CRTLAB Answers · measured, not opinion
Does London sweep the Asian range and reverse?
Answered with real trades on 13 markets of CRTLAB's own price history, 2017–2026. The rules were fixed before any result was seen, and every one of them is on this page.
The answer
Usually not. After London (02:00–05:00 New York) took one side of the Asian range, price went on to the other side first on 41.1% of 9,037 days, and ran a full Asian range further the same way first on 44.7%. Both levels are the same distance away, so a reversal pattern would show the first number well ahead; it is behind, on 11 of 13 markets.
The short answer
Faded as a trade (sell the close back inside the range after a sweep of the high, buy it after a sweep of the low, stop beyond the sweep, 2R target, out at 12:00), it averaged −0.01R ± 0.02 over 6,734 trades: breakeven before costs. A sweep is a break that sometimes fails, not a reversal signal on its own.
Gold and EUR/USD
Gold: after a London sweep, the other side of the Asian range came first on 37.5% of 730 days and the extension on 47.1%; the fade averaged −0.10R ± 0.06. EUR/USD: 44.5% against 46.7%, and the fade −0.08R ± 0.05. On gold the sweep keeps going more often than it turns.
How often London gets the chance
On 58.5% of 27,025 days the range had already broken between 00:00 and 02:00, before London. London left the range untouched on 8.1%, and took one side on 33.4%: the high on 51.0% of those, the low on the rest.
Every market
After a London sweep: which came first by 12:00 New York, the other side of the Asian range or one more Asian range beyond the swept side, and the fade trade.
| Market | Since | Sweeps | Other side first | Ran further first | Neither by 12:00 | Fade trade | Trades |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DAX (GER40) | 2025 | 103 | 52.4% | 35.9% | 11.7% | −0.03R ± 0.16 | 77 |
| Crude oil (WTI) | 2017 | 996 | 48.5% | 45.2% | 6.3% | +0.11R ± 0.05 | 768 |
| S&P 500 | 2017 | 908 | 44.6% | 46.5% | 8.8% | −0.02R ± 0.05 | 657 |
| AUD/USD | 2017 | 772 | 33.9% | 35.8% | 29.9% | +0.04R ± 0.06 | 599 |
| EUR/USD | 2017 | 794 | 44.5% | 46.7% | 8.4% | −0.08R ± 0.05 | 650 |
| Nasdaq 100 | 2017 | 888 | 45.2% | 48.5% | 6.1% | +0.05R ± 0.06 | 594 |
| USD/JPY | 2017 | 857 | 34.5% | 37.8% | 27.2% | −0.01R ± 0.05 | 674 |
| Dow Jones (US30) | 2017 | 918 | 44.3% | 48.1% | 7.3% | +0.02R ± 0.06 | 618 |
| Silver (XAG/USD) | 2017 | 693 | 38.8% | 43.7% | 17.0% | −0.06R ± 0.06 | 512 |
| GBP/USD | 2017 | 783 | 43.8% | 49.9% | 6.1% | +0.01R ± 0.06 | 642 |
| Bitcoin | 2022 | 306 | 31.0% | 40.2% | 28.8% | −0.13R ± 0.09 | 210 |
| Gold (XAU/USD) | 2017 | 730 | 37.5% | 47.1% | 15.2% | −0.10R ± 0.06 | 537 |
| Ethereum | 2022 | 289 | 25.3% | 42.6% | 32.2% | −0.21R ± 0.09 | 196 |
What this means for your trading
- Seeing London take the Asian high is not by itself a reason to sell. The break carried on slightly more often than it failed.
- If your sweep setup works, the edge comes from what you add: a higher-timeframe level, a shift in structure, the New York open. Measure that version against these numbers.
- Replay London one candle at a time with the Asian range drawn and log which sweeps you would have taken. That is the only sample that is about your rules.
Test it yourself
EUR/USD on the 5-minute chart with liquidity sweeps drawn. Replay from 02:00 New York and call each sweep of the Asian range before it plays out. The chart opens in your browser with nothing to install — 10,000 candles free, no card. Replay London on EUR/USD.
How we measured it
CRTLAB's own 5-minute price history, 3 January 2017 to 30 October 2026, on 13 markets: Nasdaq 100, S&P 500, Dow Jones (US30), DAX (GER40), Gold (XAU/USD), Silver (XAG/USD), Crude oil (WTI), EUR/USD, GBP/USD, USD/JPY, AUD/USD, Bitcoin, Ethereum (DAX (GER40) from 2025, Bitcoin from 2022, Ethereum from 2022). A trading day runs 18:00 to 17:00 New York and carries the date it ends on; Monday to Friday only, and a day counts only if it is complete (half-holidays are left out).
The Asian range is the high and low of the 20:00–00:00 New York candles, the same range as CRTLAB's Asian range statistics. Days where 00:00–02:00 already traded beyond it are left out. The sweep is the first London candle (02:00–05:00 New York) to trade beyond one side; a candle that takes both sides is skipped.
THE CONTROL is built into the question: the other side of the range and a full Asian range beyond the swept side are the same distance from the swept edge, so without a reversal effect each comes first about as often. Checked to the 11:55 candle.
The fade enters at the close of the first candle (before 05:00) that closes back inside the range, against the sweep; stop just beyond the furthest price since the break; target 2R; out at the 12:00 price. Stops under 0.02 ADR away are skipped. No spread or commission is included; a candle that reaches both the stop and the target counts as a loss, because we cannot see inside a candle. Every rule and every split was fixed before any result was seen.
Frequently asked questions
Does London sweep the Asian range and reverse?
Usually not. After London (02:00–05:00 New York) took one side of the Asian range, price went on to the other side first on 41.1% of 9,037 days, and ran a full Asian range further the same way first on 44.7%. Both levels are the same distance away, so a reversal pattern would show the first number well ahead; it is behind, on 11 of 13 markets.
Does gold reverse after London takes the Asian high or low?
Less often than it continues. Gold reached the other side of the Asian range first on 37.5% of 730 London sweeps, and ran a full Asian range further first on 47.1%.
Does fading the London sweep of the Asian range work?
Fading it after a close back inside the range, with a 2R target, averaged −0.01R a trade over 6,734 trades, winning 32.3%. A 2R target breaks even at 33.3%.
What time is the Asian range?
Here it is 20:00 to 00:00 New York time. London is 02:00 to 05:00 New York (07:00 to 10:00 in London in winter).
The average says what usually happens. Replay tells you if your version beats it.
Replay real market history candle by candle with the future hidden, take the setup by your own rules, and every trade is scored for you — on 38 markets and every timeframe.
Replay London on EUR/USD