End of day trading is a convenient strategy for many traders. By placing your trades at the end of each trading day, you don’t need to spend time watching the markets all day and can avoid being distracted by news. It may also reduce the need for paid real-time data or intraday scanning tools. This page will explain what end of day trading means, the benefits and risks, and how to get started with end of day trading. We will also detail an example.
Trading Brokers in Hungary
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- Demo account
- Platforms: MT4, MT5, TradingCentral
- Min. deposit: $5
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- Demo account
- Regulator: FCA, ASIC, CySEC, FSC, SCB, FSA
- Platforms: MT4, MT5, TradingView, TradeLocker
71.28% of retail traders lose money when trading CFDs -
- Demo account
- Platforms: xStation
- Min. deposit: $0
75% of accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. -
- Demo account
- Instruments: CFDs, Forex, Indices, Commodities
- Regulator: CySEC, AFM
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- Demo account
- Min. deposit: $100
- Min. trade: 0.01 Lots
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- Demo account
- Regulator: FCA, ASIC, CMVM , FSCA, SCB, FSA
- Platforms: TN Trader, MT4, TradingView
Learn how we test brokers and why you can trust our ratings.
Here is a short overview of each broker's pros and cons
- XM 4.8/5 XM is a globally recognized forex and CFD broker with 20+ million clients in 190+ countries. Since 2009, this trusted broker has been delivering low trading fees across its growing roster of 1000+ instruments. It also offers a comprehensive MetaTrader experience that we've observed firsthand placing test trades.
- Eightcap 4.6/5 Eightcap is a multi-regulated forex and CFD broker established in Australia in 2009. The broker has proven popular with active day traders, providing 800+ instruments with tight spreads and notable improvements in recent years, integrating the leading TradingView platform, alongside AI-powered financial calendars and algo trading tools with zero coding experience required.
- XTB 4.8/5 Founded in 2002 in Poland, XTB now serves more than 1 million clients. The forex and CFD broker combines a heavily regulated trading environment with an extensive selection of assets and a commitment to trader satisfaction, featuring an intuitive in-house platform with superb tools to support aspiring day traders.
- LiteForex Europe 3.7/5 LiteForex Europe is a CFD broker established in 2008 and authorized by the CySEC. The brokerage offers forex, commodities and indices via the MT4 and MT5 platforms. Spreads are ultra tight on ECN accounts and leverage is available up to 1:30 in line with EU regulations. LiteForex also offers a rich education centre for new day traders and social trading capabilities.
- AvaTrade 4.9/5 Established in 2006, AvaTrade is a leading forex and CFD broker trusted by over 400,000 traders. Operating under regulation in 9 jurisdictions, AvaTrade processes an impressive 2+ million trades each month. Through like MT4, MT5, and its proprietary WebTrader, the broker provides a growing selection of 1,250+ instruments. Whether it’s CFDs, AvaOptions, or the more recent AvaFutures, short-term traders at all levels will find opportunities. With terrific education and 24/5 multilingual customer support, AvaTrade delivers the complete trading experience.
- Trade Nation 4.4/5 Trade Nation is a top FX and CFD broker regulated in multiple jurisdictions including the UK and Australia. The firm offers low-cost fixed and variable spreads on 1000+ assets with robust trading platforms and training materials. The Signal Centre can also be used for trade ideas.
Community Sentiment
See how users rate these brokers based on the average customer ratings submitted on DayTrading.com, plus ratings from Trustpilot, the Apple App Store and Google Play.
| Broker | Our Users' Rating | Trustpilot Score | Trustpilot Reviews | iOS App Rating | Android App Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XM | 3132 | ||||
| Eightcap | 3907 | ||||
| XTB | 3004 | ||||
| LiteForex Europe | 685 | ||||
| AvaTrade | 13597 | ||||
| Trade Nation | 2166 |
XM
With a low $5 minimum deposit, advanced charting platforms in MT4 and MT5, expanding range of markets, and a Zero account offering spreads from 0.0, XM provides all the essentials for active traders, even earning our ‘Best MT4/MT5 Broker’ award in recent years.
