Day Trade the GBP/USD Only During These Hours (2024)

Just because the forex market is open 24-hours a day, that doesn't mean every one of those hours is worth trading.The GBP/USD, with a cross rate of 1.40 on June 23, 2021, has certain hours which make more sense for day trading because there is enough volatility to generate profits over and above the cost of the spread and/or commission. To be efficient andcapture the largest moves of the day, day traders hone in even further, only trading duringspecific hours of the day.

Day Trading Sessions and Impact on Volatility

Day Trade the GBP/USD Only During These Hours (1)

Due to global time zone differences, during the week there is always a market open for business somewhere. This is what makes forex trading available 24 hours a day. Not all markets actively trade all forex pairs, though.Therefore, different forex pairs are actively traded at different times of the day.

When London (and Europe) are open for business, pairs that involve the Euro (EUR),British Pound (GBP) and Swiss Franc (CHF)are more actively traded.

When New York (U.S. and Canada) are open for business, pairs that involve the U.S. dollar (USD) and Canadian dollar (CAD) aremore active.

If trading the GBP/USD, the times that are likely to be most active for the pair, on average, will be when London and New York are open, according to the times on the attached chart.

These times are GMT. To convert to your own time zone (or your forex broker's time zone),use theforex market hours tool available here: ​http://www.forexmarkethours.com/markethours.php.

Acceptable Times to Day Trade GBP/USD

Day Trade the GBP/USD Only During These Hours (2)

The hourly volatility chart shows how many pipsthe GBP/USD moves each hour of the day. Times are in GMT.

There is an increase in the amount of movement starting at 0600, which continues through to 1600. After this, movement each hour begins to taper off, so there are likely to be fewer big price moves day traders can participate in.

Day traders should ideally trade between 0600 and 1600 GMT. Trading outside of these hours the pip movement may not be large enough to compensate for the spreadand/or commissions.

Volatility changes over time. For example, daily average volatility at the time of writing is 78pips per day. The daily average movement could increase to 100 pip per day, which means each hour is likely to see slightly higher pip movement.

Which hours are most volatile generally do not change, though. 0600 to 1600 GMT will continue to be the mostacceptable time to day trade, regardless of whether daily volatility increases or decreases.

As a general rule, only day trade during hours where the price is moving at least 15pips or more(preferably more).

Also consider news in the equity markets and hours in which equities, options and futures trade. while these exchanges are open, key economic data is often released that could have impacts on the GBP/USD pair.

It helps to research issues ahead and attempt to anticipate potential market movements that could be triggered by favorable or unfavorable economic data released in either Great Britain or the United States.

Ideal Times to Day Trade GBP/USD

Day Trade the GBP/USD Only During These Hours (3)

0600 to 1600 is an acceptable time to day trade the GBP/USD. There is adequate movement to potentially extract a profit and cover spread and commission costs.

If you are able to, though, daytrade the GBP/USDonly between 0800 and 1000, and/or 1200 and 1500 GMT.That will maximize efficiency. During those periods, you'll see the biggest moves of the day, which means greater profit potential, and the spread and commissions will have the least impact relative to potential profit.

Also, London and New York are both openduring these timeframes.Thatmeans a lot of volumecoming in from two major marketsso spreads are typically tightest during this time.

Useful Tools to Trade Forex

Many tools and programs exist to help you excel at trading forex. In 2018, a few standouts can help you increase your performance and productivity in a variety of ways.

A free tool called the Forex Calendar helps you stay on top of fundamental updates taking place in the forex market. This includes dates of economic news releases, with their previous and expected values.

A plug-in for the MetaTrader 4 platform called Autochartist bills itself as the most advanced chart pattern recognition software. It's also available as a web-based app, and the software makes it easier to spot trends and patterns such as shoulders and raising wedges.

This software works especially well for beginning traders as it helps you more quickly and easily recognize chart patterns with its graphical analysis.

