Cotton futures on ICE run a single continuous session from 02:00 to 19:20 UTC, Monday through Friday — giving active traders roughly 17 hours and 20 minutes of daily access.
Daniel Harrington
Senior Trading Analyst · MT5 Specialist
☕ 2 min read
Market hours: 02:00 UTC Monday — 19:20 UTC Friday
What you'll learn:
Cotton futures on ICE run a single continuous session from 02:00 to 19:20 UTC, Monday through Friday — giving active traders roughly 17 hours and 20 minutes of daily access. Unlike crude oil or gold, which trade near 24 hours, Cotton's window is more constrained, making session timing a measurable factor in execution quality.
Trading Sessions
COTTON — Forex Trading Sessions (UTC)
When each major forex market opens and closes.
Times shown in UTC. Actual hours may vary by broker and DST adjustments.
Cotton trades exclusively on the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) under a single named session — ICE Regular — spanning 02:00 to 19:20 UTC daily. There are no extended or overnight sessions, unlike metals markets where CME Globex provides near-continuous access. The market closes completely from 19:20 UTC Friday to 02:00 UTC Monday, creating a weekend gap risk that data from 2020–2023 shows can average 0.3–0.8% price displacement on Sunday opens during high-volatility periods. Total weekly trading time amounts to approximately 86.7 hours, compared to roughly 120 hours for Brent crude.
Liquidity in Cotton concentrates during two overlapping windows. The first runs from 13:30 to 16:00 UTC, coinciding with the New York open and the release of USDA agricultural reports — historically the highest-volume period, often accounting for 40–55% of daily volume in a single session. The second window, 09:00 to 11:30 UTC, captures European trading hours when institutional positioning ahead of the US open generates measurable order flow. Compared to the opening hour at 02:00 UTC, the 13:30 UTC window typically sees 3–5x higher volume. In US Eastern Time, peak activity runs 09:30–12:00 ET; in Central European Time, that maps to 15:30–18:00 CET. Traders in Asia-Pacific face the least favorable timing — the 02:00–06:00 UTC window carries lower liquidity and wider spreads.
💡 Winston's Tip
Spreads on Cotton are not static across the session.
Spreads on Cotton are not static across the session. At the 02:00 UTC open, bid-ask spreads can run 2–4x wider than midday levels, reflecting thin early participation before US and European desks activate. The tightest spreads historically occur between 13:30 and 15:30 UTC, when US market makers and agricultural funds are most active. USDA report days — typically released at 12:00 or 16:00 UTC — produce sharp, temporary spread spikes of 5–10x normal levels lasting 2–5 minutes post-release. Avoiding limit orders in those windows reduces adverse fill risk. Pulsar Terminal displays real-time spread data directly on the chart panel, making it straightforward to identify when Cotton spreads widen outside the 13:30–15:30 UTC optimal window before placing a trade.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1What time does the Cotton futures market open and close each day?
Cotton trades on ICE from 02:00 UTC to 19:20 UTC, Monday through Friday, under the ICE Regular session. There is no overnight or weekend session — the market is fully closed from Friday 19:20 UTC to Monday 02:00 UTC.
Risk Disclaimer
Trading financial instruments carries significant risk and may not be suitable for all investors. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This content is for educational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice. Always conduct your own research before trading.
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