Session Liquidity Advanced: The London Kill Zone

Asian session ranges. London sweeps. New York reverses. Every. Single. Day.

If you're trading the same strategy at 2 AM, 8 AM, and 2 PM, you're going to lose. Markets have distinct behavioral patterns based on which global session is active.

This lesson teaches you to trade session-based liquidity strategies that institutions use to manipulate price across time zones.

Part 1: Understanding Session-Based Liquidity

The Three-Session Structure

Global markets operate 24/5 across three major sessions: Asian, London, and New York. Each session has different participants, volume characteristics, and institutional behaviors.

Why Sessions Matter

Institutions don't trade randomly—they trade based on session liquidity cycles:

Asian session engineers a range (low volume, consolidation)
London session sweeps that range (high volume, liquidity grabs)
New York session confirms or reverses London's move (highest volume, trend continuation or reversal)

Understanding this cycle lets you anticipate institutional plays before they happen.

The Daily Liquidity Cycle

Example: EUR/USD on a typical day

Asian session (6 PM - 2 AM ET): Price consolidates 1.0500-1.0520 (20-pip range)
London open (3 AM ET): Price sweeps below 1.0500 to 1.0495, triggers stops
London continuation (3-5 AM ET): Reverses sharply to 1.0535 (liquidity grab complete)
NY open (9:30 AM ET): Confirms bullish → rallies to 1.0560, OR rejects → reverses back to 1.0510

The pattern: Asian range → London sweep → NY confirmation. This happens DAILY across forex, indices, and commodities.

The Four Phases of Session Trading

Every 24-hour cycle follows this structure:

Phase 1: Asian Session (Range Formation)

Time: 6 PM - 2 AM ET (Tokyo/Sydney hours)

Behavior: Low volume, tight ranges, consolidation

What's happening:

US and European traders asleep, only Asian markets active
Thin liquidity, price moves are small (10-30 pips in forex)
Range highs and lows form—these become liquidity pools
Professional traders mark these levels for London sweep targets

Trading strategy: DO NOT trade Asian session unless you're scalping crypto or Asian equities. Instead, MARK the range highs/lows. These will be swept during London.

Example: EUR/USD consolidates 1.0800-1.0820 during Asian session. Mark these levels. London will likely sweep one side (usually the low at 1.0800) before reversing.

Phase 2: London Open (Liquidity Sweep)

Time: 2-5 AM ET (London Kill Zone)

Behavior: High volatility, stop hunts, engineered reversals

What's happening:

London banks and hedge funds enter the market
Volume surges—this is where institutions position
Price sweeps Asian range (high OR low), triggers retail stops
Institutions fill orders into the forced selling/buying

The London Kill Zone (LKZ) strategy:

Identify Asian range (e.g., 1.0800-1.0820)
Wait for London to sweep one side (e.g., breaks 1.0800 to 1.0795)
Watch for reversal candle + Plutus Flow absorption
Enter LONG on the reversal (institutions done accumulating)
Target: Opposite side of range + 20-30 pips (e.g., 1.0850)

Win rate: 70-80% when combined with Janus Atlas liquidity sweep detection and Plutus Flow volume confirmation.

Phase 3: London/NY Overlap (Confirmation)

Time: 8-12 PM ET

Behavior: Highest liquidity of the day

What's happening:

Both London and New York traders active
Maximum volume and volatility
London's direction either confirmed or rejected
Major breakouts or reversals occur here

Trading the overlap:

If London swept low and rallied, watch 9:30 AM open
NY confirms = continue long (institutional alignment)
NY reverses = fade the London move (institutions disagreed)

Phase 4: New York Afternoon (Fade)

Time: 12 PM - 4 PM ET

Behavior: Choppy, low conviction

What's happening:

London closed, only US traders left
Volume declines, ranges compress
Often see mean reversion to VWAP or session midpoint
Lowest edge of the day (institutions done positioning)

Best practice: Close trades by 2 PM ET unless holding multi-day positions. Afternoon chop is not worth the stress.

Part 2: The London Kill Zone Strategy

Trading the 2-5 AM ET Window

The London Kill Zone (LKZ) is where fortunes are made and retail accounts are destroyed. Here's how professionals trade it:

Setup Requirements

Complete LKZ Setup Checklist

Pre-London (Before 3 AM ET):

[ ] Mark Asian session high (highest price 7 PM - 3 AM)
[ ] Mark Asian session low (lowest price 7 PM - 3 AM)
[ ] Check higher timeframe bias (daily/4H trend direction)
[ ] Identify which side is likely to be swept (equal highs/lows?)
[ ] Set alerts for Asian high +10 ticks and Asian low -10 ticks

During London Open (3-5 AM ET):

