Is the forex market open on weekends?
Forex trades around the clock from Monday to Friday, then pauses for the weekend. Knowing the exact closing and reopening times in your time zone helps you avoid nasty surprises.
By the TradeFather education team · Updated 27 Oct 2026 · Educational content, not financial advice
- The market closes Friday around 5 pm New York time and reopens Sunday around 5 pm New York time.
- That is roughly Saturday early morning to Monday early morning in India and Pakistan.
- Prices can 'gap' at the Monday open, skipping past stop-losses.
- Liquidity is thin in the first and last hours of the week.
Weekly close and open in IST and PKT
US clocks change in March and November, so local times shift by one hour; India and Pakistan do not use daylight saving. Some brokers open a few minutes later or close slightly earlier — check your platform's trading hours.
In practice, the first real activity of the week is the Sydney and Tokyo sessions on Monday morning in South Asia.
| Event | New York | India (IST) | Pakistan (PKT) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weekly close (US summer time) | Fri 5:00 pm | Sat 2:30 am | Sat 2:00 am |
| Weekly open (US summer time) | Sun 5:00 pm | Mon 2:30 am | Mon 2:00 am |
| Weekly close (US winter time) | Fri 5:00 pm | Sat 3:30 am | Sat 3:00 am |
| Weekly open (US winter time) | Sun 5:00 pm | Mon 3:30 am | Mon 3:00 am |
What is a weekend gap?
News keeps happening on weekends — elections, central bank comments, geopolitical events. When the market reopens, the first price can be far from Friday's close.
A stop-loss is filled at the next available price, so in a gap it can close the trade at a worse level than you set. This is gap risk.
Handling trades over the weekend
- 1Decide by Friday
Close or reduce trades you are not comfortable holding through a gap.
- 2Check swap
Wednesday usually carries triple swap; weekend holding adds cost on some accounts.
- 3Avoid the open
Spreads are often wide in the first hour on Monday; wait for normal liquidity.
- 4Use the weekend
Review your journal and mark levels instead of trading.
Frequently asked questions
+Is forex open on Saturday?
No. The spot forex market is closed from Friday evening New York time until Sunday evening New York time.
+What time does forex open on Monday in India?
Around 2:30 am IST during US summer time and 3:30 am IST during US winter time.
+What time does forex close on Friday in Pakistan?
Around 2:00 am PKT on Saturday in US summer time, or 3:00 am PKT in US winter time.