Session Break Lines and End of Day Lines

Adding or enabling session break lines can be useful to see where one session opens and the next one begins. By default these lines should be on however many people have turned them off or changed the styling so they are hard for them to see.

Turning on the Session Lines in NinjaTrader 8

Right Click on any opened chart where you see candlestick data

Click Data Series and a new window will open

In the properties window, find where it says: Trading hours break line and take note of the style. This is how it will look on your chart.

You are going to have a choice between EOD (End of Day), All Sessions or Off.

All Sessions: Each session will have a vertical line mapping out where the trading session started.
EOD (End of Day): will have the lines marked at just the end of the day) which is the start of a new session. So you could call this EOD or Start of Day SOD.
Off: No lines will be displayed.

Press OK and you can close out back to the chart to see your session break lines appear

Below, all of the session lines (in the blue cyan color) are being shown for the start and end of each session.

Setting Trading Hours:

You have the ability to st the trading hours for each instrument. Go into your Data Series property settings and under Time frame you will see: Use instrument settings which is a global setting and needs to be changed somewhere else ... or it is a specific drop down which you can change or set the market too.

Just below that you have a check box that reads Break at EOD. If this is on, you will get a more consistent and repeatable chart. If you don't have this selected then the way price is analyzed at the end of a trading day continues which to you could be wrong because there is no break. Having this checked on is probably a better idea.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a session break?

A session break is a scheduled pause or interval between active periods in a trading day, meeting, conference, or other structured activity. It allows participants to rest, reset, and prepare for the next session, helping maintain focus and productivity throughout the day.

Why are session breaks important in trading?

Session breaks in trading mark the gap between market sessions, such as the transition from the Asian to the European session or from the European to the North American session. These breaks often see reduced liquidity and can lead to increased volatility when the next session opens, making them critical periods for traders to manage risk.

How long does a typical session break last?

The length of a session break varies depending on the context. In trading, breaks between sessions can range from minutes to several hours depending on the exchange. In conferences or meetings, session breaks typically last between 10 and 30 minutes to allow attendees to recharge.

How do session breaks affect market volatility?

Session breaks can lead to gaps in price action because orders may accumulate while the market is paused. When trading resumes after a session break, the sudden influx of pending orders can cause sharp price movements and increased volatility, especially if significant news was released during the break.

What is the best way to use a session break effectively?

To make the most of a session break, step away from your screen or workspace, stretch, hydrate, and briefly review your strategy or notes. This mental and physical reset helps reduce fatigue and improves decision-making when the next active session begins.