Forex Trading Sessions in Singapore: Best Times to Trade & Session Overlaps (SGT)
BY TIOmarkets
|March 19, 2026The forex market is open 24 hours a day, 5 days per week, but trading conditions vary considerably depending on which financial centres are active at any given time.
Liquidity, spread behaviour, and the potential for sustained price movement all shift across the trading day.
For forex traders in Singapore, understanding how the three global forex sessions map to Singapore Standard Time (SGT) is a practical foundation for building a trading routine.
Singapore's Position in the Global Forex Market
Singapore is one of the world's leading financial centres and one of the largest forex trading hubs in Asia. The Singapore Exchange and the broader financial infrastructure of the city-state mean that Singapore is not simply observing the Asian session from a distance; it is one of its core participants alongside Tokyo and Hong Kong.
Singapore Standard Time is UTC+8. Unlike many other markets, Singapore does not observe daylight saving time. The SGT offset is fixed year-round, which means the relationship between SGT and the major session open and close times does not shift seasonally. This makes session time planning straightforward for Singapore-based traders.
The Three Major Forex Sessions
The Asian Session
The Asian session is the first major session of the trading week. It encompasses the financial centres of Tokyo, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Sydney. For traders in Singapore, this session begins during the morning and runs through much of the working day, making it the most naturally accessible session for those trading alongside a standard schedule.
The Asian session typically runs from approximately 00:00 to 09:00 UTC. In SGT (UTC+8), this translates to approximately 08:00 to 17:00. Singapore itself contributes meaningful liquidity during this session, particularly in USD/SGD and other Asian currency pairs, as well as in JPY and AUD pairs.
Overall price ranges during the Asian session tend to be narrower than during the European and North American sessions, and spreads on some major pairs can be somewhat wider outside of peak liquidity. However, for pairs involving Asian currencies, the Asian session is generally the most active and liquid period of the day.
The London Session
The London session is the largest forex trading session by volume globally. It opens as European markets come online and drives the highest levels of liquidity across the major currency pairs, particularly those involving EUR, GBP, and CHF.
The London session typically runs from approximately 08:00 to 17:00 GMT (UTC+0). In SGT, this translates to approximately 16:00 to 01:00 (next day). During British Summer Time (BST, UTC+1, roughly late March to late October), the London session opens one hour earlier in UTC terms, shifting the SGT equivalent to approximately 15:00 to 00:00.
For Singapore traders, the London session falls in the late afternoon and evening, which is a more accessible window than for traders in Australia or further east. Spreads on major pairs are typically at their tightest during the London session, and price movement tends to be more sustained and directional than during the Asian session alone.
The New York Session
The New York session opens while London trading is still active, creating the most liquid and high-volume overlap of the trading day. It typically runs from approximately 13:00 to 22:00 UTC. In SGT, this translates to approximately 21:00 to 06:00 (next day).
The New York session generates significant volume in USD pairs including EUR/USD, GBP/USD, USD/JPY, USD/CAD, and AUD/USD. Major US economic data releases, including non-farm payrolls, CPI figures, and Federal Reserve announcements, fall within this session and can produce sharp short-term price movements.
For Singapore traders, the New York session begins in the evening and extends through the night. Traders who target US data releases or the late-session USD momentum will need to plan around evening and overnight hours.
Session Overlaps: The Highest Activity Periods
The periods where two major sessions run simultaneously are generally the most active in terms of volume, liquidity, and price movement. Two overlaps are relevant for Singapore traders.
Asian and London Overlap
There is a brief window each day when the tail end of the Asian session and the opening of the London session coincide. This typically occurs between approximately 08:00 and 09:00 UTC, which in SGT translates to approximately 16:00 to 17:00. This is a particularly convenient window for Singapore traders as it falls in the late afternoon during normal working hours.
While this overlap is shorter than the London/New York overlap, it can produce a pickup in activity as European traders react to Asian session price action. EUR/JPY, GBP/JPY, and EUR/SGD pairs tend to see increased movement during this transition period. It is also the point at which spreads on major EUR pairs typically begin to tighten as London liquidity enters the market.
London and New York Overlap
This is the most significant overlap in the forex trading day. It occurs when both London and New York are open simultaneously, typically from approximately 13:00 to 17:00 UTC. In SGT, this falls at approximately 21:00 to 01:00 (next day).
During this overlap, liquidity in major pairs is at its peak, spreads are typically at their tightest, and the largest single-session price moves most commonly occur. For Singapore traders, this window falls in the late evening, which is accessible for those willing to trade after normal working hours.
Session Times Summary (Singapore Standard Time)
The Asian session runs from approximately 00:00 to 09:00 UTC, which is 08:00 to 17:00 SGT. The London session runs from approximately 08:00 to 17:00 UTC (GMT), which is 16:00 to 01:00 SGT, extending into the following calendar day. The New York session runs from approximately 13:00 to 22:00 UTC, which is 21:00 to 06:00 SGT, also extending into the following day. The Asian/London overlap runs from approximately 08:00 to 09:00 UTC, which is 16:00 to 17:00 SGT. The London/New York overlap runs from approximately 13:00 to 17:00 UTC, which is 21:00 to 01:00 SGT.
All London and New York times above are given for GMT (UTC+0). During British Summer Time (BST, UTC+1, roughly late March to late October), London opens one hour earlier in UTC, which shifts all SGT equivalents for the London session and London/New York overlap one hour earlier.
What This Means for Singapore Traders
Singapore's UTC+8 time zone puts traders in a genuinely advantageous position relative to many other Asian markets. The Asian session aligns with business hours, the Asian/London overlap falls in the late afternoon, and the London session extends into the evening, all of which are reasonably accessible for traders who are not restricted to daytime hours.
Compared to traders in Tokyo (UTC+9) or Sydney (UTC+10/11), Singapore traders see the London session open slightly earlier in local time, which means the transition into the highest-liquidity period of the day happens at a more convenient hour. The Asian/London overlap at 16:00 to 17:00 SGT is particularly well positioned for traders who can trade in the late afternoon.
The London/New York overlap, which represents peak global liquidity, falls between 21:00 and 01:00 SGT. While this extends into the late evening and early morning, it is more accessible for Singapore traders than for those in Australia, where the equivalent window falls between midnight and 04:00.
For longer-term trading styles such as swing trading or position trading, specific session timing matters less because trades are held for multiple days and managed at higher timeframes. For shorter-term approaches such as scalping or intraday trading, session timing and its effect on liquidity and spread behaviour become more important considerations.
Spreads, Liquidity, and News Events
Spreads on variable-spread accounts widen and tighten in response to market conditions. During high-liquidity periods, particularly the London session and the London/New York overlap, spreads on major pairs are typically at their tightest. During lower-liquidity periods, including the quieter parts of the Asian session and the period between the New York close and the Sydney open, spreads can widen.
High-impact economic data releases can cause spreads to widen sharply immediately before and after the announcement, regardless of session. This is particularly relevant for US data releases that fall during the New York session, which in SGT terms means events typically scheduled between 21:00 and 23:00. Orders are executed at the best available market price, which may result in positive or negative slippage, particularly during fast-moving or low-liquidity conditions.
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