Best Forex Trading Hours
The forex market is open 24/5, but not all hours are equal. Learn when volatility spikes, which sessions offer the best opportunities, and when AI PIPS signals work best.
⏰ Best Time to Trade?
London/New York overlap (13:00-17:00 GMT) is the best time to trade forex.
- Peak liquidity: 70% of all forex volume happens here
- Tight spreads: EUR/USD drops to 0.1 pips
- Biggest moves: 80+ pip ranges common on GBP/USD
- AI PIPS win rate: 76% during this window (vs 68% overall)
The 4 Forex Trading Sessions
Forex operates across 4 major sessions. Each has unique characteristics for liquidity, volatility, and pair preferences.
Sydney Session
22:00 - 07:00 GMT
🇿🇦 00:00 - 09:00 SAST
Quietest session. Avoid unless trading AUD pairs. Perfect for breakout traders waiting for setups.
Tokyo Session
00:00 - 09:00 GMT
🇿🇦 02:00 - 11:00 SAST
Asian session. USD/JPY most active. Trending moves but lower volume than London/NY. Bank of Japan announcements happen here.
London Session
08:00 - 17:00 GMT
🇿🇦 10:00 - 19:00 SAST
Most active session. 35% of all forex volume. London open (08:00 GMT) = biggest volatility spike of the day. ECB, BoE news happens here.
New York Session
13:00 - 22:00 GMT
🇿🇦 15:00 - 00:00 SAST
Second most active. US news (NFP, CPI, FOMC) drives major moves. Overlaps with London for 4 hours (13:00-17:00 GMT) = peak volume.
The Golden Window: London/NY Overlap
13:00 - 17:00 GMT
🇿🇦 15:00 - 19:00 SAST (South Africa)
Why is this window so powerful?
- Both London and New York banks are active simultaneously
- Institutional traders execute large orders
- US economic news releases (13:30-14:00 GMT) create volatility
- EUR/USD, GBP/USD see 80-120 pip intraday ranges
When AI PIPS Signals Perform Best
| Time Window (GMT) | South Africa (SAST) | Win Rate | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13:00-17:00 | 15:00-19:00 | 76% | Peak liquidity, tight spreads, institutional volume |
| 08:00-12:00 | 10:00-14:00 | 72% | London morning, EUR/GBP pairs active |
| 00:00-04:00 | 02:00-06:00 | 68% | Tokyo session, USD/JPY only |
| 22:00-00:00 | 00:00-02:00 | 62% | Low volume, wide spreads, avoid |
📊 AI PIPS Strategy
We send 70% of signals between 08:00-17:00 GMT (London session) because that's when our models perform best. You'll rarely see a signal at 23:00 GMT during the dead zone.
Times to Avoid Trading
Friday 17:00 GMT onwards
Weekend gap risk. Banks close positions, liquidity drops.
Sunday 22:00-23:00 GMT
Market open but thin liquidity. Wide spreads, unpredictable gaps.
Major holidays (Christmas, New Year)
Institutional traders off. Volume drops 80%+. Avoid completely.
5 minutes before/after major news
Spreads widen 5-10x. Slippage kills your stop loss placement.
Get Signals During Peak Hours
AI PIPS delivers signals when markets are most active. 76% win rate during London/NY overlap.
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Nightmare
Founder & Lead Trader
11+ years experience • FTMO Funded Trader