We check new products on the CMC Markets platform

On April 19, the new version of the CMC Markets platform - NextGeneration was released. It is a proprietary broker application in a non-installation version (so-called web platform). We have reviewed the previous version at length in a separate article.

Check it out: CMC Markets platform review - NextGeneration

While creating the above-mentioned review, we did not spare any words of criticism, because despite many nice solutions, the platform had glaring flaws that spoiled the overall "wow" effect. CMC already announced the entry into force of an update 3 weeks ago, which was to refresh and even revolutionize NextGeneration. Have they succeeded? Let's see ...

Speed ​​of action

The previous version left much to be desired in this field. In fact, it was her most annoying feature. Lots of cool features that were either useless or discouraged from using them because of ... Slow running. This was mainly due to the Flash environment on which the application was based. When updating, it was decided to introduce the technology HTML5, which offers improved support for many browsers. This makes Flash or other additional plugins unnecessary.

Are changes felt? OF COURSE! 

I must admit quite objectively that it feels as if the platform has received a second (or actually the first?) Youth. As if we were dealing with forex "The curious case of Benjamin Button" :-). Previously, despite having a really high-class computer (i7 processor, 16 GB RAM, SSD disk etc.), most of the operations had to be waited for an extremely long time. Now everything happens instantaneously, in a fraction of a second - that is, as it should be on the platform Forex real. This is definitely what the previous version was missing.

Transactions

CMC boasts about the introduction of many functionalities to facilitate transactions. These include:

1. Opening graphs in a new window,
2. Remembering 5 recent searches,
3. Checking the opening and closing prices on the list of observed instruments,
4. Selected, favorite modules displayed in full-screen mode,
5. Facilitated management of account summary columns.
6. Modify orders from the graph.

While most of these things can not be squeezed (but also you can not praise very much, because this is all the standard of the competition), to the first point you can still have small reservations. Of course, the charts are and even actually open in a new browser window. It's just that the platform offers only an analysis on this window. No module (or the possibility of transferring it) was created on the window of this chart in order to be able to conclude a transaction at the same time. In the upper right corner there are buy / sell buttons available, but calling them opens the transaction window in the background (main window). The right button is still inactive, and all panels to conclude transactions remain on the main window. It's definitely worth working on it.

Regarding point 6. A quick modification of the order levels on the chart (Stop Loss , Take Profit, Pending Orders). It is a standard now, so there is nothing to brag about, but ... Along with moving the levels in the upper left corner of the chart, a small mini-window opens showing the cursor position. A nice trick that makes it easy to precisely define the level for modified orders.

Charts and tools

There is also no revolution in this field, but the novelties are actually visible.

40 has been added new tools in the form of chart types, formations, indicators and drawing objects. Another issue is whether anyone will use them, because I admit honestly that despite the 11-year internship, I have never heard about parts :-). But you can assume that it is better to have too much tools than not enough.

Formation of a cup and a reversed cup

CMC claims that the charts have gained on readability. Honestly, I personally did not feel it. They look the same, but they work much faster. There is a new color palette and more options for configuring font size settings, which increases the possibility of personalization. On the plus side.

You can also save up to 10 chart templates - this is a sufficient number for most traders but… The question is - why limit it quantitatively? Other platforms don't.

"Bonding" of modules

Something that NextGeneration CMC Markets is famous for - connecting modules together. The update made it possible to select / deselect two modules and automatically merge them. For example, a chart can be linked to a watchlist and then attached to an item and an Instrument Library. This also opens up the possibility of updating both modules simultaneously. Market news (from Reuters) can be viewed in the window next to it, which makes reading the entire content possible only after hovering the cursor over the event. It all starts to work fine and functionality gradually improves.

Finally, the last note. During the tests (lasting up to 1 hour) on the MacBook and the Opera browser in the latest version, the platform was suspended twice. It is true that the rates were changing and the windows were apparently active, but nothing could be done. After restarting the application, a nice mix was created in the layout of windows, where some of them were not there, and the closed ones appeared earlier. This is a topic to be explored and possibly refined.

Summation

Hands down, the update is not a good move. CMC Markets website - it was just needed. And it can be safely admitted that it successfully solved some of the problems (certainly the most urgent ones). The speed of operation has equaled desktop applications, and has already overtaken them with functionality on some levels. Does this make NextGeneration an ideal? I would abstain from saying that, but it is definitely going for good and if it does not stray from the course, it has a chance of becoming one in the long run.