Hello! Let's dive into the next chapter of our exploration of time in the market.
In the previous lesson, we focused on the London Killzone, the 2:00 AM to 5:00 AM NY time window where the day's narrative often begins with a manipulation of the Asian session's liquidity. You learned how to identify this window and anticipate either a reversal (Judas Swing) or a continuation.
Now, we move forward in the trading day to the session where the world's largest economy wakes up. This lesson will address the learning outcome: Define the New York Killzone and its optimal trading window. We will dissect this period of immense liquidity and see how it often provides the fuel for the day's main trend, which typically begins in London.
1. The New York Killzone: Definition and Time
The New York Killzone is a high-probability time window that begins as the London session is past its midpoint and the North American markets are opening. It is characterized by extremely high volume due to the overlap of two major financial centers (London and New York). This is often where the "smart money" trend established in London finds its continuation.
For a great introduction to the core concepts and timing, please watch the beginning of this video.
Try This ICT Newyork Killzone Trade Setups
The video 'Try This ICT Newyork Killzone Trade Setups' by Solomon King provides a concise introduction to the New York Killzone, its timing, and its main characteristics.
Watch from the beginning until 01:46. Focus on the three key characteristics mentioned: the time window, the tendency for trend continuation, and the presence of economic news releases.
As the video states, the core hours for this session are generally between 7:00 AM and 10:00 AM New York time. Let's get more specific.
2. Differentiating Timings: Forex vs. Indices
A crucial detail for the New York Killzone is that the optimal window is slightly different depending on the asset class you are trading. This is because different markets have different official opening times.
- Forex Market: The highest liquidity occurs during the London/New York overlap.
- Indices Market (e.g., S&P 500, Nasdaq): The highest volatility centers around the opening of the US stock exchanges.
The following resources provide a clear breakdown of these distinct time windows.
Master ICT Kill Zone For Prop Firm Success [2025]
The article 'Master ICT Kill Zone For Prop Firm Success' offers a very clear table distinguishing the timings for Forex and Indices. It also gives valuable context on news events.
First, read the section under the heading 'New York Kill Zone: The Powerhouse Session'. Pay close attention to the table that shows the different timings for Forex Futures and Index Futures. Then, scroll down to the 'Frequently Asked Questions About Kill Zones' and read the answer to 'What is NY Killzone?' for a concise summary.
To summarize the key times, which you must commit to memory (all in New York EST/EDT):
| Market Type | NY Killzone Window | Key Driver |
|---|---|---|
| Forex | 7:00 AM - 10:00 AM | London/New York Overlap |
| Indices | 8:30 AM - 11:30 AM | US Stock Market Open (9:30 AM) |
Note: You may sometimes see the end time for Indices cited as 11:00 AM. The critical part is the window starting at 8:30 AM.
This distinction is vital. If you are analyzing EUR/USD, your focus starts at 7:00 AM. If you are trading the ES (S&P 500 futures), you are waiting until 8:30 AM for the highest probability setups to form.
3. Key Scenarios in the New York Killzone
The primary narrative for the NY Killzone is trend continuation. However, you must always be prepared for reversals by considering the higher timeframe context.
Scenario 1: Trend Continuation (The A+ Setup)
This is the most common and highest-probability scenario.
- London establishes the trend: For example, London sweeps the Asian lows and creates a strong bullish move.
- NY Killzone provides the entry: As the NY session opens, price retraces into a discount array (like a Fair Value Gap or an Order Block) created during the London move.
- Distribution continues: The retracement provides a low-risk entry to join the bullish trend, which then continues its expansion throughout the NY session.
Scenario 2: Trend Reversal
A reversal can occur in the NY Killzone if London has completed its objective.
- London takes out a major HTF level: For instance, the London session rallies and sweeps the liquidity above the previous day's high.
- NY session initiates the reversal: Having achieved its higher timeframe objective, the algorithm can now reverse. The NY Killzone will show signs of this reversal, such as a sharp break in market structure to the downside, offering an opportunity to trade in the new direction.
The following video provides excellent examples of these scenarios.
Try This ICT Newyork Killzone Trade Setups
Let's return to Solomon King's video. He walks through several chart examples that perfectly illustrate the continuation and reversal scenarios.
Watch the segment from 07:01 to 14:45. As you watch, try to identify: Examples of a bullish London session followed by a retracement and continuation during the NY Killzone. The specific ICT arrays (Order Blocks, FVGs) that price retraces to for an entry. The powerful reversal example (starting around 11:45) where the presenter explains why a continuation trade would have failed: London had already taken out the previous day's high, changing the context.
This last point from the video is critical: the Killzone provides the time for a setup, but the broader market structure and liquidity context provide the directional bias.
4. Practical Application: Updating Your Charts
In the last lesson, you configured an indicator for the London Killzone. Now, you can update it to include the New York session, remembering to use the correct times for the market you're observing.
ICT Killzones & Indicator Settings
We'll use the 'ICT Killzones & Indicator Settings' video from TTrades again, as it clearly demonstrates how to configure the indicator for different sessions.
Watch from 04:55 to 07:39. This is the same indicator setup process from the last lesson. This time, focus on how to enable and configure the 'New York AM' session. If you trade indices, follow the video's example of setting the time to 8:30 - 11:00. If you trade Forex, you would adjust this time to 7:00 - 10:00.
By correctly setting up your charts, you create a visual guide that forces you to be patient and wait for price action to unfold within these high-probability windows.
Conclusion
You have now defined the third major time block of the trading day. The New York Killzone is a period of immense opportunity, but it requires an understanding of the preceding sessions. It's not a standalone event; it's part of a daily story that begins in Asia and gains momentum in London.
Key Takeaways:
- The New York Killzone is a high-volatility window driven by the overlap of the London and New York sessions and the US stock market open.
- The timing is distinct for different asset classes:
- Forex: 7:00 AM - 10:00 AM NY time.
- Indices: 8:30 AM - 11:30 AM NY time.
- The most common trading model is a continuation of the trend established during the London session.
- Always be aware of the context: reversals can and do happen, especially if a key higher timeframe liquidity level has been taken.
- Pay close attention to high-impact news releases at 8:30 AM EST, as they can dramatically increase volatility.
Preview of the Next Lesson:
We have now defined the three main Killzones: Asian, London, and New York. While these 2-3 hour windows are powerful, ICT refines this concept even further. In the next lesson, we will "Identify the highest probability trading times within each killzone," looking for specific, shorter windows—like the "Silver Bullet"—where A+ trade setups tend to form with even greater precision.