Skip to content

CFDs are leveraged products. CFD trading may not be suitable for everyone and can result in losses that exceed your deposits, so please ensure that you fully understand the risks involved. CFDs are leveraged products. CFD trading may not be suitable for everyone and can result in losses that exceed your deposits, so please ensure that you fully understand the risks involved.

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.

Gold bars Source: Bloomberg

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 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 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 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.

Find out more about our options offering

Weekly open (UK time) Close (UK time)
Spot 11pm (Sunday) 10pm (Friday)
Futures 11pm (Sunday) 10pm (the following day until Friday)
Options 7.30am (Monday) 9.15pm (Friday)

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:

  1. Create or log in to your IG account
  2. Learn what moves the price of gold
  3. Decide whether you want to go long or short
  4. Take steps to manage your risk
  5. 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

Find out more about trading gold with IG

IGA, may distribute information/research produced by its respective foreign affiliates within the IG Group of companies pursuant to an arrangement under Regulation 32C of the Financial Advisers Regulations. Where the research is distributed in Singapore to a person who is not an Accredited Investor, Expert Investor or an Institutional Investor, IGA accepts legal responsibility for the contents of the report to such persons only to the extent required by law. Singapore recipients should contact IGA at 6390 5118 for matters arising from, or in connection with the information distributed.

The information/research herein is prepared by IG Asia Pte Ltd (IGA) and its foreign affiliated companies (collectively known as the IG Group) and is intended for general circulation only. It does not take into account the specific investment objectives, financial situation, or particular needs of any particular person. You should take into account your specific investment objectives, financial situation, and particular needs before making a commitment to trade, including seeking advice from an independent financial adviser regarding the suitability of the investment, under a separate engagement, as you deem fit.

Please see important Research Disclaimer.

Speculate on commodities

Trade commodity futures, as well as 27 commodity markets with no fixed expiries.1

  • Wide range of popular and niche metals, energies and softs
  • Spreads from 0.3 pts on Spot Gold, 2 pts on Spot Silver and 2.8 pts on Oil
  • View continuous charting, backdated for up to five years

1In the case of all DFBs, there is a fixed expiry at some point in the future.

Turn knowledge into success

Practice makes perfect. Take what you’ve learned in this commodities strategy article, and try it out risk-free in your demo account.

Ready to trade commodities?

Put the lessons in this article to use in a live account. Upgrading is quick and simple.

  • Deal on our wide range of major and niche commodities
  • Protect your capital with risk management tools
  • Enjoy some of the best spreads on the market – Spot Gold from 0.3 points

Inspired to trade?

Put the knowledge you’ve gained from this article into practice. Log in to your account now.

You might be interested in…

Find out what charges your trades could incur with our transparent fee structure.

Discover why so many clients choose us, and what makes us a world-leading provider of CFDs.

Stay on top of upcoming market-moving events with our customisable economic calendar.