Trading hours
When you can trade each asset class. Times are in Italian time (CET/CEST).
Indicative hours
| Class | Days | Hours (Italian time) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Currencies (Forex) | Mon–Fri | from Sunday evening (about 23:00) to Friday evening (about 23:00), around the clock | short technical breaks at the day change |
| Gold and silver | Mon–Fri | almost 24 hours | daily break of about one hour |
| Oil and natural gas | Mon–Fri | almost 24 hours | daily break |
| US indices | Mon–Fri | almost 24 hours | most liquid between 15:30 and 22:00 |
| European indices | Mon–Fri | extended hours, with a night break | most liquid between 9:00 and 17:30 |
| US shares and ETFs | Mon–Fri | 15:30 – 22:00 | 14:30 – 21:00 in the weeks when US and European daylight saving time differ |
| European shares | Mon–Fri | 9:00 – 17:30 | |
| Cryptocurrencies | Mon–Sun | around the clock | except short technical breaks |
Indicative hours. The exact hours of each instrument, including breaks, are in the contract specifications in MetaTrader 4 (Market Watch → right-click → Specification). Server time: to be confirmed.
The forex sessions
The currency market follows the sun: it opens in Oceania, moves through Asia and Europe and closes in New York. The hours when two sessions overlap — above all London and New York — are usually the most liquid, with tighter spreads.
- Sydney — about 23:00 – 08:00
- Tokyo — about 01:00 – 10:00
- London — about 09:00 – 18:00
- New York — about 14:00 – 23:00
Finding hours in MetaTrader 4
1Market Watch
Open the Market Watch window (Ctrl+M).
2Specification
Right-click the instrument → Specification.
3Sessions
At the bottom you find the quote and trade sessions for each day.