Short answer
In South Africa, the most active window for major currency pairs is 15:00–19:00 local time, when the London and New York sessions overlap.
Open right now (South Africa time)
| Local time | |
|---|---|
| Forex market | Opencloses in 102 h 42 min (Sat 00:00) |
| Sydney | Closedopens in 5 h 42 min (Mon 23:00) |
| Tokyo | Closedopens in 8 h 42 min (Tue 02:00) |
| London | Opencloses in 1 h 42 min (Mon 19:00) |
| New York | Opencloses in 6 h 42 min (Tue 00:00) |
| London–New York overlap | Opencloses in 1 h 42 min (Mon 19:00) |
Updates every 30 seconds in your browser. Holidays are not taken into account.
Sessions in local time
| Session | Opens (SAST) | Closes (SAST) |
|---|---|---|
| Sydney | 23:00 | 08:00 |
| Tokyo | 02:00 | 11:00 |
| London | 10:00 | 19:00 |
| New York | 15:00 | 00:00 |
| NYSE (stocks) | 16:30 | 23:00 |
| London–New York overlap | 15:00–19:00 | |
Times shift by one hour when Europe, the US or Australia change clocks. This page recalculates them in your browser.
Weekly market calendar in South Africa time
Real forex market: from Sunday 17:00 to Friday 17:00 New York time (the interbank week). Outside these hours brokers show only OTC quotes that they set themselves.
- Forex market
- Sydney
- Tokyo
- London
- New York
- London–New York overlap
- closed: OTC quotes only
- Monday 2 Nov
- Forex market: 00:00–24:00
- Sydney: 00:00–08:00, 23:00–24:00
- Tokyo: 02:00–11:00
- London: 10:00–19:00
- New York: 15:00–24:00
- London–New York overlap: 15:00–19:00
- Tuesday 3 Nov
- Forex market: 00:00–24:00
- Sydney: 00:00–08:00, 23:00–24:00
- Tokyo: 02:00–11:00
- London: 10:00–19:00
- New York: 15:00–24:00
- London–New York overlap: 15:00–19:00
- Wednesday 4 Nov
- Forex market: 00:00–24:00
- Sydney: 00:00–08:00, 23:00–24:00
- Tokyo: 02:00–11:00
- London: 10:00–19:00
- New York: 15:00–24:00
- London–New York overlap: 15:00–19:00
- Thursday 5 Nov
- Forex market: 00:00–24:00
- Sydney: 00:00–08:00, 23:00–24:00
- Tokyo: 02:00–11:00
- London: 10:00–19:00
- New York: 15:00–24:00
- London–New York overlap: 15:00–19:00
- Friday 6 Nov
- Forex market: 00:00–24:00
- Sydney: 00:00–08:00
- Tokyo: 02:00–11:00
- London: 10:00–19:00
- New York: 15:00–24:00
- London–New York overlap: 15:00–19:00
- Saturday 7 Nov
- Forex market: Closed
- Sydney: Closed
- Tokyo: Closed
- London: Closed
- New York: Closed
- London–New York overlap: Closed
- Sunday 8 Nov
- Forex market: Closed
- Sydney: Closed
- Tokyo: Closed
- London: Closed
- New York: Closed
- London–New York overlap: Closed
Week starting 2 November 2026. The table recalculates in your browser for the current week, so clock changes are always applied.
In South Africa the forex week closes on Saturday at 00:00 and reopens on Monday at 00:00 local time: a weekend gap of 48 hours.
Exchange and bank holidays are not shown.
Clock changes in the next 12 months and what moves in South Africa
South Africa does not change its clocks, so every shift below comes from clock changes abroad.
| Date | Clock change | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| USA (New York) forward 1 hour |
| |
| UK and EU (London) forward 1 hour |
| |
| Australia (Sydney) back 1 hour |
| |
| Australia (Sydney) forward 1 hour |
| |
| UK and EU (London) back 1 hour |
|
Dates come from the IANA time zone database. Rows disappear automatically once a date has passed.
Most active hours by asset
| Asset | Most active hours (SAST) |
|---|---|
| EUR/USD | 15:00–19:00 |
| GBP/USD | 15:00–19:00 |
| USD/JPY | 02:00–11:00 |
| AUD/USD | 02:00–08:00 |
| USD/CAD | 15:00–00:00 |
| EUR/JPY | 10:00–11:00 |
| GBP/JPY | 10:00–11:00 |
| Gold (XAU/USD) | 15:00–19:00 |
| Silver (XAG/USD) | 15:00–19:00 |
| Crude oil (WTI) | 15:00–00:00 |
| Apple (AAPL) | 16:30–23:00 |
| Tesla (TSLA) | 16:30–23:00 |
| Bitcoin, Ethereum | Trades 24/7. Liquidity is highest during US and European hours. |
The forex market is closed from Friday evening to Sunday evening New York time. At weekends brokers offer OTC quotes set by the broker.
Market-moving releases in local time
| Release | How often | UTC | South Africa (SAST) |
|---|---|---|---|
| US jobs report (NFP) | Monthly, usually the first Friday | 13:30 | 15:30 |
| US inflation (CPI) | Monthly, around mid-month | 13:30 | 15:30 |
| Federal Reserve rate decision (FOMC) | 8 times a year | 19:00 | 21:00 |
| ECB rate decision | About every 6 weeks | 13:15 | 15:15 |
| Bank of England rate decision | 8 times a year | 12:00 | 14:00 |
| Reserve Bank of Australia decision | 8 times a year | 03:30 | 05:30 |
| Bank of Canada rate decision | 8 times a year | 14:45 | 16:45 |
| US crude oil inventories (EIA) | Weekly, Wednesday | 15:30 | 17:30 |
| US stock market open | Monday–Friday | 14:30 | 16:30 |
For short expiries many traders pause 15 minutes before and after these releases. Times follow each publisher’s own clock, so they shift when Europe, the US or Australia change clocks. Check the official calendar for exact dates; holidays can move releases.
FAQ
When is the forex market most active?
In South Africa, the most active window for major currency pairs is 15:00–19:00 local time, when the London and New York sessions overlap.
Is the forex market open on weekends?
No. It closes on Friday evening New York time and reopens on Sunday evening. Brokers may offer OTC prices at weekends.
Does South Africa change its clocks for daylight saving time?
No. South Africa keeps the same time all year, but session times in South Africa still move by an hour when other regions change clocks. The next change is on 14 March 2027 (USA (New York)).