Master London, New York AM, and New York PM sessions. Learn how institutional traders exploit high-volatility periods to generate consistent profits with ICT setups and Order Blocks.
Kill zones are specific time windows during the forex trading day when institutional traders are most active, creating predictable patterns and high volatility. These periods are called "kill zones" because they're where smart money "kills" retail stops and generates quick, profitable moves.
In ICT (Inner Circle Trader) methodology, kill zones are perfectly aligned with Order Blocks and Fair Value Gaps. The three major kill zones are:
London is the world's forex capital. When the London market opens at 09:00 GMT, it represents the start of the European trading day and approximately 30% of all daily forex volume. Banks and hedge funds accumulate positions, create Order Blocks, and sweep liquidity to hunt retail stops.
Setup 1: London Order Block Retest - The first 30 minutes of London often create a strong Order Block. If price breaks above/below the Asia range, it often retraces back to that Order Block for a retest entry. This is a silver bullet setup.
Setup 2: FVG Fill + Continuation - Fair Value Gaps created during Asian hours are often filled during London Open. When filled, price continues in the direction of the gap fill (institutional direction).
Setup 3: Breaker Block Entry - A failed Order Block (Breaker) during London often provides aggressive entries for trend continuation.
EURUSD daily chart, Monday morning. Asia session high was 1.0950. At 09:00 GMT, London opens and price breaks above 1.0950, then sweeps to 1.0965 (hunting short stops), then retraces back to the Order Block around 1.0950. This is your entry signal. Set stop loss just above the sweep at 1.0968, target 1.0900-1.0880.
The New York AM session (13:00-15:00 GMT = 8:00-10:00 AM EST) overlaps with the tail-end of the London session. This 2-hour overlap is the HIGHEST volatility period of the entire forex day. American banks, hedge funds, and asset managers enter the market, and London dealers are still active, creating massive moves.
This zone is dangerous for retail traders because:
Setup 1: Quick Scalp Order Block - During NY AM, Order Blocks form and retest within 5-15 minutes. You can scalp quick 2:1 risk/reward trades, but you must exit quickly to avoid the whipsaw.
Setup 2: Liquidity Sweep + FVG Fill - Price sweeps a support/resistance level (hunting stops), then immediately fills a Fair Value Gap. Enter on the FVG fill with a tight stop loss.
Setup 3: Market Structure Shift (MSS) - In the NY AM chaos, price often creates a quick Market Structure Shift (new higher low or higher high), signaling a reversal. Aggressive traders enter at the MSS with the new trend.
Smart traders take 3-4 quick scalps during NY AM with small risk (0.5%), target 2:1 ratio, and exit. They don't hold through the entire session because the volatility is unpredictable. It's quantity of small wins, not one big winner.
The New York PM session (19:00-21:00 GMT = 2:00-4:00 PM EST) is when the American stock market closes and US cash forex dealers pack up. This creates another volatility spike, but different from NY AM. Positions are being squared off, stops are being hunted, and the market prepares for the Asian session tomorrow.
Setup 1: Trend Extension Order Block - The trend from NY AM continues into PM. Order Blocks form along the trend, offering great retest entries with clear risk management.
Setup 2: Daily High/Low Breaker - If PM price breaks the daily high or low set during AM, it often triggers a quick move. Enter the breakout, but be aware of overnight gap risk if you hold into Asian session.
Setup 3: FVG from London/NY AM Fill - Fair Value Gaps that weren't filled during London/NY AM are often filled during PM. This creates predictable, low-risk entries.
Convert kill zones to YOUR time zone:
| Kill Zone | GMT Time | EST (New York) | CST (Chicago) | PST (LA) | AEST (Sydney) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| London Open | 09:00-11:00 | 04:00-06:00 AM | 03:00-05:00 AM | 01:00-03:00 AM | 20:00-22:00 (prev day) |
| NY AM (Overlap) | 13:00-15:00 | 08:00-10:00 AM | 07:00-09:00 AM | 05:00-07:00 AM | 00:00-02:00 (next day) |
| NY PM Close | 19:00-21:00 | 02:00-04:00 PM | 01:00-03:00 PM | 11:00 AM-01:00 PM | 06:00-08:00 (next day) |
Kill zones create ORDER, ORDER BLOCKS, and volatility. Combine them with ICT entry models for maximum edge:
Master kill zones with this step-by-step system:
Don't try to trade all three. Pick your time zone preference. If you're in Europe, trade London. If you're in US, trade NY AM/PM.
Use trading platform alerts or Google Calendar to notify you 30 minutes before kill zone starts. This gives you time to prepare your charts and analyze setups.
30 minutes before kill zone:
During the kill zone, watch for:
Learn the complete ICT trading system with kill zones, Order Blocks, FVG, and institutional entry patterns. Master the strategies that institutional traders use every single day.