While the Forex market operates 24/5 with nearly $8 trillion in daily turnover, allowing Forex traders to trade when they want, my quick guide below will reveal how you can earn more money with your existing strategy by trading during specific Forex market hours in the UK.
Top Forex Brokers
The Best Time to Trade Forex in the UK
Forex trading in the UK starts on Sunday at 22:00 GMT and ends on Friday at 22:00 GMT. Operating 24/5, the Forex market has no official opening and closing times, just a start and an end to the trading week.
From a technical perspective, the most profitable Forex market hours are during the most liquid trading sessions.
Trading sessions with the highest forex liquidity are the best because more liquidity results in tighter spreads, which lead to higher profits.
Forex Market Opening Times in the UK
Below are the Forex market opening times, as available at the best Forex brokers in the UK.
Sydney Forex trading session
Local Time | GMT Time | |
Open | Monday 08:00 | Sunday 22:00 |
Close | Monday 16:00 | Monday 06:00 |
Tokyo Forex trading session
Local Time | GMT Time | |
Open | Monday 09:00 | Sunday 24:00 |
Close | Monday 18:00 | Monday 09:00 |
London Forex trading session
Local Time | GMT Time | |
Open | Monday 08:00 | Monday 07:00 |
Close | Monday 16:00 | Monday 15:00 |
New York Forex trading session
Local Time | GMT Time | |
Open | Monday 08:00 | Monday 12:00 |
Close | Monday 16:00 | Monday 20:00 |
Significance of Forex Market Opening Times
Four trading sessions account for 75% of all global Forex trades - Sydney, Tokyo, London, and New York. London and New York account for over 60% of all global Forex daily trading volume.
The four major Forex trading sessions:
- Sydney unofficially starts the trading week
- Tokyo injects the bulk of Asian liquidity
- London accounts for most of the Forex trading volume
- New York unofficially ends the trading week
Here are the unofficial Forex market opening hours for the four core Forex centers:
Local Opening Time | GMT Opening Time | |
Sydney | Monday 08:00 | Sunday 22:00 |
Tokyo | Monday 09:00 | Sunday 24:00 |
London | Monday 08:00 | Monday 07:00 |
New York | Monday 08:00 | Monday 12:00 |
Overlapping Sessions
Overlapping sessions occur when two Forex markets operate simultaneously, which increases liquidity and creates more trading opportunities with lower trading fees. The London - New York overlap session is the most essential Forex trading period for Forex traders, which accounts for 60%+ of all Forex trading activity.
Sydney - Tokyo Overlapping Forex trading session
UK Start Time | UK End Time | Currency Pairs to Consider |
Monday 00:00 | Monday 06:00 | AUD/USD, AUD/NZD, NZD/USD, AUD/NZD, AUD/JPY, NZD/JPY, USD/JPY |
Tokyo - London Overlapping Forex trading session
UK Start Time | UK End Time | Currency Pairs to Consider |
Monday 08:00 | Monday 11:00 | GBP/JPY, EUR/GBP, EUR/USD, EUR/JPY, GBP/CHF, EUR/CHF, CHF/JPY |
London - New York Overlapping Forex trading session
UK Start Time | UK End Time | Currency Pairs to Consider |
Monday 12:00 | Monday 16:00 | EUR/USD, USD/CHF, USD/JPY |
Making the Most of Forex Trading Sessions
Consider my tips below to improve your trading results.
- Forex overlap session awareness ensures the execution of the right trading strategy
- Economic calendars help avoid volatility spikes
- Appropriate risk management execution
- Usage of AI-assisted trading tools
Bottom Line
The best Forex market hours in the UK are when Forex traders can focus on their strategy. From a liquidity and profitability standpoint, the three Forex overlap sessions remain superior, accounting for 75%+ of global Forex trading volumes, faster order execution, lower spreads, and increased profitability.
