Trading hours
Palladium typically trades from 23:00 UK on Sunday to 22:00 UK on Friday with a daily break from 22:00 to 23:00 UK.
| When | UK time | New York time | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weekly open | Sunday 23:00 | Sunday 18:00 ET | CME Globex futures and most CFDs open Sunday evening New York time. Times follow your broker's server clock. |
| Daily break | 22:00 to 23:00 | 17:00 to 18:00 ET | Typically one hour, Monday to Thursday. |
| Friday close | 22:00 | 17:00 ET | Some brokers stop a few minutes earlier on Friday. |
| Busiest hours | 08:00 to 10:00 and 13:30 to 17:00 | 03:00 to 05:00 and 08:30 to 12:00 ET | Typically the London morning, then US data and the New York morning. |
| LBMA Palladium Price | 09:45 and 14:00 | 04:45 and 09:00 ET | Twice daily London benchmark auctions. |
New York changes its clocks on different dates from the UK (in 2026 the UK changed on 25 October and the US on 1 November; in 2027 the US changes on 14 March and the UK on 28 March). In those gap weeks New York is 4 hours behind London instead of 5, so every UK time on this page that is set by New York comes an hour earlier. Broker server clocks usually follow New York, so times on your platform can look different in those weeks even though the market has not moved. The LBMA price times stay at 09:45 and 14:00 UK all year.
What is Palladium (XPDUSD)?
XPDUSD is the price of one troy ounce of palladium in US dollars. Most palladium goes into catalytic converters for petrol and hybrid cars. Russia and South Africa produce most of the world's mined supply, so news from either can move the price.
Palladium is one of the smallest and thinnest metal markets traders can reach, so moves can be sharp and spreads wide. Spot palladium CFDs follow London prices and NYMEX palladium futures traded on CME Globex.
The trading sessions
Very thin; spreads are often at their widest.
Activity builds around the 09:45 UK benchmark.
Typically the most active window.
Thinner trade; gaps and spikes are more likely.
Contract facts
Palladium is quoted in US dollars per ounce, usually to 2 decimals. Brokers differ on what they call a point, so check your platform.
Lot sizes differ between brokers (commonly 100 troy ounces). Check the contract specification in your platform.
On a lot of 100 ounces, a 1.00 move in price is worth 100 dollars. On one NYMEX palladium futures contract (100 ounces) a 1.00 move is also worth 100 dollars.
NYMEX palladium futures (PA): typically 100 troy ounces per contract. Check CME for the current minimum price move.
How far it usually moves
Varies with conditions; check the Average daily range indicator on WickSpeak for the current figure. We do not publish a fixed number because we could not verify one from an official source.
What moves Palladium (XPDUSD)
Russia is a leading producer, so sanctions, export news and output plans matter.
Demand for catalytic converters rises and falls with petrol and hybrid car production.
Fully electric cars need no catalyst, so faster adoption weighs on long term demand.
Car makers can replace some palladium with cheaper platinum, which caps demand when palladium is dear.
Small volumes mean big orders and headlines cause sharp moves.
Like other metals it tends to move against the US dollar.
Scheduled events to watch
The London benchmark auctions used to price physical platinum and palladium deals.
Hotter or cooler inflation changes what traders expect from US interest rates, which moves every risk market.
Eight scheduled meetings a year; the decision and the tone of the press conference reset US rate expectations.
China is the largest buyer of industrial metals, so its factory survey matters.
A read on demand for petrol and hybrid car catalysts.
What it tends to move with
Both are car catalyst metals and often react to the same news.
A loose link; palladium is driven more by industry than by safe haven flows.
News on car production can move both.
Tips for trading Palladium (XPDUSD)
Trade liquid hours only
Keep to 08:00 to 17:00 UK when spreads are tighter. An entry where the spread eats more than a fifth of your stop is a poor idea.
Respect headlines
Supply news can jump the price. Wait for a 15 minute close after the headline; a close back through the pre-news price proves the idea wrong.
Use wide structure stops
Palladium moves sharply. Place stops beyond the last swing and size down; a close beyond the swing proves the trade wrong.
Watch the benchmark
Price often reacts around 14:00 UK. A break of the morning range after it is an idea; a 15 minute close back inside proves it wrong.
Connect a cTrader account once and XPDUSD appears on WickSpeak at your broker's own prices. Key levels show the previous day, week and month highs and lows, pivots, round numbers and average daily range levels with their distance in points. Every indicator writes a plain-English reading on the live candle, including what would prove it wrong, and a Playbook play can alert you, draw a trade plan, paper trade or, only on a play where you switched live trading on, place a trade inside the guardrails you set.
Related markets
Sources: lbma.org.uk, ice.com, pepperstone.com, federalreserve.gov, bls.gov. Checked 2026-11-05. Broker hours follow your broker's server clock and can differ.
Questions traders ask
What are palladium trading hours in the UK?
Palladium CFDs typically trade from 23:00 UK on Sunday to 22:00 UK on Friday, with a daily break from 22:00 to 23:00 UK. Times are an hour earlier in the gap weeks around the clock changes.
What is palladium used for?
Mostly catalytic converters in petrol and hybrid cars, which clean exhaust fumes. It is also used in electronics, dentistry and chemicals.
Who produces the most palladium?
Russia and South Africa produce most of the world's mined palladium, so supply news from either country can move the price.
Why is palladium so volatile?
It is a small market with few large producers and buyers, so orders and headlines move it more than gold or silver. Spreads also widen outside London and New York hours.
When is the LBMA palladium price set?
The LBMA Palladium Price is set in two auctions a day, at 09:45 and 14:00 London time.