CMC Markets’ Next Generation platform packs data overlays into the chart, yet many traders ignore two of its best features: the client sentiment widget and the pattern scanner. Used together, they provide a quick read on positioning and technical setups without leaving the platform. This guide shows where to find both tools, what their numbers mean, and how to avoid common pitfalls. For broader broker details, see the full review: https://entrylab.io/broker/cmc-markets.
Where to Find Client Sentiment
Client sentiment resides in the “Insights” tab on Next Generation desktop and mobile. Each instrument displays the percentage of CMC clients currently net long or net short, along with the change over 1 hour, 1 day, and 1 week. Sentiment is updated every minute and excludes institutional accounts, so it reflects retail flow only.
To add the widget to a chart, click the sentiment icon, choose the instrument, and select “Show On Chart.” The overlay appears as a bar with long vs. short percentages. You can also pin sentiment to the watchlist for a quick glance across markets. Remember that these percentages are volume-weighted, meaning large positions move the needle more than small ones. Hovering over the bar reveals absolute numbers of clients on each side, which helps you gauge whether an imbalance is broad-based or driven by a few large accounts. On mobile, swipe up from the quote panel to reveal the same data without leaving the chart.
Sentiment is best used as a contrarian signal when readings are extreme and price reaches technical levels. For instance, if EUR/USD sentiment hits 80% long while price tests resistance, that suggests many clients are buying late. On the other hand, sentiment flipping rapidly from long to short can confirm a breakout. Keep an eye on the “Top Movers” list in the Insights tab to spot instruments where sentiment changed most in the past hour, hinting at a developing move. You can export sentiment history to CSV for backtesting by clicking the ellipsis menu, allowing you to see how past extremes resolved.
Using Pattern Scanner Effectively
The pattern scanner lives under “Products > Pattern Recognition” and covers candlestick, chart, and line patterns. It scans over 100 instruments across timeframes from 15 minutes to daily. Alerts show pattern name, direction, and confidence score (0-100). Double-clicking a result opens the chart with the pattern outlined.
Confidence scores blend pattern quality, length, and how closely price follows the textbook structure. Scores above 70 typically indicate cleaner setups. You can filter by asset class—FX, indices, commodities, shares—or by pattern type such as triangles or head-and-shoulders. The scanner also shows how price behaved historically after similar patterns on that instrument, giving context on potential follow-through.
Each alert comes with a projected price range based on the pattern’s measured move. Adding that range to your chart lets you set targets systematically. You can also create email or push notifications so that new patterns trigger even when you’re away from the platform. When multiple timeframes flag the same instrument—say, a 4-hour ascending triangle and a daily bullish channel—the platform highlights the overlap, signalling stronger conviction.
To extract value, avoid overload. Instead of subscribing to every symbol, create a watchlist of the instruments you trade and run scans on those. Combine scanner alerts with price action: if the tool flags a bullish flag on US 30 and sentiment shows heavy short positioning, the setup has a stronger case. If a pattern is downgraded (CMC labels it “invalid”), review why—often price violated the breakout level, which is useful feedback for future trades. Remember that lower-confidence scans (scores below 50) tend to generate more false positives, so consider hiding them to keep the feed manageable.
Combining Both Tools in a Workflow
One workflow is to start each session by sorting sentiment for extremes (above 70% long or short). Note the instruments and then check whether the pattern scanner has identified any structure in the same direction. If sentiment is crowded long but a bearish pattern emerges, prepare for a potential reversal. Conversely, if both tools align bullishly, you can ride momentum but define risk tightly because sentiment can flip fast.
You can also use sentiment to set alert thresholds. In the Alerts panel, trigger a notification when sentiment shifts by more than 10% within an hour. When that event fires, immediately check the pattern scanner for confirmation. This keeps you focused on instruments where the crowd is changing its view quickly.
Another approach is to log each signal pair in a spreadsheet: record date, instrument, sentiment reading, pattern type, confidence, and eventual outcome. After 20-30 trades you will know which combinations work best for your style. Some traders find that contrarian sentiment plus reversal patterns (double tops/bottoms) deliver higher win rates, while others prefer continuation sentiment aligned with flags or pennants. Replaying charts in the platform’s backtesting mode can help you visualise how signal combinations played out historically. Doing so each weekend builds intuition before the next trading week begins.
Risk management still rests with you. Neither tool predicts macro news, so combine them with an economic calendar. Sentiment often spikes just before events like CPI or central bank decisions; using pattern signals during those windows requires smaller size or hedges. Set alerts for upcoming data in the platform’s calendar to avoid being blindsided. When volatility surges, consider disabling auto-sync between sentiment and order size so sudden flips do not tempt you into reactive trades.
Conclusion
CMC’s client sentiment and pattern scanner are built-in tools that shorten analysis time. Sentiment reveals crowd positioning, while the scanner surfaces technical structures worth watching. Integrate them into a single workflow: scan for crowd extremes, cross-check for pattern confirmation, and overlay fundamental context. Keep experimenting with alert settings and saved layouts until the data appears where you need it most, and review your logs monthly to refine thresholds gradually. For a deeper look at CMC’s pricing, execution, and research, head to the full review linked above.