Whether you call it forex, FX or the foreign currency market, the subject is the same the international foreign currency exchange market. Unlike stock or other securities, foreign currency trades are not conducted at a single central market. In this market, there are a few global centers of finance which serve as the hubs for this market instead.
A combination of several key factors serve as significant distinctions between the currency exchange industry and similar monetary markets. Chief among these are:
– High liquidity due to enormous trade volumes; – Wide geographical distribution; – Extreme volatility affects specific exchange rates; – Relatively low profit-income ratio; and, – Continuous 24-hour operation
This last point is something which confuses many newly minted traders. 24 hours does not mean exactly the same thing in this context as it does in others.
Beginning traders hear "24 hours" and assume that they can make Forex trades any time they like. While this is true in a sense, it needs some clarification.
In this case it means that trading is always going on somewhere in the world rather than a single market which is open around the clock.
Due to wide international time zone dispersion, one or more currency exchange markets is always open. When one market closes, another is actively trading elsewhere. It is imperative to understand this concept, as some hours offer superior exchange profitability.
The best time for forex trading is when there is a high volume of trades going on. At these times, traders have the best chance of making profitable trades; the best time is when trading is going on in multiple countries simultaneously.
Standard business hours are 8 AM to 4 PM in most forex markets. Discerning the time of day in during which trade volume is highest enhances profit. Slower market conditions offer few chances for profitable currency exchanges.
Major forex market hours are as follows:
New York – trades from 8 am to 5 pm EST Tokyo – trades from 7 pm to 4 am EST Sydney – trades from 5 am to 2 am EST London – trades from 3 am to 12 noon EST
So supposing you live in the US Eastern Time Zone, the best times to trade are:
New York and London – from 8 am to 12 noon EST Sydney/Tokyo – from 7 pm to 2 am EST London/Tokyo – from 3 am to 4 am EST
Many investment-oriented websites feature free application downloads that determine maximum forex profitability for any of the world’s local time zones. Find them very easily with a search engine query for “forex trading hours.”
The uprising of forex techniques will always make things a little extra competitive to all. Whereas, you as a wise trader, must always look at the fundamental fx trading strategies.