Forex guide · 5 min read · Updated 8 October 2026

How to trade the London open

Why the first move at the London open is often a trap, how to tell a stop hunt from a real breakout, and a patient way to trade GBPUSD from 08:00 UK time.

At 08:00 UK time London opens and GBPUSD wakes up. The first move is fast and convincing, and it is often the wrong one to follow.

Why the first move is often a trap

Large orders need liquidity to fill. The nearest liquidity at the open is the stops sitting beyond the Asia range. Price frequently runs to them first, then turns. Traders who jumped on that first push get caught when it reverses.

Sweep or breakout?

• Sweep: a quick poke through the level and back inside within a candle or two.
• Breakout: candles close beyond the level and keep going.

Ask three questions. Did it close back inside fast? Is there a change of character the other way? Was the morning balanced, or one long run in one direction? A strong one way drive into London makes a reversal much less likely.

A patient routine

1. 06:00 to 08:00: mark the Asia range and check the news calendar.
2. 08:00 onwards: watch which side is taken. Do nothing on the first push.
3. Wait for the change of character, then the pullback.
4. If none of that happens by about 10:30, the morning is done.

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