ICT Kill Zones and Gold Trading Sessions: Asia, London and New York Times
Lesson 7 of 10 · Intermediate
Why does time matter when trading gold?
The gold market is open almost 24 hours a day, but the quality of moves is not uniform across the day. Trading volume, market depth and the number of participants differ greatly from hour to hour. In low-volume hours, moves are often slow and erratic; in high-volume hours, you see more directional moves and also more violent sweeps.
In ICT material, the time windows in which meaningful moves are expected are called kill zones. The idea is that rather than sitting at the chart all day, a trader concentrates attention on a few defined windows. The idea is consistent with the structure of the market: the opening of the financial centres in London and New York, and the release of US economic data, noticeably raise participation.
Kill zone times in New York, London and UTC
Kill zone definitions differ a little between educators. The table below shows a common version. ICT's reference clock is New York time (ET). Because the US and the UK/Europe change their clocks on different dates, UTC offsets move during the year, so the table gives the UTC equivalents for both US summer time (EDT) and US winter time (EST). London times are given in local London time, which for most of the year is exactly five hours ahead of New York.
| Window | New York (ET) | London (local) | UTC (US summer) | UTC (US winter) |
| Asian session (range) | 20:00 to 00:00 | 01:00 to 05:00 | 00:00 to 04:00 | 01:00 to 05:00 |
| London kill zone | 02:00 to 05:00 | 07:00 to 10:00 | 06:00 to 09:00 | 07:00 to 10:00 |
| New York kill zone | 07:00 to 10:00 | 12:00 to 15:00 | 11:00 to 14:00 | 12:00 to 15:00 |
| London close | 10:00 to 12:00 | 15:00 to 17:00 | 14:00 to 16:00 | 15:00 to 17:00 |
One more subtlety: the US and Europe do not switch to and from daylight saving on the same dates. For a few weeks each year (late March, and late October into early November), the London to New York gap is four hours instead of five. During those weeks, double-check every time in the table.
Typical gold behaviour in each session
What follows are common patterns, not rules. Each one should be checked against your own data.
- Asia: often has a narrower range and builds a consolidation. For SMC traders, the high and low of this range become important liquidity pools. News about China or Asian physical demand can also generate moves in these hours.
- London: London is the main hub of physical and over-the-counter gold trading. In the London kill zone, gold often makes the first serious move of the day, and on many days it sweeps one side of the Asian range.
- New York: in this window, key US data are usually released at 08:30 New York time, with some more at 10:00. The traditional COMEX regular trading session also begins around 08:20 New York time. Together these factors make New York the most volatile part of the day for gold.
- London close: the LBMA gold price for the afternoon is set at 15:00 London time, which is about 10:00 in New York for most of the year. After that, the day's move sometimes corrects or consolidates.
Economic news and the calendar
For a gold trader, the economic calendar is part of timing analysis. Releases such as non-farm payrolls (NFP), consumer inflation (CPI), the Federal Reserve rate decision (usually at 14:00 New York time) and speeches by the Fed chair can move several levels in seconds.
At those moments, several things happen at once: broker spreads widen, slippage increases and initial moves may fully reverse within minutes. Many SMC traders either close positions before the news or do not open new trades for some minutes afterwards, and then analyse the new structure that has formed. Whatever approach you choose, write it into your trading plan in advance.
Practical use and limits
A kill zone is a time filter, not a signal. A setup that meets the structure, liquidity and zone conditions is, in this style, worth more if it occurs inside a kill zone. A setup outside a kill zone is not discarded, but is examined with more caution.
Another benefit of kill zones is energy management. With two defined windows, London in the morning and New York in the early afternoon (London time), a trader can focus their analysis and avoid aimless trading in low-volume hours.
The main limitation is that markets change over time. In one period gold's main moves may occur mostly in London and in another mostly in New York. The best practice is to record, each day, in which window the daily high and low formed and at what hour sweeps most often occurred. Your own statistics are more reliable than any general claim.
Common mistakes
- Using the clock times without allowing for the different US and European daylight saving dates
- Treating a kill zone as sufficient reason to enter without valid structure and a zone
- Trading the moment of an NFP or CPI release without a pre-written plan
- Ignoring the economic calendar and being surprised by speeches and rate decisions
- Insisting on trading low-volume hours just because you are available
What does volume say here?
The main claim of kill zones, that participation is higher in certain hours, can be measured directly with volume data. A relative volume by time of day chart on GC futures shows how each window's volume compares with the average for the same hour on previous days. If a sweep of the Asian range in the London kill zone comes with high relative volume, real participation was behind it; if it occurs on low volume, the market probably has not "woken up" yet and the move is shallow.
Splitting the Volume Profile by session is also useful. The Asian profile usually builds a narrow value area. When London leaves this area with volume and sustained delta, and value builds outside it, the move is initiative. When London only pokes out and returns to Asian value, the behaviour is responsive, which fits with a sweep interpretation. Note that CFD broker tick volume correlates with real volume but is not an exact substitute.
📊 See real gold futures volume behind these ideas: free order flow course · today's gold volume map
Frequently asked questions
What time is the London kill zone for gold in UTC?
In the common definition, the London kill zone is 02:00 to 05:00 New York time, which is 07:00 to 10:00 London time. In UTC that is 06:00 to 09:00 during US summer time and 07:00 to 10:00 during US winter time.
Should I avoid trading outside kill zones?
A kill zone is a filter, not a ban. You can examine setups outside it, but moves in low-volume hours are usually slower and more erratic. The final decision should rest on your own trade statistics.
What is the best time to trade gold?
The highest-volume windows are usually the London open and the London and New York overlap. But the most volatility is not necessarily the best time for every person; it depends on your style, risk tolerance and personal statistics.
Education only, not a recommendation to buy or sell; we never give signals. Price examples are illustrative. Test any method on a demo account first, with strict risk management.