Best Time to Day Trade the GBP/USD

Not everyone is a full-time day trader, and therefore not everyone can choose when they trade. If you can't trade at the ideal times of 0800 to 1000, or 1200 to 1500 GMT, then day trade the GBP/USD at some other point between 0600 and 1600 GMT. Trading during those times maximizes profit potential due to the size of the moves, and spreads are typically lower then as well.

Day Trade the GBP/USD Only During These Hours (2024)

FAQs

What is the best time of day to trade USD to GBP? ›

The best time for trading GBP/USD is when both UK and US markets are open for trading. This is from 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM GMT and from 12:00 pm TO 15:00 PM GMT. This is when the greatest market moves occur and when spreads are at their lowest.

What are the trading hours for GBP? ›

London is open from 7:00 am to 4:00 pm UTC.

What is GBP USD daily outlook? ›

GBP/USD Daily Outlook

Daily Pivots: (S1) 1.2296; (P) 1.2360; (R1) 1.2394; More… GBP/USD's retreat from 1.2421 continues today but stays above 1.2203 resistance turned support. Intraday bias remains neutral for the moment and further rally is in favor.

How to trade GBP USD successfully? ›

GBP USD Trading Strategy
  1. Plot the high and low price range between the Frankfurt open and the London open. ...
  2. The price action during this period should appear rangebound.
  3. Enter on a breakout and close above the 38% Expansion level of the range.
  4. Stop loss to be placed at the midpoint of the opening range.

What time of day is the pound strongest? ›

The majority of monthly economic data from the United Kingdom comes out between 2 a.m. and 4:30 a.m. Eastern Time in the United States. 1 Thirty to 60 minutes before these releases and one to three hours afterward highlight the best times to trade the GBP because the news flow will impact the pound's value.

What is the best session to trade GBP pairs? ›

Popular forex pairs to trade during the London session are the majors such as the GBP/USD cross or the EUR/GBP cross. This is especially true during the overlap between the London and New York markets, as well as the European session which is open during almost identical hours to the London session.

What time does GBP USD close? ›

Trading Sessions

For day traders the most productive hours are between the opening of the London markets at 08:00 GMT and the closing of the US markets at 22:00 GMT. The peak time for trading is when the US and London markets overlap between 1 pm GMT – 4 pm GMT.

What is the best time to trade GBPCHF? ›

While GBPCHF trades 24 hours a day, 5 days a week, most of the volatility in currency pairs happens around the opening of the major market sessions which includes the European session, US session and Asia session.

How many pips does GBP USD move daily? ›

The GBP/USD pair is known for its high volatility, and it moves an average of 80-120 pips per day. The pair is most active during the London and American trading sessions, with the highest volatility occurring during the overlap between the two sessions.

What makes GBP USD move? ›

The British pound/US dollar exchange rate is one of the most liquid currency pairs in the forex (FX) market. The narrow bid-ask spreads, volume and volatility all contribute to why trading GBP/USD is popular.

Why is GBP USD crashing? ›

GBP/USD loses bullish momentum after US data, falls below 1.2350. GBP/USD has reversed its direction and erased a large portion of its daily gains on Friday after the data from the US showed that the annual core PCE inflation edged higher to 4.7% in April.

What is the forecast for GBP USD 2023? ›

JP Morgan forecasts that the Pound US Dollar exchange rate will decline to 1.17 at the end of 2023.

Is GBP USD good to trade with? ›

GBP-USD is one of the best pairs to trade with using technical analysis. Ordinarily, most technical traders prefer to use the pair because of the way it responds to key indicators. Correlation is another reason why many traders use this pair.

What is the best rate for GBP to US dollars? ›

Best British Pound / Bahamian Dollar Exchange Rate Today: 1.2421.

What is the best GBP to USD exchange rate cash? ›

Best Pound to Dollar Exchange Rate Today, Live 1 GBP to USD = 1.2513 (Compare & Convert Pounds to Dollars)

What pair moves 100 pips a day? ›

The EUR/USD pair is the most traded currency pair in the world, and it moves an average of 70-100 pips daily.

