Imperial Research Trading sessions
Trading sessions: London and New York in your time zone
The board below converts the four main sessions and the kill zones to your time zone, live, daylight saving included. Under it: why London so often sweeps the Asian range before New York takes over.
Checked 3 November 2026
| Session | Local hours | Your time | Now |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney | 8:00 to 17:00 Sydney | - | - |
| Tokyo | 9:00 to 18:00 Tokyo | - | - |
| London | 8:00 to 17:00 London | - | - |
| New York | 8:00 to 17:00 New York | - | - |
| London kill zone | 2:00 to 5:00 New York | - | - |
| New York kill zone | 7:00 to 10:00 New York | - | - |
Conventional session hours; brokers and sources differ by up to an hour. Times update live in your browser.
The London sweep
Show the solution
Solution: B. London opened, pushed above the Asian high where overnight sellers had their stops, and closed back inside the range. That sweep set the high of the day in this example, and New York carried the move down. It is a common pattern, not a law: some days London breaks out and holds.
Cancelled if London closes above the sweep high and holds there.
Illustrative diagram, not market data.
Four steps before the New York open
- Mark the levels: Asian range, London high and low, previous day's high and low.
- Note what London did: swept one side of Asia, broke out, or stayed inside.
- Watch the first hour of New York: it often sweeps the London high or low.
- Wait for the shift: a change of character after that sweep, then the entry on the pullback.
Cancel the idea if price closes outside the range and holds there. Trading the session open blindly, before a sweep or a shift, is the most common way to lose money at these hours.
Questions
What time is the London session in EST?
About 3:00 to 12:00 New York time (8:00 to 17:00 in London). For a few weeks in March and in late October the UK and US change clocks on different dates and the gap is one hour shorter; the board above handles that.
What time is the New York session?
About 8:00 to 17:00 New York time. Stock index futures and the Nasdaq cash session open at 9:30 New York time, which is often the most active half hour.
When do London and New York overlap?
Roughly 8:00 to 12:00 New York time (13:00 to 17:00 London time in winter). It is usually the most liquid part of the day for forex and gold.
What are the ICT kill zones?
Windows of the day when ICT traders expect the cleanest moves, usually given in New York time: London 2:00 to 5:00 and New York 7:00 to 10:00. Definitions vary by an hour between sources.
Is the forex market open 24 hours?
From Sunday evening to Friday evening New York time, yes. Liquidity is thinnest in the gap between the New York close and the Tokyo open.