FX traders: What are your trading hours?

[trendie]

I have been noticing that the Japenese sessions have been giving decent trading trends of late, and wondered how many people trade through the night!

Obviously it all depends where you are based, but what would you say are your primary trading sessions.

EDIT: I have broken it down to main sessions! Jap/Euro/US.

 

[investudo]

Trendie,

since I live on the West Coast, I tend to take a look at where the markets open for the Asian/Japanese session and then see if a trade sets up that I can take and hold overnight. It's kinda cool to wake up and see how it turned out.

How do you manage to trade all three sessions? Where are you located?

 

[trendie]

Trendie,

since I live on the West Coast, I tend to take a look at where the markets open for the Asian/Japanese session and then see if a trade sets up that I can take and hold overnight. It's kinda cool to wake up and see how it turned out.

How do you manage to trade all three sessions? Where are you located?

I dont! The question is to ask other traders what their main times were.
I am in the UK, so Euro and US sessions are my mains.

The reason for the poll was to see how many UK people get up at 4-am or so to trade the trendy tail-end of the Japanese sessions.

In retrospect, its a duff poll, as I should have stipulated scalpers or short-term players, I suppose.

 

[nine]

I used to "scalp" eurofx for 10-30 points. I am awake for the asian session but after reviewing volume and range during the various time periods I found I was best to wait until about 7am in Germany before considering entry. The asian period is much more likely to chop and have large bid ask spreads than the european morning.

 

[oilfxpro]

hI

The volume trades are conducted in the European and U S sessions and these sessions have the highest volatility.

Most professional traders trade the European and U S sessions cause of the currency sensitive newsflow releases

Cable best trading time is U K session

ILFXPRO

 

[Crap Buddist]

Art of war principles apply to Forex I think. Depends on the individual as well maybe time of strat and if they want to choose to make themselves available 24/ 6/7 . Its a great market where stop orders can be whipped between the book zones.

 

[wasp]

Never limit yourselves with the constraints of time.

Take the EURJPY this week for example, its best moves this week have been midnight, 7am and 4pm (GMT).

The forex markets are a flowing wave and to try and confine them in time periods is a dangerous game.

Trade the market and not what you desire as it is the master and anything can happen, at any time...

 

[oilfxpro]

Hi

Some people have 24 hour automated programs running .They can have a life and go spending the money while the program(unsupervised) earns the money

No good becoming a slave watching the screen 24 hours a day or getting stressed out.Let the programme get the white hairs

OILFXPRO

 

[FXSCALPER2]

I am basically a screen slave. I almost always watch the price when I am awake. If I didn't have to sleep, I would do it 24 hours a day. But then again, I am a f*ck*d up trader and I find the pub, golf courses, parks, trains, other people, etc more boring than watching the screen.

 

[zupcon]

Hi

Some people have 24 hour automated programs running .They can have a life and go spending the money while the program(unsupervised) earns the money

No good becoming a slave watching the screen 24 hours a day or getting stressed out.Let the programme get the white hairs

OILFXPRO

I am such a person, the problem however is that you then spend 24/7 ensuring that the technology that allows you trade in this way, remains problem free, its not as easy as everyone tries to make out. There are an awful lot of factors beyond your control.

Markets change, the research required to trade in this way is a never ending process, I quite regularly work 18 hour days now, and 7 days a week, whereas when I was manually trading, I'd quite happily limit myself to 2x2 hour sessions 3 or 4 times a week. Trading manually actually gave me a life, time to sail, time to socialize and have fun, automation took all of that away in one fell swoop !.

Anyone who claims the psychological stress is removed from auto trading clearly does not engage in the activity, one set of psychological issues are simply replaced by another.

Sorry but thats the reality of the situation

 

[oilfxpro]

Markets change, the research required to trade in this way is a never ending process,

Anyone who claims the psychological stress is removed from auto trading clearly does not engage in the activity, one set of psychological issues are simply replaced by another.

Zupcon

I am qualified to comment on the other issues that affect automated trading, since I have not completed a reliable programme that will stand the test of time

If one creates a program which adapts to the changing market conditions ,the vast majority of other problems are eliminated

Platforms change and programmes have to rewritten etc , so there is other continuing work all the time

The advantage being one does not become a slave of the markets.

OILFXPRO

OILFXPRO

 

[Crap Buddist]

Also some people have a passion for the whole thing. Like a chef in the kitchen 6 am- till midnight. Its passion. Not work, for some you dont have the choice, well maybe you do but you choose not to make it just yet. Selfish, ya.