What day of the week is best to buy pounds? ›

All in all, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are the best days for Forex trading due to higher volatility. During the middle of the week, the currency market sees the most trading action.

What is the best time to trade USD? ›

The U.S./London markets overlap (8 a.m. to noon EST) has the heaviest volume of trading and is best for trading opportunities.

How many pairs should I trade as a day trader? ›

Trading only one currency pair allows the trader to concentrate all time and effort in one place, so there is less distraction. If you are using for example a low time frame scalping method, trading only one currency pair allows you to focus well.

What time of day is best to trade currency pairs? ›

Many investors consider the best trading time to be the 8 a.m. to noon overlap of the New York and London exchanges. These two trading centers account for more than 50% of all forex trades.

Is GBP expected to rise against USD? ›

GBP/USD is forecast to reach 1.20 in March 2023, before falling to 1.18 in June 2023, to 1.16 in September 2023 and to 1.15 in December 2023.

Is GBP getting stronger against USD? ›

AI Pickup's GBP/USD forecast for 2022 saw the pound trading at a slightly higher average of $1.16 by the end of this year, before strengthening to an average of $1.33 in 2025.

How do you short GBP? ›

Example of shorting the pound

As mentioned, this can be done directly by selling the GBP against another currency, or by selling our proprietary GBP Index. Spread betting is a tax-free way* (in the UK) to go long or short on currencies and is a bet on which way the currency will move.

What currency is best to trade in the evening? ›

Less volatility

The fact that major currency pairs such as EUR/USD and EUR/GBP tend to be less volatile overnight may make them the best forex pairs to trade at night for beginner FX traders.

What currency should I trade at night? ›

During this time, the major currency pairs that are actively traded include the USD/JPY, AUD/USD, NZD/USD, and the USD/CHF. One of the most popular forex pairs to trade at night is the USD/JPY.

What is the all time high for GBPCHF? ›

Highest: 1.1516 CHF on 04 Dec 2022. Average: 1.1244 CHF over this period. Lowest: 1.1072 CHF on 25 Apr 2023.

How much is 1 lot of GBP USD? ›

The pip value of 1 standard lot, or 100,000 units of GBPUSD is US$10.00. The pip value of 1 mini lot, or 10,000 units of GBPUSD is US$1.00.

How many pairs should a beginner trade? ›

A good rule of thumb for traders new to the market is to focus on one or two currency pairs. Generally, traders will choose to trade the EUR/USD or USD/JPY because there is so much information and resources available about the underlying economies. Not surprisingly, these two pairs make up much of global daily volume.

What is the average spread for Gbpusd? ›

GBPUSD. We offer 60+ currency pairs so you can take advantage of all of the world's markets, including majors, minors and exotics. Trade GBPUSD, Monday - Friday, with an average spread of 0.38 pips on our Razor account. Start trading GBPUSD.

What affects USD GBP exchange rate? ›

It is affected by economic indicators and actions by the central banks in both countries to boost or devalue their currency. The British pound is historically stronger than the U.S. dollar, although it has steadily weakened in the decades after World War II.

What correlates with GBPUSD? ›

The correlation between EUR/USD and GBP/USD is a good example—if EUR/USD is trading up, then GBP/USD will also move in the same direction. A correlation of -1 indicates that two currency pairs will move in the opposite direction 100% of the time.

What is the strongest currency in the world? ›

Kuwaiti Dinar (KWD) is the strongest currency against USD and the most valued currency in the world due to the country's strong economy. 1 KWD = $3.25. Data is current as of May 15, 2023.

Is the GBP USD a buy or sell? ›

GBP/USD - British Pound US Dollar
SummaryStrong Buy
Moving AveragesStrong BuyBuy (12)
Technical IndicatorsStrong BuyBuy (8)

Is GBP USD bullish or bearish? ›

Midday update for the GBPUSD 02-06-2023

The GBPUSD pair shows sideways trades since morning, settling above 1.2500 barrier, to keep the bullish trend scenario valid as it is without any change, depending on the price stability above ...