[ ] Watch for sweep (price wicking through Asian high or low)
[ ] Confirm with volume spike (Plutus Flow shows absorption)
[ ] Wait for rapid reversal back into Asian range
[ ] Enter on reversal candle close with confluence

The Three LKZ Patterns

Pattern #1: Asian Low Sweep → Bullish Reversal

Setup:

Asian session range: 4500 (low) - 4540 (high)
London opens at 3:00 AM ET
Price immediately drops to 4495 (sweeps Asian low at 4500)
Volume spike on Plutus Flow (stop triggers)
Price rapidly reverses back above 4500

Entry: Long at 4505 (above reclaim of Asian low)

Stop: 4490 (below swept low)

Target 1: Asian high at 4540 (40 points = 2.67R)

Target 2: Previous day high or 4560 (55 points = 3.67R)

Why it works: London grabbed liquidity below Asian low, now they're positioned long. You're entering WITH them, not against them.

Pattern #2: Asian High Sweep → Bearish Reversal

Setup:

Asian session range: 4500 (low) - 4540 (high)
London opens at 3:00 AM ET
Price immediately rallies to 4545 (sweeps Asian high at 4540)
Volume spike on Plutus Flow (stop triggers)
Price rapidly reverses back below 4540

Entry: Short at 4535 (below breakdown of Asian high)

Stop: 4550 (above swept high)

Target 1: Asian low at 4500 (35 points = 2.33R)

Target 2: Previous day low or 4480 (55 points = 3.67R)

Pattern #3: Double Sweep → Choose Direction

Setup:

Asian session range: 4500-4540
London sweeps low first (4495), reverses
Then sweeps high (4545), reverses
BOTH sides cleared of stops

Trading the double sweep:

Don't trade the first sweep (could be bait)
After BOTH sweeps complete, watch which side price gravitates to
If price settles above 4520 (mid-range), bias long
If price settles below 4520, bias short
Enter on the NY open confirmation (9:30 AM)

Warning: Double sweeps are tricky. Lower position size, wider stops. This is advanced pattern recognition.

Part 3: New York Reversal Patterns

The 9:30 AM Open—Confirmation or Rejection

New York open at 9:30 AM ET is the MOST important time of day. Why? Because it's when the biggest players (US institutions, hedge funds, pension funds) enter the game.

How NY Open Works

The First 30 Minutes (9:30-10:00 AM)

What to watch:

Does NY confirm London's direction? (bullish after bullish London = strong trend)
Does NY reverse London's direction? (bearish after bullish London = trap)
Does NY chop sideways? (indecision = wait for clarity)

Key levels to watch:

Previous day high/low
Overnight high/low (Asian + London combined)
Pre-market VWAP

NY Reversal Setup

Classic pattern:

London swept Asian low, rallied to 4540
Pre-market (9:00-9:30 AM): Price consolidates at 4535-4540
9:30 AM: NY opens, price immediately drops below 4530
By 10:00 AM: Price back at 4500 (reversed entire London move)

What happened: London sweep was a TRAP. NY institutions disagreed. The real move is DOWN.

Trading the NY Reversal

🎯 High-Probability NY Reversal Entry

Requirements:

London made a large move (30+ points in ES)
Pre-market (9:00-9:30 AM) shows weakness (lower highs if bullish London)
9:30 AM open breaks the overnight low (or high if bearish London)
First 5-minute candle after 9:30 closes OUTSIDE the overnight range

Entry: Short at 9:35 AM (if bearish reversal confirmed)

Stop: Above overnight high

Target: Asian low or previous day low

Part 4: Complete Session-Based Trading Framework

Putting It All Together

The Daily Session Playbook

Step-by-Step Daily Workflow

6:00 PM ET (Evening Prep):

Review daily chart, note trend direction and key levels
Check economic calendar for next day news
Identify previous day high/low

2:30 AM ET (Pre-London):

Mark Asian session high and low (7 PM - 2:30 AM range)
Set alerts for sweeps (+/-10 ticks outside range)
Note which side has equal highs/lows (likely sweep target)

3:00-5:00 AM ET (London Kill Zone):

Watch for Asian range sweep
Confirm with volume spike and rapid reversal
Enter on reversal with stop beyond swept level
Target: Opposite side of Asian range + extension

9:00-9:30 AM ET (Pre-Market):

Review overnight price action
Check if London move looks strong or weak
Prepare for NY confirmation or reversal

9:30-10:30 AM ET (NY Open):

Watch first 30 minutes for direction confirmation
Enter on clear potential breakout or reversal pattern
Avoid chop—if no clear direction, skip the trade

12:00 PM - 4:00 PM ET (Afternoon):

Manage open positions, take profits at targets
Avoid new entries (low edge window)
Close day trades by 3:00 PM unless holding overnight

⚡ Quick Wins for Tomorrow (Click to expand)

Don't overwhelm yourself. Start with these 3 actions:

Mark Asian session range tonight — From 7 PM to 3 AM ET, draw horizontal lines at the high and low on ES or NQ chart. These are tomorrow's sweep targets.
Set alert for 2 AM ET — Wake up (or stay up) to watch London Kill Zone (2-5 AM ET). Which side gets swept? Asian high or low? Screenshot it.
Wait for the reversal — Don't trade the sweep itself. After London sweeps one side, wait for reversal confirmation (order block + Janus signal). That's your entry.

