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Best time to trade gold: XAU/USD moves by hour (UK time)
Which hours gold moves most and least, measured from the site's own hourly XAU/USD prices, with the sessions behind the pattern and when our gold signals are posted.
In our own XAU/USD price data (14 trading days, 23 October to 11 November 2026), gold moved most in the hour from 13:00 to 14:00 UK time, an average of $14.26, followed by 14:00 to 15:00 ($12.55) and 01:00 to 02:00 ($12.42). The quietest hours were 20:00 to 21:00, 11:00 to 12:00, 23:00 to 00:00 UK time. By session, the London and New York overlap was the busiest in this sample, at $10.47 an hour, and the London morning the quietest, at $6.32.
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Our gold signals are posted during these active hours, with entry, stop and three targets.
Free, opens TelegramGold by trading session
Average move of gold per hour in each session, in dollars per ounce:
| Session | Average move per hour |
|---|---|
| Asian session (00:00 to 07:00 UK) | $9.30 |
| London morning (07:00 to 12:00 UK) | $6.32 |
| London and New York overlap (12:00 to 17:00 UK) | $10.47 |
| New York afternoon (17:00 to 22:00 UK) | $7.26 |
Gold moves by hour of the day (UK time)
Each figure is the average absolute change of XAU/USD from one hourly snapshot to the next, on weekdays while the market is open. A bigger number means a busier hour, with more room for a trade to reach its targets and more risk if it does not.
| Hour (UK time) | Average move | Hours in sample | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 00:00 to 01:00 | $9.75 | 13 | |
| 01:00 to 02:00 | $12.42 | 14 | |
| 02:00 to 03:00 | $9.57 | 14 | |
| 03:00 to 04:00 | $8.73 | 14 | |
| 04:00 to 05:00 | $5.21 | 14 | |
| 05:00 to 06:00 | $11.30 | 14 | |
| 06:00 to 07:00 | $8.09 | 13 | |
| 07:00 to 08:00 | $6.61 | 13 | |
| 08:00 to 09:00 | $9.39 | 13 | |
| 09:00 to 10:00 | $5.71 | 13 | |
| 10:00 to 11:00 | $5.42 | 13 | |
| 11:00 to 12:00 | $4.46 | 13 | |
| 12:00 to 13:00 | $8.27 | 13 | |
| 13:00 to 14:00 | $14.26 | 13 | |
| 14:00 to 15:00 | $12.55 | 13 | |
| 15:00 to 16:00 | $8.30 | 13 | |
| 16:00 to 17:00 | $8.95 | 13 | |
| 17:00 to 18:00 | $7.17 | 12 | |
| 18:00 to 19:00 | $5.62 | 12 | |
| 19:00 to 20:00 | $10.89 | 13 | |
| 20:00 to 21:00 | $3.97 | 8 | |
| 22:00 to 23:00 | $5.78 | 4 | |
| 23:00 to 00:00 | $5.15 | 10 |
Source: the Forexuro hourly price snapshots (the same feed as XAU/USD today and the live rates). The sample grows by one trading day every day, and the table is recalculated each morning. In the weeks when the UK and the US change their clocks on different dates, US data and the New York open fall an hour earlier in UK time.
Why gold moves more at these times
London is the centre of the physical gold market: the LBMA Gold Price is set there at 10:30 and 15:00 UK time, and the big bullion banks are active from the London open. Most US data that moves gold, payrolls, inflation and retail sales, is released at 13:30 UK time, and the New York session overlaps with London until about 17:00 UK time, which is why the 13:00 UK hour stands out in this sample. News from Asia or the Middle East can make the overnight hours just as busy, so the ranking changes from month to month; the page recalculates it every morning.
Forexuro posts free gold signals every trading day, usually between about 05:00 and 15:00 UK time, so most of them land in the London session and the start of the overlap. See how our gold signals work, today's XAU/USD analysis and whether the market is open now.
Key facts
- Most active hour for gold in our data: 13:00 to 14:00 UK time, average move $14.26.
- Sample: 14 trading days of hourly XAU/USD snapshots.
Updated · Source: Forexuro hourly XAU/USD snapshots
Frequently asked questions
What time of day does gold move the most?
In our own XAU/USD data the most active hour was 13:00 to 14:00 UK time, and the busiest session was the London and New York overlap. The figures on the page are recalculated every morning.
What time does the gold market open?
Gold (XAU/USD) opens on Sunday at 18:00 New York time, which is 23:00 UK time for most of the year, and closes on Friday at 17:00 New York time, with a one-hour pause every weekday from 17:00 to 18:00 New York time.
Does gold move in the Asian session?
Yes. In our current sample gold averaged $10.47 an hour in its busiest session (London and New York overlap) and $9.30 an hour in the Asian session. Our gold signals are posted between about 05:00 and 15:00 UK time, from the end of the Asian hours through London.
When are Forexuro gold signals posted?
Every trading day, usually between about 05:00 and 15:00 UK time, in the free Telegram channel. Each signal has an entry, a stop loss and three targets.
Trading gold and forex carries a high risk of loss, and past results cannot guarantee future returns. Education only, not financial advice. Risk disclosure.