This page provides the working hours of the international currency market , as well as stock and commodity exchanges. Additionally, the schedule below shows the four Forex sessions and the hours of their intersection.
When trading, we recommend taking these periods into account, as well as the opening and closing times of the London and New York stock exchanges. At these times, financial markets are characterized by maximum volatility , and asset prices can change significantly.
For binary trading, it is optimal to choose a time interval when the efficiency of your system and the level of concentration are at their peak. The fact is that the nature of price movement changes depending on the time of day, season and economic calendar . For trading, it is important to choose a period when the price behavior is most predictable.
Experienced traders have probably noticed that incorrectly chosen time for operations can lead to a drain of the deposit , even if the strategy seems promising. In most cases, this is due to the peculiarities of price behavior at certain hours. For example, even the most effective system for binary options can show poor results at night.
In addition, when choosing the optimal time interval for making transactions, consider your personal qualities and preferences. The best time to trade binary options is the period when you are most productive and the market situation favors your trading strategy.
Content:
Binary Options Trading Session Schedule
Optimal time for binary trading of different assets
The Impact of News on Binary Options Trading
When is it best to trade binary options? When is it best to avoid trading binary options?
What to do if you don't have time to trade on weekdays
Binary Options Trading Session Schedule
A trading session is a time interval during which trading on financial markets is most active in a certain region of the world. Depending on the activity of stock exchanges on a particular continent, several main trading sessions are distinguished:
- Asian (from 1:00 to 11:00 Kyiv time)
- European (from 8:00 to 18:00 Kyiv time)
- American (from 15:00 to 1:00 Kyiv time)
- Pacific (from 22:00 to 11:00 Kyiv time)
The trading session affects the volatility of assets. In other words, in a certain time interval, you can expect the market to move aggressively and unidirectionally with a high probability. This will increase the profitability of trend- following systems.
At the same time, there are periods when significant price fluctuations should not be expected. Outside of the main sessions, asset quotes will slowly move in a narrow flat , causing chaos in indicator readings and creating unfavorable conditions for binary options trading.
The figure below shows typical market behavior during trading hours. During the Asian and Pacific sessions, the market is "sleeping". The first half of the European session is characterized by wide ranges and small trend movements. The largest movements occur during the intersection of the European and American sessions, but until 22:00 Kyiv time, you can still expect surprises from American players.
Asian session
The Asian session begins at 2am and continues until midday the following day. At this time, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Singapore are trading.
The Japanese yen, yuan, Singapore dollar and other currencies of the region are actively traded on local exchanges, and this is the best time for binary options trading, when you can see spikes in volatility. This happens primarily not because of speculative trading, but as a result of export operations of Asian countries. Commodity assets, currencies of different countries and cryptocurrencies are unfavorable for trading during this period, as they often move in a flat.
European session
From 09:00 to 18:00 Kyiv time, the stock exchanges of England, Switzerland, Germany and other European platforms trade.
On the London, Frankfurt and Zurich stock exchanges, major players influence the price dynamics of shares. Gold, oil and raw materials also rise or fall significantly in price due to financial transactions by traders from the European Union. Trading volumes in European shares and regional indices FTSE, DAX and CAC40 increase.
The best time for binary trading on these assets is the first hours of the European session, from 9:00 to 11:00 Kyiv time. After that, there is a decrease in volatility, so after 13:00 Kyiv time it is better to prepare for the opening of the American session.
American session
At 15:00 Kyiv time, the New York Stock Exchange and the ICE Intercontinental Exchange open. An hour later, they are joined by traders from Chicago, home to the CME, the largest commodity exchange in the United States. These platforms close by 01:00 Kyiv time, and only part of this session is suitable for binary options trading.
The period from 16:00 to 20:00 is the best time for binary options trading, when it is best to engage in trading, since brokers, banks and large funds in the US and Canada have already started their working day and are moving prices along with their colleagues from Europe, who have already finished their lunch break.
Stocks, commodities, cryptocurrencies and most currency pairs are actively rising and falling in price, creating many opportunities for trend trading, using support and resistance levels, as well as for active systematic trading of binary options based on technical indicators such as Bollinger Bands or others.
After 19:00 Kyiv time, despite the still open American exchanges, price fluctuations subside. But there is still enough volatility for binary options trading. However, trend movements are likely to be replaced by a flat. This trend will intensify after the Europeans leave their trading platforms. Be sure to take this into account in your strategy.
Pacific session
From 22:00 to 9:00 Kyiv time, the Pacific trading session continues. Most indices, commodity, currency and crypto assets are slowly moving in narrow ranges, accumulating potential for the formation of new trends.
It is considered to be an unfavorable time for trading due to low volatility and low trading volumes at this time, but there are nuances.
Firstly, trading in the Australian and New Zealand dollars begins to increase in volume as the Australian Securities Exchange opens for the Pacific session. The yen pairs also have plenty of drivers at this time.
