The forex market trades 24 hours a day from Monday morning to Saturday morning in UAE time. In Gulf Standard Time (GST, UTC+4), the week opens at about 01:00 on Monday and closes at about 01:00 on Saturday during the northern summer, or 02:00 in winter. Trading passes through four main sessions: Sydney, Tokyo, London and New York. Activity and liquidity tend to be highest when sessions overlap, especially the London–New York overlap, which runs from about 16:00 to 20:00 GST in summer and 17:00 to 21:00 GST in winter. Which hours suit a given trader depends on the instrument, the trading style and personal schedule.
Key takeaways
- The UAE does not use daylight saving time, so session times in GST shift by an hour when the US, UK or Australia change their clocks.
- London and New York together account for more than half of global FX trading, according to the BIS 2025 Triennial Survey.
- The London–New York overlap usually has the highest activity for major pairs such as EUR/USD and GBP/USD.
- Thin periods, such as the hours around the daily rollover and the Monday open, can see wider spreads and sharper price gaps.
Why Forex Trades Around the Clock
Unlike a stock exchange, the forex market has no single central venue. It is an over-the-counter network of banks, brokers, funds and other participants in financial centres around the world. As one centre closes, another opens, so trading continues through the working week.
The Bank for International Settlements (BIS) reports that global FX turnover reached $9.6 trillion per day in April 2025. The United Kingdom accounted for about 38% of that activity, the United States about 19%, Singapore 11.8% and Hong Kong 7.0%. This concentration explains why the London and New York sessions carry so much weight.
CMS Prime’s online forex trading page lists the currency pairs available through its platforms.
Forex Sessions in UAE Time (GST)
The table below shows common session times converted to GST. Session boundaries are conventions based on local business hours, and different sources use slightly different times.
|
Session |
Local hours (approx.) |
GST in northern summer |
GST in northern winter |
|
Sydney |
07:00–16:00 local |
01:00–10:00 (Apr–Oct) |
00:00–09:00 (Oct–Apr) |
|
Tokyo |
09:00–18:00 local |
04:00–13:00 |
04:00–13:00 |
|
London |
08:00–17:00 local |
11:00–20:00 |
12:00–21:00 |
|
New York |
08:00–17:00 local |
16:00–01:00 |
17:00–02:00 |
Sydney’s summer is the northern winter, so its times move in the opposite direction to London and New York. Tokyo does not use daylight saving time, so its GST hours stay the same all year.
Session Overlaps in GST
|
Overlap |
GST in northern summer |
GST in northern winter |
Typical activity |
|
Sydney–Tokyo |
04:00–10:00 |
04:00–09:00 |
Moderate; AUD, NZD and JPY pairs active |
|
Tokyo–London |
11:00–13:00 |
12:00–13:00 |
Short; activity picks up as Europe opens |
|
London–New York |
16:00–20:00 |
17:00–21:00 |
Usually the highest volume for USD, EUR and GBP pairs |
For traders in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the London open falls in the late morning and the London–New York overlap in the late afternoon and early evening, both within a typical UAE working or post-working day.
Weekly Open and Close in UAE Time
The forex week is generally described as running from 5 p.m. New York time on Sunday to 5 p.m. New York time on Friday. In GST, that means:
- Weekly open: about 01:00 on Monday when New York is on daylight saving time (roughly March to November), or 02:00 on Monday in winter.
- Weekly close: about 01:00 on Saturday in summer, or 02:00 on Saturday in winter.
Since 2022, the UAE’s official working week has run Monday to Friday, with a Saturday–Sunday weekend, which aligns closely with the global forex week. Prices can gap at the Monday open if major news breaks over the weekend.
MetaTrader platforms display prices in server time, which is set by the broker and often differs from GST. Many servers use GMT+2 or GMT+3, so a candle labelled 00:00 on the chart may correspond to 02:00 or 01:00 GST. Checking the difference between server time and local time helps when reading session highs and lows.
Daylight Saving Time and GST
The UAE stays on GST (UTC+4) all year, while other centres move their clocks:
- United States: daylight saving time runs from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November.
- United Kingdom: British Summer Time runs from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October.
- Australia (Sydney): daylight saving time runs from the first Sunday in October to the first Sunday in April.
Because the US and UK change on different dates, there are short periods each year when the gap between London and New York is four hours instead of five. In 2026, for example, the UK moves back to GMT on 25 October, while the US stays on daylight time until 1 November. During that week, the London close in GST shifts to 21:00 while the New York hours stay at 16:00–01:00, so the overlap briefly lengthens to five hours. In spring, the same thing happens for about three weeks, between the US change in mid-March and the UK change at the end of March.
