Golden Week and other regional closures

[Amanhasnoname]

Japan's Golden Week, Chinese New Year, and similar events reduce the activity of local participants for several days. Pairs involving those currencies behave differently during these times.

Yen pairs can see lower liquidity and wider spreads, with moves driven by overseas flows. Chinese holidays affect the Asian session across the board, including AUD and NZD, since many flows tie back to China.

The result can be strange price action, such as sharp moves in thin conditions and odd reactions to news. A strategy calibrated on normal weeks may behave badly.

Some years have seen notable moves during these closures, since traders in other regions react to events while local markets are shut.

A calendar of regional holidays, marked on the chart or journal, helps prevent surprises. Comparing results during those periods with normal ones shows whether adjustments are needed.

Also keep in mind that holiday schedules vary by year, and some dates move.

Which regional holidays have affected the pairs traded, and how were they handled?