Market hours & forex sessions
When forex, stocks and crypto actually trade. Live status of the four major forex sessions — Sydney, Tokyo, London, New York — plus opening hours for the biggest stock exchanges, so you know what's moving before you sit down.
Market sessions
Full hours →The four forex sessions
Forex runs 24 hours, five days a week. The market is handed off around the planet from Sydney westward, with one financial centre taking over as the previous one winds down.
| Session | UTC | Local time |
|---|---|---|
AU Sydney | 22:00 – 07:00 | 08:00 – 17:00 |
JP Tokyo | 00:00 – 09:00 | 09:00 – 18:00 |
GB London | 08:00 – 17:00 | 09:00 – 18:00 |
US New York | 13:00 – 22:00 | 09:00 – 18:00 |
Session overlaps — where volatility lives
The two windows where two major sessions are open simultaneously concentrate the bulk of daily forex volume. Spreads tighten and intraday moves get larger.
Asia-Pacific liquidity. Most active for AUD, JPY and NZD pairs.
Brief hand-off. JPY pairs see a volatility bump as London desks open.
The big one. Highest volume of the day on EUR/USD, GBP/USD and majors.
Stock exchange hours
Major equity exchanges trade only during their local business hours, Monday to Friday. All times below are in UTC; some Asian venues have a midday lunch break.
| Code | Exchange | UTC hours |
|---|---|---|
US NYSE | New York Stock Exchange | 14:30 – 21:00 |
US NASDAQ | Nasdaq | 14:30 – 21:00 |
GB LSE | London Stock Exchange | 08:00 – 16:30 |
DE XETRA | Frankfurt (Xetra) | 08:00 – 16:30 |
JP TSE | Tokyo Stock Exchange | 00:00 – 06:00 |
HK HKEX | Hong Kong Exchange | 01:30 – 08:00 |
CN SSE | Shanghai Stock Exchange | 01:30 – 07:00 |
AU ASX | Australian Securities Exchange | 23:00 – 06:00 |
Bitcoin, Ether and the rest trade on decentralized networks and exchanges that never close. Weekends and holidays included. Liquidity thins after hours, which is why so many of the largest crypto moves happen at 3 AM on a Sunday.
Cash indices update only during their host exchange hours. Index futures and CFDs trade nearly 24/5. Gold and oil spot prices follow forex hours. ETFs trade strictly during their listing exchange's session.
Frequently asked questions
What are the four major forex sessions?+
Forex trades around the clock from Sunday evening to Friday evening, handed off across four major financial centres: Sydney (22:00–07:00 UTC), Tokyo (00:00–09:00 UTC), London (08:00–17:00 UTC) and New York (13:00–22:00 UTC). When one centre closes, the next picks up.
When is the best time to trade forex?+
The London / New York overlap, roughly 13:00–17:00 UTC, accounts for the majority of daily forex volume. Spreads on EUR/USD, GBP/USD and major pairs are tightest during this window. The Tokyo / London overlap (08:00–09:00 UTC) is a smaller secondary peak.
Why do stock markets close on weekends?+
Stock exchanges are physical (or formerly physical) trading venues that operate during local business hours, Monday to Friday. They settle trades on a T+2 cycle through clearinghouses that close on weekends, and legacy regulatory schedules align around it.
Does crypto really trade 24/7?+
Yes. Cryptocurrency markets run continuously on decentralized blockchains and centralized exchanges that never close. Liquidity is typically thinner overnight and on weekends, which is when many of the largest crypto moves historically happen.
What about indices, commodities and ETFs?+
Cash indices (like the S&P 500 spot value) only update during their host exchange hours, but index futures and CFDs on those indices trade nearly 24/5. Gold and oil spot prices follow forex hours (24/5). ETFs trade only during their listing exchange hours.
How does daylight saving time affect market hours?+
When clocks change in the US, UK or Australia, the UTC offset of a market shifts by an hour. The local clock at the exchange stays the same — only the UTC representation moves. Times shown here use winter (standard) time as the baseline.