Christian Harris, Reviewer
XM quick facts
- Demo Account
- ✔Yes
- Instruments
- CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Commodities, Indices, Thematic Indices, Precious Metals, Energies
- Regulator
- CySEC, DFSA, FSCA, SCA, FSA, FSC-Belize, FSC-Mauritius, CMA-Kenya, CMA-UAE
- Platforms
- MT4, MT5, TradingCentral
- Minimum Deposit
- $5
- Minimum Trade
- 0.01 Lots
- Account Currencies
- USD, EUR, GBP, JPY, ZAR
Pros
- XM’s Zero account is ideal for day trading with spreads from 0.0 pips, 99.35% of orders executed in <1 second, and no requotes or rejections.
- XM has rolled out platform upgrades with integrated TradingView charts and an XM AI assistant, delivering faster execution, smarter analysis, and a sleeker, more intuitive trading experience.
- XM’s customer support has delivered over years of testing, with 24/7 assistance in 30 languages, response times of under 2 minutes and a growing Telegram channel.
Cons
- XM relies solely on the MetaTrader platforms for desktop trading, so there’s no in-house downloadable solution for a more beginner-friendly user experience with unique features.
- Although trusted and generally well-regulated in some regions, XM also has global entities registered with the weak regulators like FSC (Belize) and FSA (Seychelles), whilst UK clients are no longer accepted, reducing its market reach.
- XM is falling behind the curve by not offering cTrader, which is favored over MetaTrader by some serious traders for its smoother user experience and superior charting package.
Eightcap
Eightcap delivers in every area for day traders with a growing selection of charting platforms, education via Labs, and AI-powered tools. Now sporting 120+ crypto CFDs, it's also become a stand-out choice for crypto trading, winning our 'Best Crypto Broker' award two years in a row.
Christian Harris, Reviewer
Eightcap quick facts
- Demo Account
- ✔Yes
- Instruments
- CFDs in Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, Crypto
- Regulator
- FCA, ASIC, CySEC, FSC, SCB, FSA
- Platforms
- MT4, MT5, TradingView, TradeLocker
- Minimum Deposit
- $100
- Minimum Trade
- 0.01 Lots
- Account Currencies
- USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, NZD, SGD
Pros
- With tight spreads from 0 pips, low commission fees, Eightcap provides cost-effective and flexible trading conditions that can accommodate an array of strategies, including day trading and scalping.
- Eightcap has brought in GOLD247 for 24/7 trading opportunities on a gold/USD CFD with leverage up to 1:20, minimum trade size of 0.01 lots, and no commission, appealing to weekend traders interested in the precious metal.
- Eightcap added TradeLocker in 2026 for certain regions, marking it out as the best regulated TradeLocker broker, while still delivering Eightcap's ultra-fast execution and low fees for active traders on the charting software.
Cons
- In spite of an increasing variety of tools, Eightcap doesn't offer industry favorites like Autochartist or Trading Central, which offer cutting-edge charting analytics, live news, and market insights for short-term traders.
- Despite a useful library of educational guides and e-books in Labs, Eightcap still trails IG’s comprehensive toolkit for aspiring traders with its dedicated IG Academy app and 18 course categories.
- Eightcap needs to continue bolstering its suite of 800+ instruments to match category leaders like Blackbull Markets with its 26,000+ assets, featuring a particularly weak selection of commodities.
XTB
XTB stands out as a top choice for new day traders with the terrific xStation platform, low trading costs, no minimum deposit, and excellent educational tools, many of which are seamlessly integrated into the platform.
Christian Harris, Reviewer
XTB quick facts
- Demo Account
- ✔Yes
- Instruments
- CFDs on shares, Indices, ETFs, Raw Materials, Forex currencies, cryptocurrencies, Real shares, Real ETFs
- Regulator
- FCA, CySEC, KNF, DFSA, FSC, SCA, CMF, Bappebti
- Platforms
- xStation
- Minimum Deposit
- $0
- Minimum Trade
- 0.01 Lots
- Account Currencies
- USD, EUR, GBP
Pros
- Opening an XTB account is a hassle-free, entirely online process that takes just a few minutes, making the entry into day trading smooth for new traders.
- XTB offers fast withdrawals with payment within 3 business days, depending on the method and amount.
- XTB has boosted its interest rate on uninvested balances and added zero-fee ISAs (On ETFs and real shares, or 0.2% with transactions over €100k) for UK clients with a huge range of markets available.
Cons
- Trading fees are competitive with average spreads of around 1 pip on the EUR/USD but still trail the cheapest brokers like IC Markets, plus there's an inactivity fee after 12 months.