Which Hours Are Most Active?
Which hours suit a trader depends on the instrument, the style and personal circumstances. What can be described factually is when activity and liquidity are typically higher or lower.
Higher-activity periods (typical):
- London–New York overlap (16:00–20:00 GST in summer): major USD, EUR and GBP pairs usually see the highest volume and tighter spreads.
- London open (around 11:00–12:00 GST): European pairs become more active as dealers in Europe start trading.
- Scheduled data releases: US data such as non-farm payrolls and CPI are usually published at 8:30 a.m. New York time, which is 16:30 GST in summer and 17:30 GST in winter.
Lower-activity periods (typical):
- Around the daily rollover (about 01:00–02:00 GST): liquidity is thin, and spreads often widen.
- Late Friday into the weekly close: activity tends to fade as positions are closed.
- Public holidays: bank holidays in major centres reduce participation. CMS Prime publishes a forex holiday schedule showing market closures.
Higher activity does not mean a move in any particular direction. It usually means tighter spreads and faster price changes, which can work for or against a position. CMS Prime’s article on market liquidity explains how liquidity affects spreads and execution.
How Sessions Affect Different Instruments
- JPY, AUD and NZD pairs: often more active during the Sydney and Tokyo sessions, as well as the London–New York overlap.
- EUR and GBP pairs: typically most active from the London open through the London–New York overlap.
- USD pairs: active through the New York session and around US data releases.
- Gold (XAU/USD): trades nearly 24 hours but often sees higher activity during London and New York hours.
- Oil and indices: follow the hours of their underlying exchanges, with daily breaks. Hours for each symbol appear in its specification on MT4 and MT5.
CMS Prime’s commodities trading page lists its metals and energy products.
Session Times and Trading Style
- Scalpers usually focus on high-liquidity windows, where spreads are narrowest and execution fastest.
- Day traders often plan around one session and the news releases within it. CMS Prime’s comparison of day trading vs swing trading explains how holding periods differ.
- Swing traders hold through several sessions, so the daily rollover and overnight charges matter more than entry time.
News times are listed on the CMS Prime economic calendar, which can be set to local time.
Key Risks Around Session Changes
- Spread widening during thin hours, the rollover and the weekly open.
- Gaps at the Monday open or after holidays, which can fill orders at worse prices.
- Volatility spikes around session opens and data releases. CMS Prime’s guide to trading during high-impact news events covers this in detail.
- Time-zone errors when server time, GST and news times are mixed up.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time does the forex market open in the UAE? The forex week opens at about 01:00 GST on Monday when New York is on daylight saving time, and about 02:00 GST on Monday in winter. It closes at about the same times on Saturday morning.
What time is the London–New York overlap in Dubai? The overlap runs from about 16:00 to 20:00 GST when both the UK and US are on summer time, and from about 17:00 to 21:00 GST in winter. It usually has the highest trading activity for major pairs.
Does the UAE change its clocks for daylight saving? No. The UAE stays on Gulf Standard Time (UTC+4) all year. Session times in GST shift when the US, UK or Australia change their clocks.
Which forex session is most active? The London session carries the largest share of global FX turnover, and the London–New York overlap usually has the highest activity for major pairs. The Sydney and Tokyo sessions are typically quieter, although yen, Australian dollar and New Zealand dollar pairs are active then.
Why do spreads widen at night in the UAE? The daily rollover falls at about 01:00–02:00 GST, when New York has closed and Asian trading is just starting. Fewer participants are active, liquidity is thinner, and spreads often widen during this period.
Is forex open on weekends in the UAE? No. The market closes at about 01:00 or 02:00 GST on Saturday and reopens at about the same time on Monday. Weekend news can cause prices to gap when trading resumes.
Conclusion
Forex trading hours in UAE time run from early Monday to early Saturday, passing through the Sydney, Tokyo, London and New York sessions. Because the UAE does not use daylight saving time, session times in GST move by an hour when other centres change their clocks. The London–New York overlap, from about 16:00 to 20:00 GST in summer, typically brings the highest activity, while the rollover and weekly open tend to be the thinnest periods. CMS Prime’s economic calendar, holiday schedule and MT4 and MT5 platforms make it possible to track sessions and events in local time.
Risk warning: Trading in financial instruments such as Forex, CFDs, and derivatives involves a high level of risk and may not be suitable for all investors. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
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