Instruments & Trading Hours
Not every symbol trades all day — restricted exotics, equities windows, and futures sessions gate entries.
Applies to 3 firms • Trading Rules • ALL
Prev: Hyperactivity & Order LimitsNext: Rollover, Spreads & SwapsDeep Dive
Why this rule exists
FX majors trade nearly 24/5, but exotics widen to untradeable spreads at rollover. Stock and index CFDs follow exchange opens, and futures follow CME sessions with a daily halt. Crypto often pauses or deleverages on weekends. A symbol allowed in evaluation can be disabled on funded standard. Check the contract specification for session times, tick value, and margin before sizing. On $100K, one wrong-session exotic entry can cost more in spread than the planned risk.
How traders get caught
This rule is often buried in FAQ or enforced only on funded accounts — not on the pricing page. Marketing says "allowed", FAQ says "2-min buffer" around red-folder news. Our engine flags it as Easy-to-Miss.
How to stay safe
Check the Source Inspector for the exact FAQ excerpt, flatten or halve size into the ±2-min window, and cancel pending stop orders before red-folder releases.
The Formula
How it is calculated
Real Dollar Example
On a $100K account you short US30 CFDs at 23:40 server time with a $500 risk plan. The cash session is closed, spread is 25 points wide, and entry slips $900 — you start $400 beyond risk before price moves. Same trade at 15:30 New York costs $90 in spread.
Common Traps & Mistakes
Trading exotics at rollover when spread exceeds the stop distance.
Assuming crypto trades normally all weekend on every program.
Sizing futures by FX lot intuition instead of tick value.
Firms using this rule
Rule FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions: Instruments & Trading Hours
What is the Instruments & Trading Hours?
Not every symbol trades all day — restricted exotics, equities windows, and futures sessions gate entries.
How is Instruments & Trading Hours calculated across prop firms?
Tradeable = If (Symbol Enabled AND Session Open AND Spread Normal) → Allowed
What are the most common mistakes traders make with Instruments & Trading Hours?
Trading exotics at rollover when spread exceeds the stop distance. Assuming crypto trades normally all weekend on every program. Sizing futures by FX lot intuition instead of tick value.
Related guides
Keep learning this cluster
Rollover, Spreads & Swaps
The 21:00–22:00 UTC rollover hour widens spreads 5–10x — stops fill late and equity trips floors.
Crypto & Weekend Leverage
Crypto leverage drops and weekend holding splits by program — standard funded often deleverages or flattens.
Lot Size & Contract Limits
Max lots per trade and max contracts held — exceed it and the account is hard-breached.
Futures Contracts & Data Fees
Contract caps plus exchange data fees gate every futures eval — exceed one micro and you breach.
All 41 guides
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