Secondly, there are many trading systems that work in a flat. If night binary trading is the only opportunity for trading, then first of all pay attention to indicators and systems that have proven themselves in binary trading on a sideways market. For example, Bollinger bands.
Optimal time for binary trading of different assets
The optimal time for trades depends on the underlying assets you choose. For example, some of them are only available on weekdays due to stock market schedules. But what if your only option is to trade on weekends? The answer is simple: choose assets that are available for 24-hour binary trading.
To make it easier for you to navigate the variety of financial instruments, we have prepared tables with optimal periods for trading binary options for each asset class.
Currency pairs
|
Trading sessions |
Start time (GM+2) |
End time (GMT+2) |
|---|---|---|
|
Tokyo (JPY) |
02:00 |
11:00 |
|
Europe (EUR) |
09:00 |
18:00 |
|
London (GBP) |
10:00 |
19:00 |
|
New York (USD) |
15:00 |
24:00 |
|
Best Hours (GM+2) |
Currency pairs |
|---|---|
|
7:00 – 14:00 |
EUR/JPY, GBP/USD, USD/CAD, NZD/USD, USD/JPY |
|
14:00 – 21:00 |
EUR/USD, AUD/USD, NZD/USD, USD/CHF, USD/CAD, GBP/USD, GBP/JPY, EUR/GBP |
|
21:00 – 7:00 |
USD/CHF, USD/CAD, GBP/USD, EUR/JPY, NZD/USD |
Stocks and indices
|
Assets |
Start time (GM+2) |
End time (GMT+2) |
|---|---|---|
|
US Stocks and Indices |
16:30 |
23:30 |
|
EU Stocks and Indices |
09:00 |
18:00 |
Commodities and raw materials assets
|
Assets |
Start time (GM+2) |
End time (GMT+2) |
|
Corn |
16:30 |
20:15 |
|
Crude oil |
16:00 |
21:30 |
|
Silver |
15:25 |
0:15 |
|
Gold |
15:20 |
0:15 |
|
Natural gas |
16:30 |
0:15 |
Cryptocurrencies
Cryptocurrency markets are open 24 hours a day, allowing traders to trade binary options on them even on holidays and weekends. Unlike traditional stock exchanges, cryptocurrency exchanges do not have fixed working hours, giving traders the opportunity to trade at any convenient time.
However, for best results, we recommend choosing hours of peak activity and high trading volume.
The Impact of News on Binary Options Trading
Asset prices are sensitive to the news background, so it is important to consider the timing of key economic releases when trading binary options. For an inexperienced trader, this task may seem difficult, because no one can predict when the next fateful tweet from Donald Trump or Elon Musk will appear, or foresee how the evening edition of CNN will affect the gold option with an expiration of 15 minutes. However, experienced traders know that in order to successfully plan trades, it is necessary to regularly refer to the economic calendar.
Key economic events
Macroeconomic data on interest rates and unemployment, annual and quarterly reports of leading global companies, meetings of central banks and committees related to financial markets are known in advance. This information is published at strictly defined times and has a significant impact on prices.
Our website features a convenient economic calendar indicating the date and time of publication of statistical data, their level of significance, and the expectations of leading experts.
Pay special attention to the following indicators:
- data on new number of applications for unemployment benefits in the US
- Gross National Product (GDP) data
- changes in the consumer price index (CPI)
- Nonfarm Payrolls
- US Open Market Committee (FOMC) meetings
Every Thursday at 14:30 Kyiv time, the US employment statistics are published. Immediately after the release of the data, all currencies linked to the US dollar, as well as stocks and indices, experience a sharp surge in volatility. A similar situation is observed when Nonfarm Payrolls are published on the first Friday of each month at the same time.
The FOMC meets eight times a year on a pre-set schedule. The two-day debate culminates in a half-hour speech from the Fed chair that can have a significant impact on markets, especially if the decisions involve changes in interest rates or economic policy. Many traders joke that they should stock up on popcorn before the results are announced, expecting a market blockbuster with swings of hundreds of points, often in either direction.
News Based Strategies
Usually, during news releases, most traders prefer to refrain from open trades, watching the market from the "bench". However, there are trading strategies based solely on news. Such types of digital contracts as "Touch", "Out of Range" and contracts with adjustable time of purchase of the option are well suited for such trading.
Among traders, there are also lovers of risky strategies, for whom such moments are a rare opportunity to make the most of market volatility, which occurs only a few times a year.
The release of GDP and CPI statistics varies from country to country, so if you trade currency pairs, keep an eye on the economic calendar for the relevant data. For example, for trading the British pound, the key figures are the UK, and for the euro, the EU and Germany.
Completely ignoring the timing of important releases in binary trading is not the best idea, but you can make things easier for yourself by choosing an asset for trading that does not react to most economic news.
