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Forex Journal Team

June 8, 20261 min read

Forex Sessions: When to Trade for Maximum Profit

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Forex Trading Sessions

The forex market is open 24 hours a day, 5 days a week. But the best trading times are during session overlaps.

The Four Major Sessions

Sydney Session (5 PM - 2 AM EST) — Lowest volatility. Good for AUD/NZD pairs. Tokyo Session (7 PM - 4 AM EST) — Better volatility on JPY pairs. Often sets the tone for Asia session. London Session (3 AM - 12 PM EST) — Highest volume. Most volatility on EUR, GBP pairs. New York Session (8 AM - 5 PM EST) — Second highest volume. USD pairs most active.

Best Times to Trade

London-New York Overlap (8 AM - 12 PM EST) — The holy grail. Highest liquidity, tightest spreads, biggest moves.

Worst Times to Trade

  • Friday after 12 PM EST — Low liquidity, weekend positioning
  • Major holidays — Thin liquidity, erratic moves

Pro Tips

  • Trade during your local session + one overlap
  • Match your strategy to session personality
  • Use a trading journal to identify which session works best for YOUR strategy
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Written by Forex Journal Team

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