AUD and NZD pairs at the Sydney open
Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2026 11:09 pm
A few hours after the Sunday gap, the Monday session in Sydney starts, and AUD and NZD pairs are the first to see real two-way flow. Spreads on AUDUSD and NZDUSD are wider than they will be later in the day, sometimes by a factor of two.
Because these pairs have lower volume than EURUSD, a modest order moves price more noticeably. Spikes appear, and then reverse, when a larger counterparty steps in. Tick charts look jagged.
Data from China and Australia often lands in this window, and the reaction can be sharp. AUD is also a popular proxy for broader risk sentiment, so equity futures moving at the open feed into price.
For scalpers, the first hour of the Sydney session can offer opportunities, but the cost of entering and exiting can be higher than it appears. A trade that looks like it should make two pips can lose a pip just from spread on the way in and out.
It helps to compare the spread in this hour with the spread two hours later. The difference is often a surprise.
How much wider is the AUDUSD spread at the Sydney open than at midday Tokyo?
Because these pairs have lower volume than EURUSD, a modest order moves price more noticeably. Spikes appear, and then reverse, when a larger counterparty steps in. Tick charts look jagged.
Data from China and Australia often lands in this window, and the reaction can be sharp. AUD is also a popular proxy for broader risk sentiment, so equity futures moving at the open feed into price.
For scalpers, the first hour of the Sydney session can offer opportunities, but the cost of entering and exiting can be higher than it appears. A trade that looks like it should make two pips can lose a pip just from spread on the way in and out.
It helps to compare the spread in this hour with the spread two hours later. The difference is often a surprise.
How much wider is the AUDUSD spread at the Sydney open than at midday Tokyo?