Your comprehensive guide to the best times to trade Forex for maximum profit
Choosing the best times to trade Forex is just as important as choosing the trading strategy itself.
The market operates 24 hours a day, but liquidity and volatility levels vary from session to session, directly impacting profit opportunities.
Overview of Forex Trading Sessions
The forex trading day is divided into four main sessions:
1- Asian Session (Tokyo)
2- European Session (London)
3- US Session (New York)
4- Pacific Session (Sydney)
Forex Session Times (Mecca Time GMT+3)
Session Opening Time Closing Time Volatility
Tokyo 03:00 12:00 Low to Medium
London 11:00 20:00 High
New York 16:00 01:00 High
Sydney 01:00 10:00 Low
Best Trading Times: Golden Overlap Periods (Highest Profit Potential)
Overlap periods are considered the strongest for achieving high profits due to increased liquidity and the participation of a larger number of banks and financial institutions.
1- London and New York Session Overlap (16:00 – 20:00)
This is the strongest trading period in the forex market.
Why is it the best?
- Highest daily liquidity
- Strongest price movements
- Release of major US economic news
- Excellent opportunities for breakouts and level breaks
Best currency pairs:
EUR/USD
GBP/USD
USD/CAD
USD/CHF
And of course, metals and stocks
If you're looking for the highest volatility and strongest daily profit opportunities — this is the golden period.
2- Tokyo and London session overlap (11:00 – 12:00)
A short but effective period.
Features:
Good liquidity
Start of European activity
Moderate to strong price movements
Best pairs:
USD/JPY
GBP/JPY
EUR/JPY
If you can't trade during the overlap, here are the best individual trading sessions:
1- London session (11:00 – 20:00)
Considered the heart of the Forex market, it accounts for more than 30% of global trading volume.
Features:
Clear and logical price action
Suitable for trend trading
Ideal for traders in the Arab region
Best pairs:
EUR/USD
GBP/USD
EUR/GBP
2- New York Session (16:00 – 01:00)
A session heavily influenced by the US dollar.
Features:
Strong volatility with news
Direct impact of US economic data
Notable activity in gold and dollar pairs
Best pairs:
USD/CAD
USD/CHF
EUR/USD
3- Asian Session (03:00 – 12:00)
The calmest and most stable session.
Features:
Low volatility
Suitable for beginners
Ideal for detailed technical analysis
Best pairs:
USD/JPY
AUD/JPY
NZD/JPY
Best days of the week to trade
Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday
These days see the highest activity and liquidity.
Monday is generally slow at the start of the week's trading, and liquidity decreases towards the close on Friday.
Times to avoid trading:
- The end of the New York session and the beginning of the Tokyo session (low liquidity)
- Major public holidays
- Minutes before economic news releases
How to choose your best trading time?
It depends on your personality and strategy:
- If you prefer strong, rapid fluctuations, choose the overlap between London and New York.
- If you prefer calm trading and technical analysis, choose the Asian session.
- If you prefer news-driven trading, choose the New York session.
- If you prefer stable, trend-driven trading, choose the London session.
Professional tips to increase profitability:
Focus on only one or two currency pairs.
Follow the economic calendar daily.
Don't trade all day. Choose your trading time carefully.
Adhere to proper money management.
