Gold trading hours: when to trade gold
Gold is one of the most-traded precious metals on the market, but when is the best time to trade gold? Here, we go through the trading times of different gold markets, and we explain different ways that you can trade gold.
What are the trading times of gold markets?
The trading times of gold markets depend on whether you are trading on spot, futures or options prices. IG offers spread bets and CFD trading on spot gold prices between our standard market hours of 11pm Sunday to 10pm (UK time) Friday.
We also enable you to speculate on gold futures with spread bets and CFDs. Our gold futures trading hours are 24 hours a day, five days a week, except between 10pm to 11pm (UK time).
For trading on gold options, IG offers spread betting and CFD trading on daily options between 7.30am on Monday until 9.15pm on Friday (UK time). As well as daily options, we also offer weekly and monthly options.
| Weekly open (UK time) | Close (UK time) | |
| Spot | 11pm (Sunday) | 10pm (Friday) |
| Futures | 11pm (Sunday) | 10pm (the following day until Friday) |
| Options | 10am | 6.25pm |
Spread bets and CFDs enable you to speculate on the price of gold without having to take ownership or delivery of the underlying market. This means that they can be used to take a position on the price of gold rising (by going long), as well as falling (by going short).
To trade gold today, follow the steps below:
- Create or log in to your IG account
- Learn what moves the price of gold
- Decide whether you want to go long or short
- Take steps to manage your risk
- Open and monitor your position
When is the best time to trade gold?
There are different times when a trader might want to take a position on gold. This is because, the market price is determined by current political and economic conditions around the world which might cause shifts in supply and demand. An increased supply but consistent demand will lead to lower prices, and a reduced supply but consistent demand will lead to lower prices.
However, many traders accept that gold is a ‘safe-haven’ asset, meaning that in times of economic uncertainty, it retains its value, or it might even increase. This is because more and more market participants will look to store their money in gold rather than in other assets, which causes demand to outstrip supply.
What are the ways to trade gold?
There are four primary ways to trade gold: trading at spot prices, trading futures, trading with options and by investing directly in gold.
- Spot prices enable you to take a position on the current market value of gold
- Trading futures enables you to speculate on the price of gold futures rising or falling
- Trading gold options means you are taking a position on the price of a gold options contract
This information has been prepared by IG, a trading name of IG Markets Limited. In addition to the disclaimer below, the material on this page does not contain a record of our trading prices, or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instrument. IG accepts no responsibility for any use that may be made of these comments and for any consequences that result. No representation or warranty is given as to the accuracy or completeness of this information. Consequently any person acting on it does so entirely at their own risk. Any research provided does not have regard to the specific investment objectives, financial situation and needs of any specific person who may receive it. It has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such is considered to be a marketing communication. Although we are not specifically constrained from dealing ahead of our recommendations we do not seek to take advantage of them before they are provided to our clients.
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1In the case of all DFBs, there is a fixed expiry at some point in the future.
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