Will the Pound recover against the Dollar 2023? ›

They also predict the Pound to Dollar exchange rate could rise to 1.30 in 2023. "We have been bullish on the EUR and GBP since November 2022 and believe both currencies will see further upside through the summer," says Paul Mackel, Global Head of FX Research at HSBC.

Will USD get stronger in 2023? ›

The US dollar has eased from its peak level, but exchange rate volatility will remain elevated in 2023 on the back of global macroeconomic uncertainty. However, although the dollar is likely to decline further in 2023, it is expected that exchange rate volatility will remain elevated.

Is GBP expected to rise? ›

The British Pound is expected to trade at 1.22 by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. Looking forward, we estimate it to trade at 1.15 in 12 months time.

How much is $1 US in UK? ›

1 USD = 0.796741 GBP Jun 09, 2023 02:04 UTC

The currency converter below is easy to use and the currency rates are updated frequently.

What is $100 pounds in US dollars? ›

British Pounds to US Dollars conversion rates
GBPUSD
100 GBP125.32 USD
500 GBP626.63 USD
1,000 GBP1,253.27 USD
5,000 GBP6,266.39 USD
7 more rows

What time of day is best for exchange rates? ›

The forex market runs on the normal business hours of four different parts of the world and their respective time zones. The U.S./London markets overlap (8 a.m. to noon EST) has the heaviest volume of trading and is best for trading opportunities.

What time of day is best to trade currency? ›

Many investors consider the best trading time to be the 8 a.m. to noon overlap of the New York and London exchanges. These two trading centers account for more than 50% of all forex trades.

What time of day is best to transfer currency? ›

Mondays often experience the lowest number of trading in foreign exchange market. Therefore, you may expect the least fluctuation in price. Friday has a definite effect which is called the summary effect.

What day of the week is best to exchange currency? ›

All in all, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are the best days for Forex trading due to higher volatility. During the middle of the week, the currency market sees the most trading action. As for the rest of the week, Mondays are static, and Fridays can be unpredictable.

Is it better to exchange money in the morning or afternoon? ›

Currency can fluctuate throughout the day too, with the morning or late afternoon cited as the best times to buy. These are just trends though and the currency markets fluctuate regularly, so keep your eye on them if you're looking to exchange currency soon.

What is the best way to get the best exchange rate? ›

Exchanging Currency at Home and Overseas

Local banks and credit unions usually offer the best rates. Major banks, such as Chase or Bank of America, often offer the added benefit of having ATMs overseas. Online bureaus or currency converters, such as Travelex, provide convenient foreign exchange services.

Is it better to exchange money before or after? ›

You can get better rates by ordering foreign currency from your local bank or credit union before you start your trip. Correct! Banks and credit unions generally offer the best exchange rates, and many won't charge extra fees to exchange currency. Remember to order the foreign currency before you start your trip.

How many times a day does currency change? ›

Currencies are traded around the clock – 24 hours per day. Even though trading hours vary – the morning in Tokyo occurs during U.S. nighttime – trade and banking continue around the world. Therefore, as banks around the world buy and sell currencies, the value of currencies remain in fluctuation.

What is the strongest world currency? ›

The Kuwaiti Dinar (KWD) is the most valuable currency in the world. In Kuwait, the Indian ex-pat group has a strong presence, making the INR to KWD rate the most popular Kuwait Dinar exchange rate. The Kuwaiti dinar continues to remain the highest currency in the world, owing to Kuwait's economic stability.

Does exchange rate go down on weekends? ›

What happens to the exchange rate in the weekend? Since the Trade Markets, Banks and stock markets are closed during the weekends people do less transaction on world wide. Therefore, the fluctuations in the exchange will remain less.

What is the exchange rate of US dollar to day? ›

Dollar to Bangladesh Taka Exchange Rate Today, Live 1 USD to BDT = 108.1935 (Convert Dollars to Bangladesh Taka)

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