London–New York overlap
The deepest liquidity of the day. Tightest spreads on EUR/USD, GBP/USD and gold, and the window where US data releases move price hardest.
Free tool · Forex market hours
Forex market hours in Africa
Live Sydney, Tokyo, London and New York sessions converted to Lagos (WAT), Johannesburg (SAST) and Nairobi (EAT) time. Know when liquidity is deep, when spreads widen and when the market is shut — before you place the trade.
Forex marketLive session clock
Lagos · WAT--:--
Johannesburg · SAST--:--
Nairobi · EAT--:--
| Session | WAT | SAST | EAT | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney | 21:00–06:00 | 22:00–07:00 | 23:00–08:00 | — |
| Tokyo | 01:00–10:00 | 02:00–11:00 | 03:00–12:00 | — |
| London | 09:00–18:00 | 10:00–19:00 | 11:00–20:00 | — |
| New York | 14:00–23:00 | 15:00–00:00 | 16:00–01:00 | — |
| London + NY overlap | 14:00–18:00 | 15:00–19:00 | 16:00–20:00 | Peak liquidity |
Times adjust automatically for daylight saving in London, New York and Sydney; WAT, SAST and EAT never change. For holiday closures, every time zone and a full-screen trading clock, use FX Open Hours →
Session playbook
How professionals use the clock
London open
Europe sets the daily range. USD/ZAR is most liquid while London and Johannesburg are both open — the best window for rand traders.
Asian session
Quieter ranges on majors; JPY, AUD and NZD pairs lead. Useful for range strategies, poor for breakout trades on EUR or GBP.
Rollover (17:00 New York)
Swaps are charged and spreads widen for a few minutes. Avoid opening tight-stop trades around the daily rollover.
By country
Best time to trade forex in your country
Nigeria (WAT)
London opens at 08:00 WAT (late Mar–late Oct) or 09:00 WAT (Nov–mid Mar). Peak overlap: 13:00–17:00 WAT (late Mar–late Oct), 14:00–18:00 WAT (Nov–mid Mar), 13:00–18:00 WAT in the weeks US and UK clocks are out of step. Asian hours run overnight.
South Africa (SAST)
London opens at 09:00 SAST (late Mar–late Oct) or 10:00 SAST (Nov–mid Mar); USD/ZAR is most liquid while London and the JSE trade together. Overlap: 14:00–18:00 SAST (late Mar–late Oct), 15:00–19:00 SAST (Nov–mid Mar), 14:00–19:00 SAST in the weeks US and UK clocks are out of step.
Kenya (EAT)
London opens at 10:00 EAT (late Mar–late Oct) or 11:00 EAT (Nov–mid Mar). Overlap: 15:00–19:00 EAT (late Mar–late Oct), 16:00–20:00 EAT (Nov–mid Mar), 15:00–20:00 EAT in the weeks US and UK clocks are out of step. Tokyo opens in the early hours — thin for EUR and GBP pairs.
FAQ
Forex trading hours, answered
What time does the forex market open in Nigeria?
The forex week opens Sunday at 17:00 New York time — 22:00 WAT while the US is on daylight time (second Sunday in March to first Sunday in November) and 23:00 WAT the rest of the year. Liquidity builds properly at the London open, 08:00 WAT from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October and 09:00 WAT otherwise.
What is the best time to trade forex in South Africa?
For most pairs, the London–New York overlap: 14:00–18:00 SAST from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October, 15:00–19:00 SAST from the first Sunday in November to the second Sunday in March, and 14:00–19:00 SAST while US and UK clocks are out of step — two or three weeks from the second Sunday in March, and one week from the last Sunday in October. South Africa does not change its clocks — the shift comes from London and New York. For USD/ZAR, the London morning while the JSE is open usually has the tightest spreads.
What is the best time to trade forex in Kenya?
The London session from 10:00 EAT (11:00 EAT in the northern winter) and the overlap with New York: 15:00–19:00 EAT from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October, 16:00–20:00 EAT from the first Sunday in November to the second Sunday in March, and 15:00–20:00 EAT while US and UK clocks are out of step — two or three weeks from the second Sunday in March, and one week from the last Sunday in October. Asian hours fall overnight in Nairobi and are thinner for majors.
Is the forex market open on weekends?
No. Spot forex closes Friday at 17:00 New York time and reopens Sunday at 17:00 New York time. Prices can gap at the open, so stops may fill worse than planned.
Why do forex session times change during the year?
London, New York and Sydney use daylight saving time on different dates, while Nigeria, South Africa and Kenya do not. Session times in WAT, SAST and EAT shift by one hour several times a year — a live clock such as FX Open Hours tracks this automatically.