Market sessions
Gold trading hours: London, New York and session liquidity
How XAUUSD liquidity changes across Asia, London and New York, including major news and the daily maintenance break.
Answer first
What should you remember?
- Activity is often greatest around London and New York.
- The Asian range can become liquidity for later sessions.
- Clock times shift with daylight saving and broker conventions.
Asian session
Gold is relatively quieter on many Asian-session days, often forming a range later targeted by London. This is not a rule: China-related data or sudden risk can expand volatility. Never assume every Asian range must break in one predetermined direction.
London open
Liquidity increases as Europe opens, and price may sweep an Asian extreme before direction becomes clearer. Rather than trading the first impulse, observe whether price accepts outside the range or returns inside, then align the move with daily context.
New York and US releases
The New York open and US data windows are among the most active. New York can reverse or extend London depending on news and positioning. Around CPI, NFP or FOMC events, spreads and slippage can make execution materially riskier.
Building a personal schedule
Choose a defined window in your time zone and test one model inside it. Record results by session, day type and news context instead of trading all day. Confirm broker time and daylight-saving changes before relying on a fixed clock.
Direct answers
Frequently asked questions
Is the gold market open 24 hours?
It trades nearly 24 hours on weekdays with a daily maintenance break and weekend close; exact broker hours can differ.
Which session is best for scalping?
London and New York are often more liquid, but the best window is one where your tested model and attention are consistent.