Currency Returns in Different Time Zones

European currencies have positive average returns during US business hours and negative average returns during foreign business hours. I propose a risk-based explanation: Because news about US growth prospects arrives mostly during US business hours, US investors require higher risk premia to hold risky foreign currencies in these hours. Consistent with this argument, I find the difference in a currency's returns between US and foreign business hours widens if the currency has a higher risk exposure, and when its exchange rate becomes more volatile. These results connect currency returns in different time zones to currency risk premia observable at lower frequencies, and support asset pricing models with recursive preferences and long-run risks