Gold trades almost 24 hours a day, five days a week. The market opens on Sunday at 18:00 New York time, which is 22:00 UTC in summer and 23:00 UTC in winter, and closes on Friday at 17:00 New York time. There is a one-hour break every day at the same time. The busiest period is the London–New York overlap, roughly 12:00 to 17:00 UTC.
Key takeaways
- The week runs from Sunday 18:00 to Friday 17:00 New York time, following the COMEX gold futures schedule.
- A daily break from 17:00 to 18:00 New York time interrupts trading for one hour.
- Liquidity peaks between the London afternoon gold auction at 15:00 London time and the New York morning.
- UTC times move by an hour twice a year because the schedule is anchored to New York.
- Your broker’s hours can differ by a few minutes, so check the symbol specification.
| Weekly open | Sunday 18:00 New York · 22:00 UTC summer / 23:00 UTC winter |
|---|---|
| Weekly close | Friday 17:00 New York · 21:00 UTC summer / 22:00 UTC winter |
| Daily break | 17:00–18:00 New York · 21:00–22:00 UTC summer / 22:00–23:00 UTC winter |
| Busiest window | About 12:00–17:00 UTC |
| Quietest window | The hour either side of the daily break, and the mid-Asian session |
| London gold auctions | 10:30 and 15:00 London time |
| Marketsall hours | Shown in the symbol specification in MetaTrader 5 |
Gold trading hours in UTC
| Event | New York time | UTC in summer | UTC in winter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opens | Sunday 18:00 | Sunday 22:00 | Sunday 23:00 |
| Daily break | 17:00–18:00, Monday to Thursday | 21:00–22:00 | 22:00–23:00 |
| Closes | Friday 17:00 | Friday 21:00 | Friday 22:00 |
There is no single gold exchange. Prices come from London’s over-the-counter market, from COMEX futures in New York and from Shanghai, and CFD providers generally follow the New York futures timetable. “Summer” here means the period when the United States observes daylight saving time, from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November. For about three weeks a year the US and Europe are out of step, which shifts the London–New York overlap by an hour; see how daylight saving time changes trading hours.
How gold behaves in each session
| Session | UTC | Character | What to watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asia | 23:00–07:00 | Quieter; physical demand from China and India sets the tone | Shanghai benchmark prices, Chinese data |
| London morning | 07:00–12:00 | Liquidity builds; the 10:30 London auction sets a reference price | European data, dollar moves |
| London–New York overlap | 12:00–17:00 | Deepest liquidity, tightest spreads, largest moves | US CPI, Non-Farm Payrolls, the 15:00 London auction |
| New York afternoon | 17:00–21:00 | Thins out; reacts to Fed statements at 18:00 or 19:00 UTC | FOMC meetings |
| Around the break | 21:00–23:00 | Thinnest of the day; spreads widest | Avoid placing tight stops here |
What happens at the Sunday open?
Anything that happened since Friday is priced in the first seconds. If the news was significant, the first quote can sit well away from Friday’s close, and stop orders are filled at the first available price, not at their level. That is gap risk. The currency market opens at the same moment: see what time the forex market opens on Sunday.
Holidays and early closes
US holidays matter most because New York futures set the timetable. On days such as Thanksgiving, Independence Day and Christmas the market may close early or not open, and liquidity on the surrounding days is thin. UK bank holidays remove London liquidity and the London auctions. Providers publish holiday schedules in advance. More in global market trading hours.
What it costs to trade gold as a CFD
Hours affect cost. Spreads on a gold CFD are tightest when the underlying market is busiest and widen sharply around the daily break. See what a CFD is and why spreads widen at night and around news.
| Cost | When it applies | Note for gold |
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Every trade, at entry | Varies most by time of day: narrowest 12:00–17:00 UTC, widest around the daily break and the Sunday open |
| Commission | Depends on instrument and account type | Shown in the symbol specification in MetaTrader 5 |
| Swap / overnight financing | Positions held past the daily rollover | Charged once per day at the rollover, which falls at the daily break. |
| Slippage | Fast markets, gaps, news | Most likely at the Sunday open, at the reopen after the daily break and on US data |
Key risks
Break and reopen. Orders cannot be changed during the break, and the reopening price can differ from the close.
Sunday gaps. Weekend news is priced instantly at the open.
Thin hours. The same order moves the price further and costs more in the quiet parts of the day.
Clock changes. UTC times shift twice a year, and for a few weeks the US and Europe are out of step.
Risk warning. Trading CFDs carries a high level of risk since leverage can work both to your advantage and disadvantage. As a result, the products offered on this website may not be suitable for all investors because of the risk of losing all of your invested capital. You should never invest money that you cannot afford to lose, and never trade with borrowed money.
How to trade gold at Marketsall
Gold is listed as XAUUSD on MetaTrader 5 and Web Trader. The trading hours that apply to your account are shown in the symbol specification.
Frequently asked questions
What time does the gold market open?
The gold market opens on Sunday at 18:00 New York time, which is 22:00 UTC when the United States is on daylight saving time and 23:00 UTC in winter. From Monday to Thursday it reopens at the same time after a one-hour daily break.
When is gold most active?
Gold is most active between about 12:00 and 17:00 UTC, when London and New York are both open. US economic data at 08:30 New York time and the London afternoon gold auction at 15:00 London time fall in this window, and spreads are usually at their tightest.
Why do gold spreads widen at night?
Around the daily break and in the mid-Asian session few dealers are active, so there is less competition to quote tight prices and more risk for those who do. Spreads widen to reflect that and narrow again as London opens.
Related reading
Mark gold's busiest data days
Spend a few minutes each weekend noting which US CPI, payroll and FOMC dates land in the week ahead on the economic calendar, then decide how open gold positions will be handled at each; Economic Calendar: Plan Your Week sets out that routine.
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