Weekend close: when "Friday close" isn't the same everywhere

[Fairman]

Weekend close: when "Friday close" isn't the same everywhere

The forex week doesn't end at one universal moment. Brokers close their servers at different times on Friday, usually between 4:55pm and 5:05pm New York, with some stopping a bit earlier.

The difference matters when positions are held into the close or when orders are expected to trigger near the end of the week. One broker's last tradable quote may be five minutes earlier than another's.

Some brokers also close particular pairs earlier than others. Exotics may stop at 4pm, while majors go on until 5pm. The spec sheet normally lists session times, though they're often given in server time.

The weekend gap itself is anchored to each broker's last quote. Two brokers can show different Friday closes, and different Sunday opens, even though the market was the same.

For scalpers, the practical effect is simple. Flatten well before the broker's own close, not the market's, and verify the exact time in the symbol's session table.

The same applies to the Sunday open. Brokers reopen on a slightly different schedule, so a Sunday evening setup might be available on one platform several minutes before another.

When does the last tradable quote of the week arrive on the broker used here?

[FXS Prop Desk]

The difference matters when positions are held into the close or when orders are expected to trigger near the end of the week.

Knowing the exact Friday close time for the specific broker matters for anyone with orders near the end of the week. A pending order that does not trigger before the server shuts can trigger at the Sunday open price after a gap instead.