What the Asia range is
The Asia range is simply the highest high and lowest low printed during the Asia session window. The playbook defaults to 09:00–15:00 Tokyo time, which is 00:00–06:00 UTC all year because Japan does not use daylight saving. It is a reference range: the playbook does not look for entries during it by default.
Default session windows
Session times and daylight saving
Session times belong to cities, not to your clock. London uses GMT in winter and BST in summer; New York switches between EST and EDT; and they change on different dates. A table of fixed times in one local time zone (for example Indian Standard Time) will be wrong for part of the year.
Notes such as "Asia 05:30–14:30, London 13:30–22:30, New York 18:30–03:30 IST" are rough approximations for one part of the year only. Use the session clock to convert the windows for the exact date you are studying, and check that the defaults suit the instrument you trade.
Session clock
Calculated in your browserChoose your time zone and a date to see each session in your local time and in UTC, with daylight saving applied.
| Session | Defined as (local time) | In your time zone | UTC |
|---|---|---|---|
Asia Reference range | 09:00–15:00 Asia/Tokyo | 00:00 UTC – 06:00 UTC | 00:00–06:00 |
LondonOpen now Execution window | 08:00–16:30 Europe/London | 08:00 UTC – 16:30 UTC | 08:00–16:30 |
New York AM Execution window | 08:00–12:00 America/New_York | 12:00 UTC – 16:00 UTC | 12:00–16:00 |
New York PM Reference range | 12:00–17:00 America/New_York | 16:00 UTC – 21:00 UTC | 16:00–21:00 |
These are default windows used in the lessons, not official exchange hours. Desks and instruments define them slightly differently, so check them for what you trade. London and New York change their clocks on different dates, so for a few weeks each spring and autumn the gap between them is an hour shorter. Pick a date in March or late October to see it.
Using the range
Once Asia ends, the high and low are fixed. A tight range means the levels are close together and both may be tested. A wide range already contains much of the day's typical movement, which leaves less room for targets. In both cases the range is a map, not a prediction: London can sweep one side, break out and hold, or stay inside.
The Asia range on gold
Bullish example
- 1After Asia closes, mark its high and low.
- 2With a bullish 4H bias, watch the Asia low during London.
- 3If price trades below the Asia low and closes back above it, note a possible sweep.
- 4Only consider a long after displacement and a full checklist, with the Asia high or PDH as the first target.
Bearish example
- 1Mark the Asia high and low.
- 2With a bearish 4H bias, watch the Asia high during London.
- 3If price trades above the Asia high and closes back below it, note a possible sweep.
- 4Only consider a short after displacement and a full checklist, with the Asia low or PDL as the first target.
What confirms it?
- The Asia window has closed, so its high and low are fixed.
- The session times were converted for the correct date and daylight-saving period.
- Price reacts at an Asia extreme during an enabled execution window.
What invalidates it?
- Measuring the range from the wrong hours (for example after a daylight-saving change).
- Using the range before Asia has closed, while the high or low can still change.
- A London close beyond the range that holds: the range has been broken and accepted.
Common mistakes
- Copying session times from a note without checking daylight saving.
- Trading inside the Asia range just because it is quiet.
- Assuming London will always sweep the Asia high or low.
- Treating a very wide Asia range the same as a tight one.
Replay exercise
- Use the session clock to find the Asia, London and New York AM windows in your time zone for a date in March and a date in July.
- In replay, stop the gold chart at the end of Asia on both dates and mark the range.
- Note whether London swept one side, broke out and held, or stayed inside.
Quick quiz
Pick an answer to see the explanation. Nothing is saved.