The London session is the largest forex trading centre and its open injects a wave of liquidity and volatility into the market. After the quieter Asian hours, London often sets the tone for the day, expanding ranges and giving trends their first real push.
The London character
A frequent pattern is that London expands the range set overnight, sometimes sweeping the Asian high or low before choosing a direction. Scalpers watch those overnight extremes and the reaction to them, since a clean sweep and reversal, or a decisive break, can define the session's move.
Session times are only illustrative. London roughly opens around 08:00 UK time, but what you see on your platform depends on your broker's server time and shifts with daylight saving. Always confirm the actual hours on your own chart rather than trusting a fixed number from a course.
- London adds deep liquidity and expands overnight ranges.
- The Asian high and low are natural reference points to watch.
- Sweeps of those extremes can precede the real directional move.
- Session hours shift with daylight saving and broker server time.
London wakes the market up — watch the overnight extremes, and always verify the session hours on your own platform.