility, choppy price action
- Late Friday afternoon (after 17:00 UTC): profit-taking before the weekend, erratic reversals

**High-quality periods for trend-following:**
- London open (07:00-09:00 UTC): strong directional moves
- London-NY overlap (12:00-16:00 UTC): continuation of established moves, high volume

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Your Trader Journal's hourly breakdown shows your personal performance across different times. What the market typically does and what you specifically do well may differ. Trust your data.

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