Contents
How does forex trading work?
Forex is the most popular market in the world. No wonder newcomers want to try their hand in this field. One of the problems they might encounter is that the forex can be traded on almost without any break. It is not like Wall Street which is open during regular business hours and then closes. Different countries lie in different time zones and so the opening hours are different for each. This results in the possibility of trading all day and all night. But, as you can imagine, this is not the best solution. You should choose trading hours wisely. So when is the best time to trade forex? We will try to answer that question.
It is said that forex is a market that operates 24/7. On most trading platforms in the regular currency market, you can actually trade from 5 p.m. EST on Sunday until 4 p.m. EST on Friday. In addition, at IQ Option we have OTC currency instruments also available on weekends.
What are forex trading hours?
We have four markets, New York, London, Tokyo and Sydney, in four parts of the world and they are open during their regular business hours. Let's see what it means. We will present the hours in the Eastern Standard Time (EST).
New York market trading hours
The U.S. market operates from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The USD is the most traded currency in the world which makes the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) the second-biggest global forex center.
London market trading hours
The London market in Great Britain opens at 3 a.m. and closes at noon. The Bank of England is situated in London, the central trading capital of the world, and so the city has a great influence on the changes in currencies values. According to the BIS report, London contributes approximately 43% of world trade.
Tokyo market trading hours
The financial market in Japan opens at 7 p.m. and closes at 4 a.m. It captures the majority of Asia's trade. USDJPY, GBPUSD and GBPJPY are the most volatile currencies in the Tokyo market. The central Bank of Japan influences the market greatly so watch the USDJPY currency pair closely when only the Tokyo market remains open.
Sydney market trading hours
Opened from 5 p.m. until 2 a.m. is the smallest of the great markets although here is where the trading day begins. Especially on the Sunday evening when the traders step in after the weekend break.
So which is the best time to trade forex?
Due to different time zones, the forex market is generally open from 5 p.m. on Sunday until 5 p.m. on Friday. It does not, however, mean that all the hours are of the same good nature for trade.
When should you not trade forex? When just one market is open, you should not expect big movements in currency pairs, maybe 30 pips.
What is the perfect time to trade? When the markets overlap. Fluctuations may rise to 70 pips when 2 markets are open simultaneously.
The New York and London markets overlap from 8 a.m. to noon, the Sydney and Tokyo overlap from 2 a.m. to 4 a.m and the London and Tokyo markets from 3 a.m. to 4 a.m.
The best trading opportunities you will find in the U.S. and London opening times as they have the heaviest trading volume. According to Lien, over 70% of all trades occur then since the U.S. dollar and euro are the most favoured currencies.
Sydney and Tokyo markets are less volatile nevertheless it also provides good opportunities. Especially the EURJPY currency pair.
London and Tokyo offer the least opportunities as there is only 1 hour when they are open together and this is not enough time for big movements. Also, most traders based in the USA will be simply sleeping at this hour.
News and forex
When choosing the best time to trade forex not only overlapping matters. You should be aware of the fact, that news releases have a great impact on what is going on in the markets.
There are hundreds of economic releases every day. Some are more influential than others. The currencies may gain or lose a lot within seconds.
You do not have to, however, follow all the news. It is an impossible task. You should focus on the news that is related to the currencies you are trading. Also, you can use the economic calendar available on IQ Option to filter more influential news.
Generally, the countries with a growing economy, seem to attract more investors. It is expected the growth prospects are good and so the country's currency strengthens. Also, higher interest rates draw the attention of investors.
Gross Domestic Product data, unemployment rates, CPI data, and consumer confidence are just a few examples of news events that have an impact on the markets.
Final words
Forex trading, the most popular market in the world, is open around the clock. Why stock markets are not working this way? Well, a stock exchange typically will list and trade a country's share. This means that although different stock markets are internationally open, mainly local securities are traded. Even when foreign stocks are listed they often stay closed during specific hours when the foreign actual stocks are open.
There are four different markets open in different time zones. These are London, New York, Tokyo and Sydney. It is crucial to know their opening and closing times as the hours within the markets overlap to provide the best trading opportunities and are known as the best time to trade forex or the optimal time to trade binary options
More liquid currency pairs are more attractive because they have high trading volumes and are active. Liquidity describes how fast it is possible to buy or sell a security at a reasonable cost.
Do not forget to follow the news releases as they have a great impact on the currencies' prices. IQ option provides a special feature called an economic calendar that will make this task much easier and more efficient.
Choose the best time to trade forex wisely!