1. What Is the New York Forex Session?

The New York forex session is the trading session that overlaps with the business hours of the United States. It is the second largest forex session after London, accounting for approximately 20% of global forex trading volume.

Fig 1: The New York forex session — home to the US Dollar and the world’s largest economy.

Why the New York Session Matters

• US Dollar dominance — the USD is the world’s reserve currency
• Major economic releases — NFP, FOMC, CPI, GDP
• Overlap with London — the most liquid period of the day
• High volatility — especially during the overlap and news releases

New York Session vs London vs Asian Sessions

2. New York Session Hours — When Does It Open and Close?

Understanding the exact timing of the New York session is essential for planning your trades. Here are the key times to remember:

The London-New York Overlap — The Most Liquid Period

Fig 2: The London-New York overlap — the most liquid period of the trading day.

During the overlap, traders benefit from:

• Highest liquidity — easy to enter and exit positions
• Tightest spreads — lower trading costs
• Increased volatility — more opportunities for profit
• Major news releases — US economic data is often released during this window

3. Why Trade the New York Session?

The New York session offers several unique advantages for forex traders:

High Liquidity and Tight Spreads

The New York session is the second most liquid session after London. During the overlap with London, liquidity reaches its peak, resulting in some of the tightest spreads available. This makes it an ideal time for scalpers and day traders.

Increased Volatility During Key Economic Releases

The United States releases some of the most impactful economic data in the world during the New York session:

• Non-Farm Payrolls (NFP) — first Friday of every month
• FOMC statements — interest rate decisions
• CPI (Consumer Price Index) — inflation data
• GDP (Gross Domestic Product) — economic growth
• Retail Sales — consumer spending

Fig 3: US economic data releases — the main driver of volatility during the New York session.

4. New York Breakout Strategy — Trading the Overlap

The breakout strategy is one of the most effective approaches for trading the London-New York overlap. It takes advantage of the increased volatility and breakout potential during this high-liquidity period.

How the Breakout Strategy Works

The strategy is based on the idea that during the overlap, price often breaks through key support and resistance levels established during the Asian or early London sessions.

Fig 4: Breakout strategy — identifying support and resistance levels for entry.

Identifying Breakout Levels

• Identify support and resistance levels from the Asian and London sessions
• Look for triangle patterns, ranges, or channels
• Wait for price to break above resistance (long) or below support (short)
• Confirm the breakout with volume or momentum indicators

Entry, Stop-Loss and Take-Profit Rules

5. Range Trading Strategy — Trading the Later New York Session

After the London session closes at 12:00 PM ET, volatility often decreases and price tends to trade in a range. The range trading strategy is designed to profit from these range-bound conditions.

How the Range Strategy Works

When volatility subsides, price often moves between established support and resistance levels. The range strategy involves buying at support and selling at resistance.

Fig 5: Range trading strategy — buying at support, selling at resistance.

Identifying Range Boundaries

• Identify clear support and resistance levels that price has tested multiple times
• Look for consolidation patterns on the chart
• Wait for price to approach support (for long positions) or resistance (for short positions)

Entry, Stop-Loss and Take-Profit Rules

6. Best Currency Pairs to Trade During the New York Session

Not all currency pairs are equally suited for the New York session. Here are the best pairs to trade during the US session:

7. New York Session Reference Table

Use this reference table to quickly find key information about the New York session, compare strategies, and identify the best pairs to trade.

10. Conclusion

The New York forex session is one of the most dynamic and profitable trading periods in the global market. With the highest liquidity during the London overlap, tight spreads, and significant volatility around US economic data releases, it offers exceptional opportunities for traders of all levels.

Key takeaways:

• ✅ The New York session runs from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM ET
• ✅ The London-New York overlap (8:00 AM – 12:00 PM ET) is the most liquid period
• ✅ Use a breakout strategy during the overlap and a range strategy later in the session
• ✅ Best pairs to trade: EUR/USD, GBP/USD, USD/JPY
• ✅ Monitor key US economic releases: NFP, FOMC, CPI, GDP
• ✅ Use the reference tables above for quick access to key information and strategies

Continue your trading education — explore the guides below to deepen your understanding of technical analysis and trading strategies.

Updated: June 2026