The big US releases that move gold usually come out at 08:30 New York time, which is 18:00 IST from mid-March to early November and 19:00 IST the rest of the year. The Fed's FOMC statement usually comes at 14:00 New York time, which is 23:30 IST in US summer and 00:30 IST in US winter. Always confirm the exact date and time on an economic calendar, because schedules shift.
Why IST times for gold news change during the year
India has no daylight saving time. IST stays at UTC+5:30 all year. The United States does change its clocks:
- US daylight saving starts on the second Sunday of March.
- It ends on the first Sunday of November.
When New York is on summer time, it is 9 hours 30 minutes behind IST. In winter, the gap is 10 hours 30 minutes. So the same 08:30 New York release lands one hour later for Indian traders from November to March.
A common mistake is to remember "news at 19:00" from the winter, then get caught by an 18:00 release in April. Set your calendar to show IST, and check it after each US clock change.
Gold news release times in IST: summary table
These are the usual schedules. Dates and occasional times vary, so check an economic calendar each week.
| Event | New York time | IST (US summer, mid-Mar to early Nov) | IST (US winter) |
|---|---|---|---|
| NFP (US jobs report), usually first Friday | 08:30 | 18:00 | 19:00 |
| CPI (US inflation) | 08:30 | 18:00 | 19:00 |
| Other 08:30 NY data | 08:30 | 18:00 | 19:00 |
| US stock market open | 09:30 | 19:00 | 20:00 |
| 10:00 NY data releases | 10:00 | 19:30 | 20:30 |
| FOMC statement | 14:00 | 23:30 | 00:30 (next day) |
| Fed press conference | 14:30 | 00:00 (next day) | 01:00 (next day) |
The FOMC press conference usually starts 30 minutes after the statement. For Indian traders that means a late night, and it runs past midnight in both seasons.
How much does gold move on news? Our M15 data
We measured every 15-minute candle on XAUUSD broker data from July 2022 to September 2026, about 98,000 candles, with times converted to New York and IST and daylight saving handled. The average M15 candle over the whole period was $4.75, or 0.15% of price.
Here is how news-time candles compared:
| Time (New York) | Size vs an average M15 candle |
|---|---|
| 08:30, all days | about 2.1× |
| 08:30, first Friday of the month (usually NFP) | about 4.4× |
| 09:30 (US stock open) | about 2.0× |
| 10:00 | about 2.0× |
| 14:00 (Fed decision time), most days | about 1× |
| 03:00 (London open) | about 1.1× |
A few notes on reading this:
- NFP is the standout. We used a "first Friday" rule, so a few months where the jobs report moved to another day are mixed in. Even so, the first-Friday 08:30 candle averaged about 4.4× normal in percentage terms, or about $19 of gold price over the whole period.
- 2026 candles are bigger. In 2026 the first-Friday 08:30 candle averaged about $36, against about $11 for a typical 2026 candle, roughly 3.3 times larger ($36 ÷ $11 ≈ 3.3). Gold's price rose a lot, so dollar moves grew with it.
- FOMC is lumpy. The 14:00 New York candle is about average on most days, because most days have no Fed decision. But 17 of the 33 largest 14:00 candles fell on Wednesdays, and FOMC decisions are announced on Wednesdays. On 16 September 2026, a Fed decision day, that candle was about $60. On 17 September 2025 it was about $56.
For the full hour-by-hour picture, see our study of gold volatility by hour.
What typically happens to gold around news
News candles are not just bigger. They behave differently. Around a major release you can usually expect:
- Spread widening. Spreads often widen in the minutes before and after the release. A stop or limit order can trigger on the wider spread even if the chart price barely touches it.
- Spikes both ways. Gold can jump one way, then reverse sharply within the same candle or the next. A long wick is common.
- Slippage on stops. In a fast market, your stop may fill at a worse price than you set. A $20 stop can lose more than $20 when price gaps through it.
- Thin liquidity for a moment. Just before a release, some liquidity providers step back, which is part of why spreads widen.
Why does gold react so strongly? US jobs, inflation and Fed decisions change expectations for interest rates and the dollar, and both matter to gold. Our guide on what moves gold prices explains those drivers in more detail.
Practical rules for trading gold around news
You do not need to predict the number to handle news well. You need a routine.
- Check the calendar every week. On Sunday or Monday, note every high-impact US event for the week and convert it to IST. Mark NFP, CPI and FOMC clearly.
- Avoid opening new trades just before a release. A few minutes before a big number is the worst time to enter: spreads are wide and direction is a coin toss.
- Size for a spike. If you hold a trade through news, assume the stop could slip. Risk a percentage you can live with even if the fill is worse than planned.
- Decide in advance what you do with open trades. Hold, reduce or close. Make the decision before the release, not during the spike.
- Wait for the dust to settle. If you trade the reaction, let the first 15-minute candle close and look for structure to form, rather than chasing the first move.
- Know your prop firm's news rules. Some firms ban trading within a window around high-impact news, some only on funded accounts. Check your firm's current rules, and read our guide to daily drawdown in prop firms to see how a news spike can hit a daily loss limit.
Our best time to trade gold in India guide shows how these news times fit into the wider IST session schedule.
Does a rule-based gold strategy avoid news?
Not always, and not necessarily. Our own model enters on M15 and often holds trades for days, so some trades are open when news hits. Its stops are placed at structure, not tight to price, which gives trades room through normal spikes. Every signal, including losses, is recorded on our live results page, so you can see how trades fared through real news weeks.
FAQ
What time is NFP in India?
NFP usually comes out at 08:30 New York time on the first Friday of the month. That is 18:00 IST from mid-March to early November and 19:00 IST the rest of the year. Confirm the date on an economic calendar, because it sometimes moves.
What time is the FOMC decision in IST?
The FOMC statement usually comes at 14:00 New York time, which is 23:30 IST in US summer and 00:30 IST in US winter. The press conference usually follows 30 minutes later.
Why did the news time change by one hour in IST?
The US changes its clocks on the second Sunday of March and the first Sunday of November. India does not use daylight saving, so US release times shift by one hour in IST twice a year.
Should I trade gold during NFP?
Many traders avoid opening new trades just before NFP because spreads widen and price can spike both ways. In our data, the first-Friday 08:30 New York candle averaged about 4.4× a normal M15 candle. If you trade it, size for slippage.
This article is educational and not financial advice. Trading gold and leveraged products carries a high risk of loss.
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