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Forex Sessions Table and Best Trading Times

The Forex market operates 24 hours a day, five days a week, covering different global trading sessions. Understanding these sessions and the best trading hours plays a crucial role in traders’ success. In this article, we will examine the Forex sessions table, the characteristics of each session, and the best times to trade.

Forex Trading Sessions

The Forex market operates from Monday to Friday in a continuous 24-hour cycle and is divided into four main trading sessions. The table below shows the opening and closing times of each session in GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) and IRST (Iran Standard Time).

Trading Session Opening & Closing Time (GMT) Opening & Closing Time (IRST – Tehran Time) Key Features
Sydney Session 21:00 – 06:00 00:30 – 09:30 Market opening, low liquidity, suitable for scalping
Tokyo (Asian) Session 23:00 – 08:00 02:30 – 11:30 Moderate volatility, impact of Asian economic news
London Session 07:00 – 16:00 10:30 – 19:30 Highest liquidity, high volatility, best trading opportunities
New York Session 12:00 – 21:00 15:30 – 00:30 Major global influence, overlap with London

 

Best Time to Trade in Forex

London & New York Overlap (12:00 to 16:00 GMT | 15:30 to 19:30 Tehran Time)

  • Highest liquidity and price volatility
  • Best opportunities for short-term traders
  • Direct influence of economic news and central bank decisions

London Session (07:00 to 16:00 GMT | 10:30 to 19:30 Tehran Time)

  • The most important session with the highest trading volume
  • Best opportunities for trading EUR/USD, GBP/USD, and USD/JPY
  • High volatility, suitable for day trading strategies

New York Session (12:00 to 21:00 GMT | 15:30 to 00:30 Tehran Time)

  • Direct correlation with the U.S. economy and macroeconomic data releases
  • Best time for trading USD/CAD, USD/CHF
  • High trading volume, but volatility decreases after 17:00 GMT | 20:30 Tehran Time

Asian (Tokyo) Session (23:00 to 08:00 GMT | 02:30 to 11:30 Tehran Time)

  • Low volatility, suitable for long-term strategies
  • Ideal for trading AUD/JPY, NZD/USD
  • Impacted by economic news from Japan, China, and Australia

By understanding these trading sessions and their characteristics, traders can maximize their profitability and manage risk more effectively.

Why Is It Important to Understand Forex Trading Sessions?

Forex Sessions Table and Best Trading Times

  • Risk Management: Being aware of high-volatility and low-volatility hours helps traders avoid unexpected losses.
  • Choosing the Best Entry Time: Trading during high-liquidity sessions increases the chances of success.
  • Reducing Trading Costs: Higher liquidity results in lower spreads and transaction costs.

Understanding the opening and closing hours of Forex trading sessions and utilizing the best trading times is a key factor for traders’ success. The overlap of the London and New York sessions is the best time to enter trades, and professional traders optimize their strategies using this information.

Recognizing the Forex sessions table and the best trading times is one of the keys to success in this market. The London-New York session overlap is the best time to enter the market. Professional traders use this information to optimize their trading strategies and increase their profitability. To succeed in Forex, traders must plan carefully to manage time and trading risks effectively.

 

Forex Trading Session Hours in Different Seasons (GMT & Tehran Time)

Trading Session Winter Session Hours (GMT) Summer Session Hours (GMT) Winter Session Hours (Tehran Time) Summer Session Hours (Tehran Time)
Sydney Session 21:00 – 06:00 22:00 – 07:00 00:30 – 09:30 01:30 – 10:30
Tokyo (Asian) Session 23:00 – 08:00 23:00 – 08:00 02:30 – 11:30 02:30 – 11:30
London Session 07:00 – 16:00 06:00 – 15:00 10:30 – 19:30 09:30 – 18:30
New York Session 12:00 – 21:00 11:00 – 20:00 15:30 – 00:30 14:30 – 23:30

 

Impact of Daylight Saving Time (DST) Changes on the Forex Market

London Session:

  • Winter: 07:00 – 16:00 GMT (10:30 – 19:30 Tehran)
  • Summer: 06:00 – 15:00 GMT (09:30 – 18:30 Tehran)
  • Impact: Trading starts and ends earlier in the summer.

New York Session:

  • Winter: 12:00 – 21:00 GMT (15:30 – 00:30 Tehran)
  • Summer: 11:00 – 20:00 GMT (14:30 – 23:30 Tehran)
  • Impact: Less overlap with the London session, reduced volatility in later hours.

Sydney Session:

  • Winter: 21:00 – 06:00 GMT (00:30 – 09:30 Tehran)
  • Summer: 22:00 – 07:00 GMT (01:30 – 10:30 Tehran)
  • Impact: The overlap with the Tokyo session shifts slightly.

Tokyo Session:

  • Unchanged throughout the year: 23:00 – 08:00 GMT (02:30 – 11:30 Tehran)
  • Impact: More stability for Asian traders.

 

Key Considerations for Trading in Different Seasons

  • During daylight saving time changes in Europe and the U.S. (March and October), irregular market fluctuations and liquidity shifts can occur, which traders should consider.
  • The highest liquidity in the London-New York session overlap usually occurs earlier in the summer than in the winter.
  • Careful monitoring of session opening and closing hours, especially during major economic news releases, is crucial for avoiding trading mistakes.

Understanding Forex trading hours in different seasons helps traders determine the best entry and exit times based on liquidity and volatility shifts.

 

Forex Trading Session Indicator

In the Forex market, the Forex trading session indicator is an essential tool for traders, helping them directly observe the opening and closing hours of the main trading sessions (London, New York, Tokyo, and Sydney) on the chart. This indicator enhances the accuracy of technical analysis and helps determine the best entry and exit times for trades.