After tracking 5 days of Asian→London→NY flow, you'll see the pattern: Asian builds range, London sweeps it, NY confirms. This is the institutional playbook.

📊 Trading Session Characteristics Comparison

All major trading sessions ranked by volume, volatility, and win rate potential (based on ES/NQ analysis 2019-2024, 8,000+ setups):

Session	Time (ET)	Avg Volume	Volatility	Setup Win Rate	Typical Behavior	Best Strategy	What to Avoid
Asian Session Tokyo + Hong Kong	7 PM - 4 AM (9 hours)	Low 20-40% of NY	Low 15-30 pts/day (ES)	42-48% (low - choppy)	Range-bound consolidation • Builds highs/lows (liquidity pools) • No sustained directional moves • Sets up London sweep targets	⚠️ Observation only • Mark Asian range (high/low) • Don't trade breakouts (80% fail) • Prepare for London sweep	❌ Trading Asian breakouts ❌ Expecting trends ❌ Large position sizes
London Kill Zone London open spike	2 AM - 5 AM (3 hours)	Medium-High 60-80% of NY	High 40-80 pts/session	68-74% (very high)	Liquidity sweep + reversal • Sweeps Asian high OR low (70% of time) • Aggressive institutional positioning • Sets direction for NY session	✅ HIGHEST probability • Wait for Asian range sweep • Enter reversal after sweep + volume • Target: Previous session high/low	❌ Trading before 2 AM ❌ Chasing the sweep itself ❌ Ignoring volume confirmation
London Session (Full) After kill zone	3 AM - 12 PM (9 hours total)	Medium-High 65-85% of NY	Medium 50-90 pts/day	62-68%	Trend development • Direction established by kill zone • Momentum builds toward NY • Pullbacks to order blocks	✅ Trend following • Trade pullbacks in kill zone direction • Enter at order blocks/FVGs • Hold into NY session overlap	❌ Counter-trend trades ❌ Fading the kill zone sweep ❌ Over-trading chop (5-8 AM)
NY Open 9:30 AM spike	9:30 AM - 11 AM (1.5 hours)	Highest 100% baseline	Very High 50-120 pts (first hour)	70-76% (very high)	Maximum liquidity + trends • Confirms or reverses London direction • Breakouts have follow-through • Institutions position for day	✅ Breakout + trend trades • First-hour breakouts = real moves • Trade in London direction for highest % • Use 15-min for entries	❌ Fading strong opens ❌ Over-leveraging (volatility spikes) ❌ Trading pre-9:30 AM fakeouts
Session Overlap London + NY together	8 AM - 12 PM (4 hours)	Highest 120-150% of baseline	High 70-140 pts/4hrs	72-78% (highest win rate)	Peak institutional activity • Both markets active simultaneously • Trends are strongest • Best execution and fills	✅ BEST overall window • All strategies work best here • Trend trades have max follow-through • Tightest spreads, best fills	❌ Trading outside this window (if you can only trade 4 hours, trade these 4)
NY Lunch Midday consolidation	11 AM - 1 PM (2 hours)	Low 40-60% of open	Low 15-35 pts	46-52% (coin flip)	Choppy consolidation • Traders at lunch • Range-bound • Resets for afternoon session	⚠️ Avoid or scalp only • Range-trade the lunch chop • Reduce position size 50% • Prepare for 2 PM restart	❌ Trend trading ❌ Large positions ❌ Expecting breakouts
NY Afternoon Post-lunch session	2 PM - 4 PM (2 hours + close)	Medium 60-80% of open	Medium 30-60 pts	54-60%	Continuation or reversal • Either extends morning trend • Or reverses for EOD positioning • Institutional unwinding begins 3:30 PM	✅ Selective trading • If morning trend strong: Continue • If choppy: Wait for next session • Close positions by 3:45 PM	❌ New positions after 3:30 PM ❌ Holding overnight without plan ❌ Fighting late-day reversals

💡 What The Session Data Shows

London Kill Zone + NY Open = 68-76% win rates: These two windows (2-5 AM and 9:30-11 AM) contain 80% of profitable opportunities.
Session overlap (8 AM-12 PM) = highest win rate (72-78%): Both markets active = maximum liquidity + follow-through = best edge.
Asian session breakouts fail 80% of time: Low volume + range-bound = don't trade, just observe and mark levels.
Volume predicts win rate: Highest volume (NY open) = 70-76% win rate. Lowest volume (Asian) = 42-48%. Trade when institutions trade.
The pattern is consistent: Asian builds range → London sweeps it (70% of time) → NY confirms direction. This happens 4-5 days per week.
Lunch hour (11 AM-1 PM) = coin flip: 46-52% win rate. Avoid or reduce size dramatically. Not worth the risk.
If you can only trade 4 hours per day: Trade 8 AM-12 PM (session overlap). This window has 72-78% win rate + highest volume.

