Risk Warning: CFDs and forex trading involve significant risk of loss. Leveraged products can result in losses exceeding your deposit. This calculator is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice.
Forex Trading Session Calculator
Find out which forex trading sessions are open right now. Enter any UTC hour to see which of Sydney, Tokyo, London, and New York are active — and which session overlaps are in effect.
Formula
Session hours (UTC, standard time)
| Session | Open (UTC) | Close (UTC) | Key pairs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney | 22:00 | 07:00 | AUD/USD, NZD/USD |
| Tokyo | 00:00 | 09:00 | USD/JPY, EUR/JPY, AUD/JPY |
| London | 08:00 | 17:00 | EUR/USD, GBP/USD, EUR/GBP |
| New York | 13:00 | 22:00 | EUR/USD, USD/CAD, USD/CHF |
Overlap windows
Tokyo / London: 08:00–09:00 UTC — 1 hour, EUR/JPY and GBP/JPY most active
London / New York: 13:00–17:00 UTC — 4 hours, highest daily liquidity window
Hours shift ±1 hr during daylight saving time. New York/Sydney structurally do not overlap.
Worked Example
Example: UTC 14:00 — London/New York overlap
Peak liquidity window. Both London (08:00–17:00) and New York (13:00–22:00) are open simultaneously.
- Sydney (22:00–07:00 UTC)
- Closed
- Tokyo (00:00–09:00 UTC)
- Closed
- London (08:00–17:00 UTC)
- Open
- New York (13:00–22:00 UTC)
- Open
- Active Overlap
- London/NewYork — tightest spreads, highest volume
Frequently Asked Questions
- What are the four major forex trading sessions?
- The four major sessions are Sydney (opens ~22:00 UTC, closes ~07:00 UTC), Tokyo (00:00–09:00 UTC), London (08:00–17:00 UTC), and New York (13:00–22:00 UTC). These hours are approximate and shift by one hour during daylight saving time changes in each region. Sydney crosses midnight UTC, so it is technically active from 22:00 the previous day through 07:00.
- Why do session overlaps matter?
- When two major sessions are open simultaneously, trading volume increases significantly — spreads narrow, more institutional participants are active, and price moves tend to be larger and more directional. The London/New York overlap (13:00–17:00 UTC) is the single highest-liquidity window of the trading day, accounting for a disproportionate share of daily forex volume. The Tokyo/London overlap (08:00–09:00 UTC) is shorter but also notable for EUR/JPY and GBP/JPY.
- Which session is best for EUR/USD trading?
- EUR/USD is most active during the London session (08:00–17:00 UTC) and reaches peak liquidity during the London/New York overlap (13:00–17:00 UTC). This is when the largest institutional flows cross for European and American business settlement. Spreads are typically at their tightest and price action is most reliable during these hours.
- What happens outside of major session hours?
- From approximately 22:00–00:00 UTC (between New York close and Tokyo open), the Sydney session is active but volume is very thin for major pairs. Spreads widen, slippage is higher, and price can gap on news. Many professional traders avoid taking positions in illiquid periods and prefer to trade during at least one major session.
- Does daylight saving time affect these hours?
- Yes. The session hours in this calculator are fixed UTC times (the standard schedule). In practice, clocks in the US shift by one hour twice a year (March and November), moving New York open/close to 12:00–21:00 UTC for part of the year. The UK and EU shift independently. During transition weeks, the overlap windows shift temporarily. Always verify current local market hours with your broker during DST changeover periods.