- The demo account expires after just four weeks, a serious limitation for traders who wish to thoroughly test the xStation platform and practice short-term strategies before committing real funds.
- The research tools at XTB are good but could be great if they went beyond in-house features with access to leading third-party tools such as Autochartist, Trading Central and TipRanks.
LiteForex Europe
LiteForex is a good option for active day traders with variable spreads from 0.0 pips, daily analysis and high-quality training guides. The forex copy system also lets you duplicate the positions of experienced traders.
William Berg, Reviewer
LiteForex Europe quick facts
- Demo Account
- ✔Yes
- Instruments
- CFDs, Forex, Indices, Commodities
- Regulator
- CySEC, AFM
- Platforms
- MT4, MT5
- Minimum Deposit
- $50
- Minimum Trade
- 0.01 Lots
- Account Currencies
- USD, EUR, GBP, CHF
Pros
- A proprietary copy trading system is available which allows you to copy other trading patterns
- There's a comprehensive analytics portal by Claws&Horns, which offers video reviews, expert insights and short-term trading signals
- The broker offers a VPS server for experience day traders looking to run their auto strategies continuously
Cons
- Fees are fairly high, with spreads starting from 2.0 pips in the Classic account and $10 forex commissions in the ECN account
- There are limited funding methods compared to other top day trading brokers
AvaTrade
AvaTrade offers active traders everything they need: an intuitive WebTrader, powerful AvaProtect risk management, a smooth 5-minute sign-up process, and dependable support you can rely on in fast-moving markets.
Jemma Grist, Reviewer
AvaTrade quick facts
- Demo Account
- ✔Yes
- Instruments
- CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, ETFs, Bonds, Crypto, Spread Betting, Futures
- Regulator
- ASIC, CySEC, FSCA, ISA, CBI, JFSA, BVI, FSRA/ADGM, AFM, CMA-Kenya, CIRO (via Friedberg Direct)
- Platforms
- WebTrader, AvaTradeGO, AvaOptions, AvaFutures, MT4, MT5, AlgoTrader, TradingView, TradingCentral, DupliTrade
- Minimum Deposit
- $100
- Minimum Trade
- 0.01 Lots
- Account Currencies
- USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, ZAR
Pros
- The WebTrader excelled in our hands-on tests, sporting a user-friendly interface for beginners, complete with robust charting tools like 6 chart layouts and 60+ technical indicators.
- Years on, AvaTrade remains one of the few brokers offering a bespoke risk management tool, AvaProtect, that insures losses up to $1M for a fee and is easy to activate on the platform.
- AvaTrade launched AvaFutures to offer low-margin access to global markets, then expanded in 2025 as one of the first brokers to add CME’s Micro Grain Futures, and then later in the year went further by integrating with TradingView.
Cons
- AvaTrade’s WebTrader has improved, but work is still needed in terms of customizability – frustratingly widgets like market watch and watchlists can’t be hidden, moved, or resized.
- While signing up is a breeze, AvaTrade lacks an ECN account like Pepperstone or IC Markets, which provides the raw spreads and ultra-fast execution many day traders are looking for.
- The AvaSocial app is good but not great – the look and feel, plus the navigation between finding strategy providers and account management needs upgrading to rival category leaders like eToro.
Trade Nation
Trade Nation suits discretionary traders who want to speculate on major indices like the US 500 or liquid FX pairs, and want the predictable all-in costs of fixed spreads. In tests, we found the fixed-spread TN Trader environment particularly useful for trading around scheduled economic releases owing to its reliable charting environment and because published spreads stayed capped.
Christian Harris, Reviewer
Trade Nation quick facts
- Demo Account
- ✔Yes
- Instruments
- CFDs, Forex, Indices, Shares, Commodities, Futures, Bonds, Spread Betting (UK and Ireland only), Cryptos (Bahamas entity only)
- Regulator
- FCA, ASIC, CMVM , FSCA, SCB, FSA
- Platforms
- TN Trader, MT4, TradingView
- Minimum Deposit
- $0
- Minimum Trade
- 0.1 Lots
- Account Currencies
- USD, EUR, GBP, AUD, ZAR, SEK, NOK, DKK
Pros
- The demo comes with a $5,000 practice account and you can request a one-on-one platform walkthrough by callback - this level of personal help is rare.
- In testing of the TN Trader account under normal market conditions, fixed spreads held while fills were prompt on major forex pairs, with a slight drift in the entry level as price ticked between click and fill.