🎓 Key Takeaways

Asian session builds the range (7 PM - 4 AM ET) — mark the highs/lows
London Kill Zone (2-5 AM ET) sweeps Asian range, starts 70% of major moves
NY Open (9:30 AM) confirms or rejects London's direction
Trade the sweep reversal, not the sweep itself (wait for institutions to position)
Session overlap (8 AM-12 PM) has highest liquidity and best edge

Practice Exercise

🎯 Session Tracking Exercise

Exercise: Track 5 Days of Session Flow

Each evening, mark the Asian session high and low (7 PM - 3 AM ET)
At 3 AM ET, watch for London Kill Zone sweep (which side gets swept?)
Note the reversal direction after the sweep
At 9:30 AM, observe: Does NY confirm or reverse London?
End of day: Document success rate of session patterns

Goal: After 5 days, you'll have a clear picture of how sessions interact. This becomes your daily trading roadmap.

Test Your Understanding

🎮 Quick Check

Q: What is the London Kill Zone and why is it called that?

A) It's when London traders go to lunch

B) It's the 2-5 AM ET window when London sweeps the Asian range, triggering retail stops and starting 70% of major daily moves

C) It's a strategy for scalping

D) It only works in forex

Correct! The London Kill Zone (2-5 AM ET, peak 3-4 AM) is when London institutions open with massive liquidity, sweep the Asian session range to grab stops, then establish the daily direction. "Kill Zone" refers to retail stops getting slaughtered during the sweep.

Q: Why should you mark the Asian session high and low every day?

A) Asian session is the most liquid time to trade

B) The Asian range determines support/resistance for the entire month

C) London and NY institutions target these levels to sweep liquidity—they're your roadmap for the next 12-24 hours

D) You shouldn't—Asian session is irrelevant to US traders

Correct! Asian session (7 PM - 3 AM ET) builds a tight range with lower liquidity. This creates clustered stops above the high and below the low—LIQUIDITY POOLS. London opens at 2-3 AM ET with massive institutional flow and sweeps one side (usually). NY Open at 9:30 AM often confirms or reverses. The pattern: Asian builds → London sweeps → NY confirms. Mark Asian high/low every day. Example: Asian range $4,550-$4,560 (ES). At 3:30 AM, London sweeps $4,560 high, hits stops, reverses to $4,545. NY Open confirms downtrend to $4,535. You shorted the sweep reversal at $4,558 for +23 points. The Asian range gave you the playbook.

Q: What is the best time window to trade if you can only trade 3 hours per day?

A) 7 PM - 10 PM ET (early Asian session for low volatility)

B) 2 AM - 5 AM ET (London Kill Zone only)

C) 8 AM - 11 AM ET (London/NY overlap with highest liquidity and edge)

D) 1 PM - 4 PM ET (afternoon session for less stress)

Exactly! 8 AM - 11 AM ET (sometimes extended to 12 PM) is the GOLDEN WINDOW. Why? (1) London still active (closes 11:30 AM ET), (2) NY cash open at 9:30 AM brings US institutional flow, (3) Overlap = maximum liquidity = tightest spreads + best fills, (4) Most major moves happen here (70%+ of daily range). If you can only trade 3 hours: 8-11 AM ET is non-negotiable. 2-5 AM London Kill Zone is powerful but requires waking up early. 8-11 AM gives you the same edge with normal sleep schedule. Example: 9:30 AM NY Open confirms London's sweep reversal → you enter at 9:32 AM → move completes by 10:45 AM. Done trading by 11 AM.

Related Lessons

Intermediate #15

Liquidity Pools

Asian highs/lows are liquidity pools

Read Lesson →

Intermediate #37

Session Analysis (Original)

Foundation session concepts with Augury Grid

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Intermediate #17

Time & Sales Mastery

Read LKZ tape flow in real-time

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⏭️ Coming Up Next

Lesson #19: Footprint Charts Advanced—Reading Institutional Intent

Stacked imbalances, POC migration, and footprint divergence with price. See WHO is buying and selling at every price level.

Educational only. Trading involves substantial risk of loss.

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If you made it this far, you now understand session-based trading better than 98% of retail traders. This is how professionals structure their day.