The ict session indicator maps the trading day into three blocks. Asia, London and New York each get a shaded band, a high and low line, and a dot on the bar where the session opened. Thirty days of history come with it.
This build ships as a compiled .ex4 for MT4 and .ex5 for MT5; the screenshots below come from EURUSD H1.
| Platforms | MT4 (.ex4) + MT5 (.ex5) |
|---|---|
| Chart window | Main price chart |
| Plots | 3: Asia Session Open, London Session Open, NY Session Open |
| Alerts | popup, push notification, email, sound |
| Inputs | 20 |
What the Ict Session Indicator draws on the chart
`Asia Session Open` places a gold dot using code 159.
`London Session Open` uses dodger blue and `NY Session Open` uses tomato.
`ShowSessionBands` shades each session block behind price.
`ShowSessionHL` runs a high and low line through every session.
- Asia Session Open: arrow, gold, arrow code 159
- London Session Open: arrow, dodger blue, arrow code 159
- NY Session Open: arrow, tomato, arrow code 159
How the Ict Session Indicator calculates its values
Hours define each block
Asia runs from `AsiaStartGMT` `0` to `AsiaEndGMT` `9`. London runs `LondonStartGMT` `7` to `LondonEndGMT` `16`. New York runs `NewYorkStartGMT` `12` to `NewYorkEndGMT` `21`. Each end hour is exclusive.
The high and low build as the session runs
For each session instance the code walks its bars and tracks the extremes. Those two prices become the horizontal lines, which is why they finish only when the session closes.
Dots stack rather than overlap
The three open markers sit ten, twenty and thirty points below the bar low. Separating them means an overlapping London and Asia open still shows both dots.
How to read the signals
London and Asia overlap by two hours under the defaults.
London and New York overlap by four, which is the busiest window.
A session high or low often matters more than the box itself.
`MaxDaysShown` `30` decides how far back the history reaches.
Alert channels in this build: popup, push notification, email and sound, one message per closed bar.
`EnableAlerts` opens all four routes and arrives true with `EnablePopup`. `EnablePushNotify` reaches a handset, `EnableEmail` sends mail and `EnableSound` plays `SoundFile`, all three off by default. A session boundary reports once per closed bar.
Every Ict Session Indicator input
Core settings
| Setting | What it does | Default |
|---|---|---|
AsiaStartGMT |
Asia session start (Tokyo open). Asia open hour in GMT, default `0`. | 0 |
AsiaEndGMT |
Asia session end (exclusive). Asia close hour in GMT, exclusive, default `9`. | 9 |
LondonStartGMT |
London session start. London open hour in GMT, default `7`. | 7 |
LondonEndGMT |
London session end (exclusive). London close hour in GMT, exclusive, default `16`. | 16 |
NewYorkStartGMT |
New York session start. New York open hour in GMT, default `12`. | 12 |
NewYorkEndGMT |
New York session end (exclusive). New York close hour in GMT, exclusive, default `21`. | 21 |
MaxDaysShown |
calendar days back to draw. Calendar days of history drawn, default `30`. | 30 |
ObjectPrefix |
Name prefix on every object, default `”ictSESS_”`. | ictSESS_ |
Display settings
| Setting | What it does | Default |
|---|---|---|
AsiaColor |
(see inputs panel) | gold |
LondonColor |
(see inputs panel) | dodger blue |
NewYorkColor |
(see inputs panel) | tomato |
ShowSessionBands |
Shade each session block, default `true`. | on |
ShowSessionHL |
horizontal H/L lines through session. Draw the session high and low lines, default `true`. | on |
ShowSessionLabels |
(see inputs panel) | on |
Alert settings
| Setting | What it does | Default |
|---|---|---|
EnableAlerts |
(see inputs panel) | on |
EnablePopup |
(see inputs panel) | on |
EnablePushNotify |
(see inputs panel) | off |
EnableEmail |
(see inputs panel) | off |
EnableSound |
(see inputs panel) | off |
SoundFile |
(see inputs panel) | alert.wav |
Settings that fit your chart
Session mapping is an intraday exercise. EURUSD H1 is the reference chart, where three blocks and thirty days fit without choking the screen. On M5 the boxes stretch well beyond one view. Daily bars make sessions meaningless.
When the Ict Session Indicator fails
Session hours are entered in GMT with no broker offset input here.
Daylight saving shifts the real hours, and no calendar ships with it.
Thirty days of boxes, lines and labels is a heavy object load.
Copy the compiled Ict Session Indicator file into your MQL4/Indicators folder, and the MT5 build into MQL5/Indicators, then restart the terminal and drag it onto a chart. The step-by-step guide with screenshots is at how to install MT4 and MT5 indicators.
Related on forexmt4systems.com: London Session Breakout Strategy.
Background reading on the method behind the Ict Session Indicator: markets operations at the Bank of England, reference rates at the New York Fed.
Download the Ict Session Indicator for MT4 and MT5
The zip holds the compiled Ict Session Indicator build for MT4 and MT5, plus a short README. Compiled files only, no source. Enter your email below and the download link arrives in your inbox.
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FAQ
Why is AsiaEndGMT 9 described as exclusive?
The hour itself falls outside the session. So a bar stamped nine o’clock belongs to whatever comes next, not to Asia. That convention keeps two adjacent sessions from both claiming the same bar.
How much do LondonStartGMT and AsiaEndGMT overlap?
Two hours under the defaults, since London opens at seven and Asia runs to nine. That window often carries the first real move of the European morning, which is why both boxes stay visible.
Why do the session open dots sit at different depths?
Ten, twenty and thirty points below the bar low, one per session. Stacking them means an open that coincides with another still shows both markers rather than hiding one behind the other.
What does ShowSessionHL add?
A horizontal line at the high and the low of each session instance. Those two prices are usually more useful than the shaded box, since traders watch a session extreme as a level.
Are results guaranteed?
No. Trading involves risk. Results are not guaranteed; past performance is not indicative of future results. Use the Ict Session Indicator as one input. Always backtest before trading live.
Category: this is part of our Smart Money collection. Next, plainly, truly, browse more Smart Money for MetaTrader, or explore every MT4 indicator and MT5 indicator on the site.
External references
- Learn more about the underlying method in markets operations at the Bank of England.
- For wider market background, see reference rates at the New York Fed.
About the author
Written by Dominic Walsh, a Forex trader and MT4/MT5 indicator, Expert Advisor and script developer. Every tool on forexmt4systems.com is tested on live charts before release and ships with ready-to-use compiled MT4 (.ex4) and MT5 (.ex5) files. Learn more about the trader and developer behind this site.
How we build, test and correct every tool: Editorial & Testing Policy. Trading carries risk; see the disclaimer.