Forex Trading Sessions Explained: Best Times to Trade in 2026
The forex market is open 24/5, but price does not move the same all day. Knowing the active sessions helps you trade when liquidity and volatility are highest.
The three major sessions
- Tokyo session (Asia)
- London session (Europe)
- New York session (US)
Session times (UTC)
- Tokyo: 00:00 to 09:00
- London: 07:00 to 16:00
- New York: 12:00 to 21:00
The overlap windows
- London and New York: 12:00 to 16:00 UTC (highest volume)
- Tokyo and London: 07:00 to 09:00 UTC (moderate volume)
Best pairs by session
Tokyo
- USD/JPY, AUD/JPY, AUD/USD, NZD/USD
London
- EUR/USD, GBP/USD, EUR/GBP, GBP/JPY
New York
- EUR/USD, USD/CAD, USD/CHF, XAU/USD
How to use session highs and lows
- Mark the Asia range before London opens.
- Look for a breakout or false break during London.
- Trade a pullback after the breakout for better risk reward.
Session based trading plan
- Choose one session that fits your schedule.
- Trade only the top 2 to 3 pairs for that session.
- Avoid low liquidity hours (late New York to early Tokyo).
- Check the economic calendar for high impact news.
Risk management tips
- Reduce size during slow hours.
- Use wider stops during high volatility releases.
- Stop trading after hitting your daily loss limit.
Example day plan
- 06:30 UTC: Mark Asia range on EUR/USD.
- 07:00 to 09:00 UTC: Wait for London breakout.
- 12:00 to 14:00 UTC: Confirm trend during London and New York overlap.
Next Steps
- Economic Calendar Guide - Avoid surprise volatility
- 7 Best Trading Strategies - Find a session friendly setup
- Join Pip Campus - Practice with real-time market tools
About the Author: Pip Campus Market Analysis Team - Helping traders align with liquidity.
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Tags
#Trading Sessions#London Session#New York Session#Tokyo Session#Forex Trading Hours