- The broker expanded into Europe with regulated online trading services after securing authorization from Portugal's CVMV, boosting its safety protections for European residents.
Cons
- Offshore SCB and FSA entities allow retail clients up to 1:200 and 1:500 leverage compared to 1:30 in regions like the UK, Europe and Australia, so an FSA client can have 16 times the exposure of a UK retail client on the same trade, but with less oversight and no compensation scheme.
- Withdrawals can take up to five business days, which is around the industry average but slower than the 1-3 days we’re increasingly seeing brokers offer in an attempt to quash withdrawal complaints from retail investors.
- The 2–20% rebate scheme is closed to FCA, CMVM, and ASIC clients, meaning active day traders in these regions who would benefit from transaction rebates cannot claim them.
What Is End Of Day Trading?
An end of the day trading strategy simply means to make trading decisions very near to, or after the markets close. Whereas day traders watch charts all day, opening and closing trades when they choose, end of day traders typically trade at the close or the open.
Some stocks and ETFs can also be traded after hours, depending on the broker and venue, but liquidity may be lower, spreads may be wider and orders may be harder to execute at the expected price. The SEC highlights these as key extended-hours trading risks.
End of day trading can reduce the temptation to react to intraday news and price noise, though traders remain exposed to overnight announcements, earnings releases and market gaps. End of day trading setups allow you to cut out the noise, can often lead to cheaper rates, and enable you trade with limit or stop orders. Although it is sometimes discussed alongside day trading, end-of-day trading often overlaps with swing trading, especially when positions are held overnight. This strategy is useful for people who want to continue working their day job, though they will need to understand how their broker applies relevant day trading rules.
What Time Does End Of Day Trading Start?
Before we get into the details, let’s first look into when end of day trading starts. The correct definition for ‘end of day’ trading depend on which markets you are trading, whether in the UK or elsewhere. For shares and ETFs, it is usually tied to the relevant exchange close. For forex, it is more often tied to a broker’s daily candle close or the end of a major trading session.
For forex, “end of day” is less straightforward than for equities because spot FX trades across a decentralised 24-hour market during the trading week. However, liquidity and volatility often concentrate around the major regional sessions, especially London, roughly 8am to 4pm UK time, New York, roughly 8am to 5pm Eastern Time, and the London–New York overlap, roughly 1pm to 4pm UK time. Traders may therefore plan entries and exits around session closes or around their broker’s daily candle close.
In general, traditional day trading is when you see more market participants which leads to higher liquidity. However, end of day trading often sees a high volume of activity as many traders unwind their positions and close trading for the day.
So, to figure out what time day trading ends, check your local markets of interest.
Strategy Example
Placing your orders at the end of a trading day means you can still use the same intraday strategies. Many traders use swing trading on stocks or forex, using the end of day method. It’s simply the timing of when you place your trades that is different.
The best end of day trading methods use software to implement strategies. The system will create pending orders for the next day while time is effectively paused (i.e. when no trades are occurring).
One common end-of-day forex method is breakout trading. Traders use this approach to try to enter when price moves out of a low-volatility range. The aim is to catch the early part of a larger move, but false breakouts are common and results depend heavily on market conditions, execution and risk management.
Breakout traders aim to enter when a quiet market begins to expand into a stronger move. This can sometimes capture the early part of a trend, but false breakouts are common and losses can accumulate if the strategy is not tested and managed carefully.
To trade a breakout, you need to wait for a low volatility range to form. You then enter a trade on the first move outside the range that has formed. Here is an example.
The key to breakout trading is that you have larger winning trades than you have losing trades. To help achieve this, you can place a stop-loss. A stop-loss can help define risk, but it does not guarantee execution at the chosen price. Traders should also account for slippage, gaps and changing liquidity.
Some traders place stops beyond the range or use volatility-based measures such as recent average movement. There is no universally optimal percentage stop-loss; the appropriate level depends on the currency pair, timeframe, volatility and the trader’s risk tolerance. For example, many traders measure between a 0.5% and 2% move of the currency and place the stop-loss there – many consider 1.5% a good level to keep the win rate high.
You also want to put a profit target on the next major level. To identify this level, you can look at a weekly chart for the nearest support and resistance level.