If you hate trading, then maybe trade a short term strat and help out at the local zoo for the rest of your time or whatever, or find something you have a passion for and do that instead.

hmm maybe when cloning is legalised we all clone ourselves to trade the different time zones ,yah ?

 

[wasp]

Zupcon

I am qualified to comment on the other issues that affect automated trading, since I have not completed a reliable programme that will stand the test of time

If one creates a program which adapts to the changing market conditions ,the vast majority of other problems are eliminated

Platforms change and programmes have to rewritten etc , so there is other continuing work all the time

The advantage being one does not become a slave of the markets.

OILFXPRO

OILFXPRO

Nice idea in theory but don't agree it takes away from being 'a slave to the markets'.

You can quite easily set alerts for when price does X, Y or Z and some brokers platforms will email or text you when it does although a simple alarm will do the job.

With a simple alert/alarm system for certain price levels one can eat/drink/sleep/watch TV etc for minutes or hours at a time without needing to be at the screen all the time and thus not missing a thing still.

As for being a slave to the markets, you are, however you trade, we all are!

 

[FXSCALPER2]

Nice idea in theory but don't agree it takes away from being 'a slave to the markets'.

You can quite easily set alerts for when price does X, Y or Z and some brokers platforms will email or text you when it does although a simple alarm will do the job.

With a simple alert/alarm system for certain price levels one can eat/drink/sleep/watch TV etc for minutes or hours at a time without needing to be at the screen all the time and thus not missing a thing still.

As for being a slave to the markets, you are, however you trade, we all are!

One thing to do is have wall mounted screens everywhere in the house.

 

[Hoggums]

I personally just visit my trades & charts whenever is convenient. Usually several times in the day and probably once in the evening. Very often I'll do nothing but adjustments may be required now & then. I don't like to leave them unattended for more than a couple of days but I can do, I know I may lose a little but hey that's life. More important things to do than watch charts all day!

 

[gtatix]

I am basically a screen slave. I almost always watch the price when I am awake. If I didn't have to sleep, I would do it 24 hours a day. But then again, I am a f*ck*d up trader and I find the pub, golf courses, parks, trains, other people, etc more boring than watching the screen.

I can actually fully relate to this. Judging by my current popularity, you may want to change.
Do you think it is a money thing, or do you just feel a sense of accomplishment when the charts slide in your direction. Maybe you haven't bothered psychoanalyzing yourself at all? Apparently I do.

 

[gamma]

I think it all depends on what you want from the market.
As part of your plan you has to decide what you want each day or week.
I find the easiest and best time to trade is from 6am to 9 am gmt.
It gives you the tail of the Asian market and the opening of europe and on most days if you play safe you should bag 25 to 30 points by 9am leaving you free to do whatever you want for the rest of the day.I also think trading the U.S session is more risky (how many times have you made money in morning only to lose it all again in the afternoon)
Its only when you do not know exactly what you want from the market that you become a slave to it.

 

[oilfxpro]

I think it all depends on what you want from the market.
As part of your plan you has to decide what you want each day or week.
I find the easiest and best time to trade is from 6am to 9 am gmt.
It gives you the tail of the Asian market and the opening of europe and on most days if you play safe you should bag 25 to 30 points by 9am leaving you free to do whatever you want for the rest of the day.I also think trading the U.S session is more risky (how many times have you made money in morning only to lose it all again in the afternoon)
Its only when you do not know exactly what you want from the market that you become a slave to it.

Gamma

Probably has to do with daily range from midnight . By open of U S session more than 60 % of daily range may have been consumed ,leaving very little reward left ...for the risk involved

OILFXPRO

 

[gamma]

Gamma

Probably has to do with daily range from midnight . By open of U S session more than 60 % of daily range may have been consumed ,leaving very little reward left ...for the risk involved

OILFXPRO

Which is why I do not understand why people sit at their desks for 16 and 18 hour shifts.
It makes you unfit, lazy,lethargic all factors that affect your trading
Over a period of time I have come to realise how important it is to keep your self fit physically and mentally,

 

[Newk]

I think it all depends on what you want from the market.
As part of your plan you has to decide what you want each day or week.
I find the easiest and best time to trade is from 6am to 9 am gmt.
It gives you the tail of the Asian market and the opening of europe and on most days if you play safe you should bag 25 to 30 points by 9am leaving you free to do whatever you want for the rest of the day.I also think trading the U.S session is more risky (how many times have you made money in morning only to lose it all again in the afternoon)
Its only when you do not know exactly what you want from the market that you become a slave to it.

Hi Gamma,
I'm interested to know what you mean by 'play safe'?
I'm quite capable of making a some pips one morning, then losing it in the afternoon, and the next day, and the next week etc!

regards,
Newk