Some hours are better to trade than other hours. Here’s a list of the most volatile trading hours for each of the 8 popular currencies.

There are times when the market doesn’t move at all, and it’s quite boring. This is usually during the Tokyo and Sydney sessions.

There are times which are quite wild and unexpected, and your stop loss limits can be breached temporarily, throwing you out of a generally good trade.
In general, the best trading hours are 10:00 to 12:00 GMT, when trading volume is high, but there aren’t too many indicators.

Everybody knows about the most dangerous hour: 12:30 GMT (or 8:30 in New York) when American indicators are usually released. On the first Friday of the month, this is especially dangerous..

Here’s a list of the most volatile hours for forex trading for each of the 8 major currencies:

Australian Dollar: 01:30 GMT. This is the time when most indicators are published. 04:30 also sees some indicators. 

Swiss Franc: 07:15 GMT. While this is the strongest hour, publications happen many times at 7:00 or at 7:30, aroung the major hour. 

British Pound: 8:30 GMT. Here, the timing is quite strict. Almost all the indicators are published at this hour. Only few indicators are not exactly at this time. 23:00 GMT (midnight in Britain) is also notable for some releases, but the major ones are at 8:30 GMT. Euro: 9:00 GMT. European indicators often come from Germany and France, and therefore the hours vary. Indicators start as early as 6:00 and end no later than 10:00. 

Canadian Dollar: 12:30 GMT. Similar to its neighbor in the south, Canada releases many figures at this time. Note that the releases vary in Canada: some indicators are released as early as 11:00 GMT, and as late as 14:00 GMT. 

US Dollar: 12:30 GMT. Most indicators, including the king – Non-Farm Payrolls are published at this time, one hour before the stock exchange opens. More than a few publications are made at 14:00 GMT, an hour and a half later. These 90 minutes are very volatile. Trading volume is very high. Banks in New York, London and all across Europe are trading at this time. 

New Zealand Dollar: 22:45 GMT. In New Zealand, this is the most popular hour. Another hour that concentrates data is 21:00 GMT. 

Japanese Yen: 23:50 GMT. This is very significant. Almost all the indicators are published at this time. Only a small group of releases are made at different times, with 23:30 being the most frequent. Note that all the times were made during the summer in the northern hemisphere. You should shift one hour down during the winter. 



Editors’ Picks

EUR/USD stays depressed near 1.1850 ahead of German ZEW

EUR/USD stays depressed near 1.1850 ahead of German ZEW

EUR/USD remains in the red near 1.1850 in the European session on Tuesday. A broad US Dollar bullish consolidation combined with a softer risk tone keep the pair undermined ahead of the German ZEW sentiment survey. 

GBP/USD drops below 1.3600 after weak UK jobs report

GBP/USD drops below 1.3600 after weak UK jobs report

GBP/USD is seeing a fresh selling wave, giving up the 1.3600 level in Tuesday's European trading. The United Kingdom employment data showed worsening labor market conditions, bolstering bets for a BoE interest rate cut next month. This narrative is weighing heavily on the Pound Sterling. 

USD/JPY slides further below 153.00; eyes 200-day EMA amid a firmer JPY

USD/JPY slides further below 153.00; eyes 200-day EMA amid a firmer JPY

The USD/JPY pair meets with a fresh supply on Tuesday and slides further below the 153.00 mark heading into the European session, reversing a major part of the previous day's positive move. Spot prices, however, manage to hold above the 200-day Exponential Moving Average support, around the 152.50 region, preserving a tentative bullish bias despite a shallow cushion.


Editors’ Picks

GBP/USD drops below 1.3600 after weak UK jobs report

GBP/USD drops below 1.3600 after weak UK jobs report

GBP/USD is seeing a fresh selling wave, giving up the 1.3600 level in Tuesday's European trading. The United Kingdom employment data showed worsening labor market conditions, bolstering bets for a BoE interest rate cut next month. This narrative is weighing heavily on the Pound Sterling. 

EUR/USD stays depressed near 1.1850 ahead of German ZEW

EUR/USD stays depressed near 1.1850 ahead of German ZEW

EUR/USD remains in the red near 1.1850 in the European session on Tuesday. A broad US Dollar bullish consolidation combined with a softer risk tone keep the pair undermined ahead of the German ZEW sentiment survey. 

Gold adds to intraday losses as risk-on mood offsets dovish Fed and subdued USD demand

Gold adds to intraday losses as risk-on mood offsets dovish Fed and subdued USD demand

Gold attracts some follow-through selling for the second straight day and dives to over a one-week low, around the $4,858 area, heading into the European session on Tuesday. The commodity, however, quickly recovers to the $4,900 mark as traders opt to await more cues about the US Federal Reserve's (Fed) rate-cut path before placing fresh directional bets.

Pi Network rallies ahead of its first anniversary

Pi Network rallies ahead of its first anniversary

Pi Network trades above $0.1800 at the time of writing on Tuesday, recording nearly 5% gains so far. On-chain data indicate that large wallet investors, commonly known as whales, have accumulated approximately 4 million PI tokens over the last 24 hours.

The week ahead: Key inflation readings and why the AI trade could be overdone

The week ahead: Key inflation readings and why the AI trade could be overdone

It is likely to be a quiet start to the week, with US markets closed on Monday for Presidents Day. European markets are higher across the board and gold is clinging to the $5,000 level after the tamer than expected CPI report in the US reduced haven flows to precious metals.

RECOMMENDED LESSONS

5 Forex News Events You Need To Know

In the fast moving world of currency markets where huge moves can seemingly come from nowhere, it is extremely important for new traders to learn about the various economic indicators and forex news events and releases that shape the markets. Indeed, quickly getting a handle on which data to look out for, what it means, and how to trade it can see new traders quickly become far more profitable and sets up the road to long term success.

Top 10 Chart Patterns Every Trader Should Know

Chart patterns are one of the most effective trading tools for a trader. They are pure price-action, and form on the basis of underlying buying and selling pressure. Chart patterns have a proven track-record, and traders use them to identify continuation or reversal signals, to open positions and identify price targets.

7 Ways to Avoid Forex Scams

The forex industry is recently seeing more and more scams. Here are 7 ways to avoid losing your money in such scams: Forex scams are becoming frequent. Michael Greenberg reports on luxurious expenses, including a submarine bought from the money taken from forex traders. Here’s another report of a forex fraud. So, how can we avoid falling in such forex scams?

What Are the 10 Fatal Mistakes Traders Make

Trading is exciting. Trading is hard. Trading is extremely hard. Some say that it takes more than 10,000 hours to master. Others believe that trading is the way to quick riches. They might be both wrong. What is important to know that no matter how experienced you are, mistakes will be part of the trading process.

Strategy

Money Management

Psychology

Best Brokers of 2025