| Updated: October 23, 2025Which Trading Session to Choose?
This lesson will cover the following
- The hours most commonly chosen by investors for trading
The best time to enter the Forex market depends on the strategy that each trader chooses to follow. Scalpers and other intraday traders make their largest profits when large volumes of currency are being traded, as they can then take full advantage of the benefits of the Forex market. In contrast, traders who prefer to buy and hold currency pairs in the long term, while ignoring intraday and day-to-day price spikes, tend to enter positions during periods of low volatility.
Aim at larger volume hours
Since the Forex market is decentralised and open 24 hours a day, the best time for intraday traders to enter positions is when several countries are trading simultaneously. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to know when Forex market hours in different countries overlap, especially in the major financial centres. The more countries that are actively trading, the greater the trading volume and the wider the price movements will be. Because traders have a better chance of profiting when currencies are more active, slow markets tend to be avoided.
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Dead Zone
The least active time to trade, also called the “dead zone”, is the Asian-European overlap session. Most traders are asleep during this short period. Trading volume is very thin and trends are unpredictable at this time. Some long-term traders prefer to enter the market at this point, when slippage is less likely to occur. However, long-term traders are generally not concerned about market hours, as their positions are intended to transcend short-term volatility.
The best hours for trading in the Forex market, in most cases, are during the London and U.S. session overlap. The market is full of active participants during these hours and the currencies really move. For the most part, even the most significant fundamental news releases are issued at these times. Trading during these hours is your best chance to get in while the market is making decisive moves, and it is your best opportunity to secure quick profits.
A very attractive period to trade is from 1 a.m. to 3 a.m. EST. At that time, the Asian markets are closing while the European markets are opening, which offers good trading opportunities. The same goes for the 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. EST period, when the Australian and Asian markets overlap.
A much less desirable time to trade is right after the U.S. markets close during the summer, when there is no overlap with any other major market. At those hours, trading volume is much lower, offering far fewer quality trading opportunities.
Which day to choose?
Something else worth considering is that, while certain hours of the day are busier than others, price fluctuations also vary from one day to the next. Typically, some days of the week are busier than others. As a general rule, price movements for many of the majors tend to be wider towards the middle of the week, with Tuesday and Wednesday trading sessions showing the greatest pip variation across all major currency pairs.
Data release hours
Another period of high-volatility trading occurs when important figures such as the U.S. Non-Farm Payrolls are released. If the actual number differs considerably from the market’s consensus expectation, the exchange rate can shift rapidly to discount the new information as quickly as possible. National holidays, such as a UK or U.S. bank holiday, can also alter Forex market conditions because, without these countries participating, market volume and liquidity will be lower than usual.
In the 24-hour Forex market, timing is critical. Choosing the optimal time to trade is a powerful way to maximise the profit potential of every position. Professional traders know this secret. They carefully choose the timing of their trades to generate the greatest returns. You can make the same choice – and maximise your profits on every trade.