For example, economic statistics have virtually no effect on the dynamics of oil prices, which react only to EIA reports on changes in weekly crude oil inventories, published on Wednesdays at 16:30 Kyiv time. Cryptocurrencies also depend weakly on the release schedule of economic indicators and other reports.
When is the best time to trade binary options?
The individual biorhythms of a particular trader, the specifics of his trading system and the state of the market as a whole are equally important in order to determine the best moment to trade binary contracts. Traditionally, it is considered that the time of the intersection of the American and European sessions is the optimal period for concluding transactions. From 15:00 to 19:00 Kyiv time, most assets are in trend, have sufficient volumes and volatility, which simplifies the use of technical analysis in binary options trading.
However, it is important that this time falls within a period when the trader can be sufficiently focused and effective. If the afternoon is accompanied by a heavy load in other areas of life or you are simply unproductive in the evening due to your personal characteristics, choose the morning hours for trading.
The features of the trading system can also affect when the best time to trade on the binary market is. There are many strategies based on binary trading in flat conditions. The opening of the European session and the second half of the American session are periods when large players accumulate volumes. This happens in the conditions of a price channel. Therefore, time intervals from 10:00 to 14:00 and from 20:00 to 23:00 can be effectively used for such strategies.
Traders can determine the beginning and end of trading sessions on the chart using special indicators. These tools highlight the desired time period with certain colors and visually emphasize the intersections of trading sessions. This significantly facilitates testing strategies in various market conditions and reminds about the onset of favorable or, conversely, unfavorable periods for trading.
This is how the i-Sessions indicator displays different trading sessions:
By matching your individual schedule and preferences with the strategy you are using and the daily rhythms of the market, you will definitely find the optimal time.
When is it better to avoid trading binary options?
One of the main mistakes of beginners is the belief that transactions can always be made under any conditions. In fact, this is far from true. Trading binary options will be especially difficult in conditions of low market liquidity and a poor emotional state of the trader.
Periods of low liquidity
Technical limitations are a good reason to postpone a trading session. Some indicators and trading systems may be completely ineffective in a slow market and will only drain your deposit if used at night. Also note that most brokers reduce payments on contracts and significantly limit the choice of instruments for trading after the closing of the world's leading platforms. This significantly reduces the statistical probability of winning.
Trading when you cannot precisely follow the chosen strategy or when the profitability of digital contracts is insufficient is not allowed. Reaching an individual daily loss limit, a state of emotional instability, poor health, an illiquid market with extremely low payouts from a broker - these are the markers that it is time to stop trading.
Emotional instability
Most binary options brokers provide the technical ability to trade 24/7. Even when the world's major markets are closed, binary trading in OTC contracts and cryptocurrencies is available. However, there is a time when speculating in binary contracts is strictly not recommended. After large losses or unexpectedly large gains, the trader's psyche becomes unstable. The adrenaline rush interferes with making balanced decisions, so, taking care of the safety of the deposit, you should stop trading.
What to do if you don't have time to trade on weekdays
Those who do not have the opportunity to trade during normal hours can focus on specific types of trading instruments that are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Cryptocurrency trading
Cryptocurrency prices are weakly correlated with the actions of major players on global trading platforms. They are traded 24 hours a day, without weekend breaks. This type of asset is highly volatile and lends itself well to technical analysis. Moreover, it is at night and on weekends that they often experience major market movements, which makes them a good choice for binary options trading on Saturdays and Sundays, as well as on holidays and at night.
OTC Trading
Binary options brokers use synthetic quotes to give traders the opportunity to trade their favorite instruments at any time of the day or day of the week. Such assets are referred to as OTC (Over The Counter). Thanks to OTC, traders have the opportunity to trade shares of American companies, currencies, and commodities without being tied to the schedule of world exchanges - 24/7.
The price during off-exchange hours is not affected by news or any other factors from the outside world. At the same time, the artificial nature of prices on OTC charts is perfect for trading using technical analysis, since prices here are still characterized by trend and flat phases, and indicators work according to the same algorithms as during normal times.
An example of a broker that provides such quotes is Pocket Option :
Conclusion
Determining the best time to trade binary options is a non-trivial task that requires taking into account not only the state of the market in different trading sessions, but also the individual characteristics of a particular trader, as well as his trading system. With the ability to trade at any time, periods of maximum market activity - the European and American trading sessions - are suitable for a trader. An individual schedule can be adjusted depending on when the trader is at the peak of his productivity and his system shows the best results.
If you can trade binary options mainly on weekends and holidays, pay attention to cryptocurrencies and OTC instruments. These assets can be a great option for you, as they have good volatility and are easy to analyze technically. At night, you can speculate with cryptocurrencies, OTC and regular currencies, choosing pairs with the Japanese yen and Australian dollar.
Testing any hypotheses and approaches on a demo account will help you determine what time of day you can trade most effectively, and our rating of binary options brokers will help you choose reliable partners.
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