Forex guide · 6 min read · Updated 8 October 2026
The New York 1pm break and retest
Mark the 13:00 to 13:15 UK candle, wait for the 14:30 UK stock open, then trade the midline retest after a break. Rules, stops, targets and how it fits with the London sweep.
London is our main session, but New York gives a second, simpler look in the afternoon. This guide sets out the 1pm break and retest, with every time in UK time: one zone, one break, one retest. It works alongside the Asia sweep, not instead of it.
The rules
- Mark the 1pm zone. The 13:00 to 13:15 UK candle, the first 15 minutes of New York. Mark its high, low and midline.
- Ignore everything before 14:30 UK. US data at 13:30 UK often whips straight through the zone. We wait for the New York stock open at 14:30 UK.
- Wait for the break. From 14:30 UK, the first 5 minute candle that closes beyond the zone is the break. Above: look to buy. Below: look to sell.
- Don’t chase it. Put a limit order on the midline and wait for price to come back and retest it.
- Stop just beyond the far side of the zone, 10 pips at most. Target 1:3, or the day’s Asia or London high or low if it sits a little further.
- Time limit. If the limit isn’t filled by 16:00 UK, cancel it.
How it overlaps with the London sweep
- One direction a day. If London already gave a sweep trade, New York only takes a break the same way. A break against it is left alone.
- One trade a day. If the London trade is still running or already done, we don’t stack a second position on top.
- Shared levels. The Asia and London highs and lows you marked in the morning are the targets in the afternoon.
The London sweep stays the main strategy. The 1pm retest is a second chance on days London gave nothing.
When there is no trade
Price may chop inside the zone all afternoon, break against the day’s direction, or never come back to the midline. No retest, no trade.
Learn it properly
The 1pm break and retest lesson animates every step. For the morning half of the day, read the London session strategy.
Questions people ask
What time is the New York zone in UK time?
We use 13:00 to 13:15 UK every day, then wait for 14:30 UK and stop looking at 16:00 UK. That’s 8am, 9:30am and 11am in New York for most of the year.
Why wait for 14:30 UK?
The big US data comes out at 13:30 UK and often spikes through the zone both ways. The stock market open at 14:30 UK is when the real direction for the afternoon usually shows.
Can I take this and a London trade on the same day?
We take one trade a day. If London gave a trade, the afternoon is for managing it, not adding another.
Tools and terms for this page
Free tools: Pip value calculator · Forex session clock in UK time
Glossary: London session