Benefits Of End Of Day Trading
There are several benefits to the end of day trading:
- Convenience – The process of end of day trading can be more convenient compared to intraday investing. If you have a full-time job, you don’t need to watch the markets all day. Because your analysis starts when the rest of the markets are closing, it means that it does not interfere with your regular job. You can place your orders to go live at the end of the trading day. Your positions will be left open overnight. But your trade adjustments, such as moving your risks to break even, or adjusting the profit levels are easier to manage.
- Cheaper rates – If you are trading stocks or futures, for example, you may need to pay fees for intraday data. You may also pay other fees such as transaction costs and a software charge. End of day trading is all about trading with closing prices. Many online brokers do not charge for this service. Because the end of day prices are widely available from everywhere, you do not have to pay additional sums to gain real-time market data. Scanning tools are also relatively cheaper when it comes to end of day trading.
- Limit or stop orders – End of day trading means you’ll likely need to use limit or stop orders. Some online brokerages charge a higher fee when you trade with market orders. This is because the execution costs are high. Resting limit orders can add liquidity and may attract different pricing on some venues, but this depends on the broker, market and order type. A marketable limit order may execute immediately and remove liquidity.
- Discipline – End of day trading can make you more disciplined. You are using just a few hours a day to analyse the markets to create a trading plan. Because your attention is more focussed, the temptation of overtrading and the emotional influences of daily news announcements should be reduced.
Downsides Of End Of Day Trading
Despite some benefits, there are several downsides to end of day trading:
- Missing overnight developments – The biggest risk is that you are trading when the markets are less active. This puts you at risk of overnight market developments. For example, when earnings are released, prices tend to gap significantly. Because you are trading just once a day, at the closing hours of the markets, it can leave your positions vulnerable to overnight market movements.
- Less active risk management – With day trading you can manage your risk efficiently. This is because you are constantly monitoring the markets. This isn’t the case with end of day trading. There’s a chance you’ll make huge profits, but an equal or greater risk your stops may be triggered before you have a chance to adjust your risk settings, and in fast or gapping markets they may execute at a worse price than expected..
- Liquidity – You are also at risk of reduced liquidity with end of day trading. As a result, there is a chance that your limit orders will not be triggered at the price you wanted.
- Earnings season – Earnings timings are something to be wary of when end of day trading. Because most companies tend to release their earnings before the market opens or after the market closes, you can expect to see pre-market and after-market pricing turn volatile.
How To Get Started End Of Day Trading
As with all trading strategies, you first need to find a top broker and fund your account to access daily prices, charts and risk tools. It’s also always worth comparing spreads, platform features, mobile signals and customer support during end of trading hours.
Final Word
End of day trading is a convenient method for anyone who wants to continue working their regular day job. End of day trading allows you to cut the noise and use limit or stop orders to control your trades. It may also reduce the need for real-time data, but traders should still account for spreads, slippage and overnight risk. Make sure you also use a top broker to get started end of day trading.
FAQ
What Is The Difference Between Intraday And End Of Day Trading?
Intraday trading is when forex traders place orders, or open and close positions, while the local market is open. End of day trading is a strategy whereby traders make forex decisions very near to, or after the markets close.
What Is The Best End Of Day Trading Software?
Any top broker will provide you with the best software to support an end of day trading strategy. Look for a broker that provides access to charts, trading signals and risk tools, such as stop losses and limit orders. These will support your technical analysis and may help you become a successful forex trader.
Can You Day Trade At Night?
Overnight trading is the trading that takes place outside of normal trading hours. Bonds have extended trading hours and overnight trading can take place on stocks between 4 am and 9:30 am (when the exchanges open) and 6 pm (when the exchanges close) and 8 pm.
Does High Frequency Investing During End Of Day Trading Affect The Markets?
High-frequency trading and end-of-day price dislocation can affect the markets. Firstly, more competition is accompanied by high-frequency trading and larger volumes, which improve market liquidity. Secondly, more competition may mean that high-frequency traders adapt their strategies and engage in more speculative trades, which can impact market liquidity.
Can You Trade At The End Of The Trading Day With Robinhood?
Robinhood offers extended-hours trading. This means you’ll be able to trade during pre-market and after-hours sessions. That equals an extra two and a half hours of market access, each day.
Can You Trade ETFs With End Of Day Trading?
Trading for stocks and ETFs typically closes at 4 pm ET, but unlike with mutual funds, you can continue trading stocks and ETFs in the after-hours market.