What it means
The London and New York overlap, about 8 am to 12 pm New York time, is usually the busiest window.
In practice
Each session has a character. Asia is usually the quietest, London brings the first large moves in currencies and gold, and New York adds US data and the stock market open. Knowing which session you are in tells you what kind of movement to expect.
Traders pick the session that fits both their market and their daily routine, and note the previous session's high and low as levels for the next one.
What to watch for
Session times shift by an hour when daylight saving starts or ends, and not on the same date everywhere. Trading the slow hours between sessions usually means small moves and wider spreads.
Related terms
4 terms- KillzoneICT's windows when big moves are most likely: London 2-5 am and New York 7-10 am, New York time.
- Asian rangeThe high and low of the quiet Asian session; London often sweeps one side of it before the real move.
- Pre-market and after-hoursThinner stock trading sessions before 9:30 am and after 4:00 pm New York time, with wider spreads.
- Indian market hoursIndian stock exchanges trade from 9:15 am to 3:30 pm India time, Monday to Friday, with a pre-open session from 9:00 am.