OptencisMarket hours · your time zone
Market hours
Which markets are open right now, when the next one opens, and the London–New York overlap, the busiest hours of the day.
| Market | Hours (local time) | Time zone |
|---|---|---|
| SydneyForex session | 07:00 – 16:00, Monday to Friday | Australia/Sydney |
| TokyoForex session · Tokyo Stock Exchange | 09:00 – 18:00, Monday to Friday | Asia/Tokyo |
| Hong KongHKEX · Hang Seng | 09:30 – 16:00, Monday to Friday | Asia/Hong Kong |
| FrankfurtXetra · DAX | 09:00 – 17:30, Monday to Friday | Europe/Berlin |
| LondonForex session · London Stock Exchange | 08:00 – 17:00, Monday to Friday | Europe/London |
| New YorkForex session · NYSE | 08:00 – 17:00, Monday to Friday | America/New York |
| CryptoBitcoin, Ethereum and other cryptocurrencies | Open 24/7 | UTC |
Good to know. Bank holidays are not shown. Pocket Option also offers OTC assets at weekends, priced by the broker, not by the market.
What is on the agenda today: economic calendar →
When are the markets open?
The forex market is open 24 hours a day, five days a week: from 5:00 p.m. New York time on Sunday to 5:00 p.m. New York time on Friday. It never closes during the week because trading passes from one financial centre to the next as the day moves around the world. Stock exchanges, on the other hand, have fixed hours in their own time zone, and cryptocurrencies trade every day, around the clock.
The four forex sessions
- Sydney: 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Sydney time. The week starts here.
- Tokyo: 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Tokyo time. The yen and Asian currencies are most active.
- London: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. London time. The largest forex centre in the world.
- New York: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. New York time. US data and the Fed set the tone.
The tool above converts all of these hours into your own time zone and shows which sessions are open right now.
The busiest hours of the day
When two sessions are open at the same time, more traders are active and prices move more. The most important overlap is London–New York, from 8:00 a.m. to noon New York time (1:00 to 5:00 p.m. London time). It is the most active period for EUR/USD, GBP/USD and USD/CHF, and it is also when many US economic figures are released, often at 8:30 a.m. New York time. The quietest hours are usually late in the New York afternoon and early in the Asian session.
Weekends, holidays and clock changes
- Weekends: forex and stock markets are closed from Friday evening to Sunday evening (New York time). Some platforms, such as Pocket Option, offer OTC assets at weekends: their prices come from the platform, not from the market.
- Public holidays: stock exchanges close on their national holidays, and forex is quieter. The tool does not show holidays yet: check before a holiday.
- Clock changes: the United States and Europe change to summer time on different dates (second Sunday of March and first Sunday of November in the US; last Sunday of March and last Sunday of October in Europe). For a few weeks a year, the London–New York overlap shifts by an hour.
Why the time of day matters for short trades
On short durations, the hour you trade changes everything. In quiet hours, prices barely move and the result of a trade depends more on chance. In busy hours and around economic releases, prices move more, sometimes sharply in both directions. Check the economic calendar before trading, and read our lesson on market sessions and volatility.
Frequently asked questions
Is the forex market open on weekends?
No. It closes at 5:00 p.m. New York time on Friday and reopens at 5:00 p.m. New York time on Sunday, when the Sydney session starts.
What are the best hours to trade EUR/USD?
The most active period is the London–New York overlap, from 8:00 a.m. to noon New York time. Activity does not guarantee results: it means larger moves, in both directions.
Is the stock market open today?
The tool shows the usual hours of each exchange. Stock exchanges also close on their public holidays, which the tool does not show yet: check the exchange’s calendar on holidays.
Is crypto open 24/7?
Yes. Bitcoin, Ethereum and other cryptocurrencies trade every day, including weekends and holidays.