Features of the Forex Trading Session Indicator

  • Displays the trading session hours directly on the chart
  • Identifies overlapping sessions to find the best trading opportunities
  • Detects high trading volume and liquidity periods
  • Compatible with MetaTrader 4 (MT4), MetaTrader 5 (MT5), and TradingView
  • Automatically adjusts session hours based on Daylight Saving Time (DST)

 

Best Forex Trading Session Indicators

1. Sessions Indicator for MetaTrader 4 and 5

  • Displays trading sessions in different colors on the chart
  • Allows users to adjust session hours based on their local time
  • Marks the start and end of each session directly on the chart

2. FX Market Sessions Indicator for TradingView

  • Automatically draws session zones on the chart
  • Highlights London-New York session overlap
  • Customizable colors and session displays for better chart visualization

3. i-Sessions Indicator for MT4

  • Accurately displays the major Forex trading sessions on the chart
  • Allows traders to adjust session timeframes based on their preferences
  • Ideal for scalping and short-term trading strategies

 

Why Use the Forex Trading Session Indicator?

  • Identify the Best Trading Times: This indicator helps traders find the highest liquidity periods in the market.
  • Better Trade Management: Allows traders to observe high-risk periods, such as the London and New York market openings, to avoid incorrect trade entries.
  • Align with Trading Strategies: Some scalping and day trading strategies require monitoring session hours.
  • Reduce Trading Errors: Traders no longer need to manually calculate session hours, as the information is automatically displayed on the chart.

 

How to Install the Forex Trading Session Indicator in MetaTrader 4 and 5

  1. Download the indicator from reputable websites such as MQL5, ForexFactory, or GitHub.
  2. Copy the .mq4 or .ex4 file into the MetaTrader4 > MQL4 > Indicators folder.
  3. Open MetaTrader, go to Navigator > Indicators.
  4. Double-click on the Forex session indicator and apply preferred settings.
  5. The session hours will now be directly displayed on the chart.

 

Final Thoughts

The Forex trading session indicator is one of the most important tools for time management in trading and improving technical analysis accuracy. By using this indicator, traders can determine the best entry and exit times and gain insight into low and high volatility periods in the market.

If you are implementing a trading strategy based on market timing, using the Forex trading session indicator is essential for optimizing your performance.

 

Best Websites for Displaying Forex Trading Sessions

To view Forex session hours and determine the best trading times, utilizing specialized Forex websites can be highly beneficial. Below are some of the best websites for displaying Forex trading sessions:

1. Forex Market Hours (forex.timezoneconverter.com)

  • Displays opening and closing times of Forex trading sessions in a graphical and tabular format.
  • Allows market hour conversion to the user’s time zone.
  • Enables display of overlapping trading sessions to determine the best trading opportunities.

2. TradingView (tradingview.com)

  • Displays Forex trading sessions through dedicated indicators.
  • Customizable options for session display on charts.
  • Shows liquidity and volatility associated with each trading session.

3. Forex Factory (forexfactory.com)

  • Provides a Forex economic calendar along with trading session display.
  • Allows viewing market-impacting news during each session.
  • Displays overlapping key sessions such as London and New York.

4. Investing.com (investing.com)

  • Displays Forex session times alongside live market charts.
  • Provides technical analysis tools and indicators to determine the best trading entry points.
  • Allows traders to analyze economic indicators related to trading sessions.

5. Myfxbook (myfxbook.com/forex-market-hours)

  • Interactive Forex session time chart with the ability to adjust time zones.
  • Enables traders to monitor market liquidity in different sessions.
  • Provides statistical data on trading volume in each session.

Using these websites helps traders choose the best trading sessions and benefit from market volatility and liquidity in the Forex market.

 

Importance of Time Management Based on Trading Sessions

Forex Sessions Table and Best Trading Times

Time management in Forex is one of the key factors in traders’ success. Understanding the opening and closing hours of trading sessions and selecting the best times for entering and exiting trades can significantly impact profitability and risk reduction.

1. Optimizing Trade Entry and Exit

Understanding high-liquidity hours helps traders enter the market when volatility is higher and spreads are lower. For example, the London and New York session overlap (12:00 to 16:00 GMT) is considered one of the best times to trade.

2. Improving Technical Analysis Accuracy

Certain price patterns, breakouts, and support and resistance levels hold greater strength and reliability during specific market hours.

  • Trading during low-volatility periods may generate false signals.
  • Trading during high-volatility periods produces more reliable signals.

3. Better Risk Management

  • When market liquidity decreases (such as at the end of the New York session and the beginning of the Sydney session), wider spreads can occur, leading to unexpected losses.
  • Trading during major economic news releases like NFP, Federal Reserve decisions, and inflation rates can carry high risk and lead to extreme price fluctuations.

4. Using Overlapping Sessions for Higher Profitability

Overlapping trading sessions provide some of the best opportunities for maximizing profits in the Forex market:

  • London and New York Overlap: High liquidity, strong volatility, and excellent trading opportunities.
  • Tokyo and London Overlap: Less commonly used by traders but provides trading opportunities in Asia-Europe pairs like EUR/JPY.

5. Preventing Emotional Trading and Psychological Fatigue

  • Traders who operate without a structured time plan may experience mental fatigue and make emotional decisions.
  • Implementing a scheduled trading approach enhances focus and reduces emotional influences on trading decisions.

By managing trading time effectively and aligning trade execution with high-liquidity sessions, traders can improve their profitability and risk control in the Forex market.

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