As a MarketMates member, you get full access to 3C Analysis (3CA) signals, the same professional-grade market calls used by banks, hedge funds, and experienced traders around the world.

3C Analysis (3CA) is built on a simple principle: Clear, Concise, and Consistent market analysis.

Every day, 3CA delivers professional-grade trade calls across FX, commodities, indices, and fixed income, designed to give traders the same clarity and structure that institutional desks rely on.

About Steve Lucas and the Team

3C Analysis was founded by Steve Lucas and Alan Collins, two former senior market analysts who spent almost three decades on the FX, fixed-income, and equity desks of major banks, most notably Dresdner Kleinwort and Commonwealth Bank.

In 2002, they left Dresdner Kleinwort to launch their own independent technical-analysis firm. At the request of several top institutional clients, they began producing professional-grade trading calls for banks and hedge funds. Their institutional client list soon grew to include over 40 global names, with a track record of being correct on roughly 70 % of directional calls.

About the analysis

Each call includes:

• A clear directional bias (Buy or Sell)
• Defined entry, stop, and target levels
• Key support and resistance zones
• A brief commentary explaining what’s driving the idea

Daily calls are published from Tuesday to Friday, with a Trend Table each Monday. All calls are framed from the 7:00 London open and typically monitored through to 13:00–16:00 London. Updates or changes to targets, stops, or bias are sent by email and reflected live on the site.

While most 3C Analysis calls are published around the London open, the US indices — including the S&P 500, NASDAQ 100, and Dow Jones — are released separately to match the US market open.

These calls are timed for when US equity futures and cash markets begin to trade actively, typically around 13:30 GMT / 9:30 New York time. This timing ensures that the analysis reflects the latest overnight developments, futures positioning, and sentiment leading into the open.

Updates and any changes to targets, risk, or closure are sent by email and reflected on the site.

The goal is simple: to help traders cut through noise and focus on the highest-probability opportunities each day. By keeping every call clear, concise, and consistent, 3CA makes it easier to trade with discipline, confidence, and structure.

Example

Here’s a sample of how a 3C Analysis call is written, showing the level of detail and structure behind each trade idea:

EURUSD

This week’s loss of upside momentum at the 100-day average rate has left signals in each of the last 2 days pointing lower. These have been confirmed, yesterday posting a 2nd lower daily high & low in a row and a loss of over ½ Big Fig. There is no buy signal, but the downside has stalled at October’s 1.1542 base, sentiment recovering into the close. The bounce has the potential to extend, but it should be temporary and the outlook for Friday remains negative and the call is to sell only modestly on the open and then at 1.1601, yesterday’s opening trade with a stop loss at 1.1637, Thursday top. Targets are to 1.1542/47, October’s base, 1.1480 and then towards 1.1392, August’s low trade.

Call types you will see

3cAnalysis uses a small set of clear labels so you immediately know what to do at the open and where risk sits:

• Bullish & Buy: Long from the open, plus a defined buy-the-dip level
• Bullish: Long while above a stated risk point
• Bearish: Short from the open while below a stated point
• Bearish & Sell: Short from the open, plus a defined sell-the-rally level
• Buy Above / Buy a Dip: Underlying tone positive, immediate bias conditional
• Sell Below / Sell a Rally: Underlying tone negative, immediate bias conditional
• Trade a Break: Stand aside until a defined range breaks
• Neutral: Low conviction, often best avoided

The Trend Table

Alongside the individual write-ups, the Trend Table gives a fast summary of trend direction and targets across a broader set of markets so you can set bias quickly and then use the daily updates to adjust during the week.

How to Use 3C Analysis for Signals

The 3C Analysis signals are designed to give you a clear view of market direction, along with practical trade levels you can use right away. But every trader is different; some like to take the signals directly, while others use them for confirmation or trend guidance.

Here are a few ways you can use 3C Analysis in your own trading.

1. Pick the Call for the Day

The simplest way to use the signals is to pick a call for the day. Each day, 3C Analysis signals highlights the key market idea. For example, you could buy Gold or sell EURUSD.

You can simply choose the call you like and trade it directly. Enter at the suggested levels, use the provided stop and target, and manage the position through the day.

There are two ways of doing this:

1. Focus on the same market each day. This works well if you are a gold trader for example. Each day you would only focus on the gold calls.
2. Choose a different market. Each day, you can review the markets with your own analysis, then pick your favorite, and then if the 3CA calls align with that, then you trade that market for the day.

This is the same approach used in our previous signals business (FX Renew), which produced a consistent equity curve over time.

You’ll find the original track record included below so you can see how effective this model can be in real markets.

Past performance is not a guarantee of future results.

2. Use Specific Levels

You can also focus on particular levels within the signals that suit your style.

For example, you might only take trades from the “buy-the-dip” level or the “sell-the-rally” level. These levels are designed to help you enter in line with the day’s direction while still giving you flexibility on timing and execution.

This approach works well if you like a bit more control over entries, or if you’re combining 3C Analysis with your own technical setups.

3. Trade with the Weekly Trend Table

The weekly trend table is one of the most powerful tools in 3C Analysis. It gives you the dominant direction for each market so you can trade aligned with the broader trend.

You can use it as your main directional filter. For example:
If the weekly trend is up, you focus only on the daily Buy calls.

If the trend flips mid-week, you can close your longs or start looking for short opportunities instead.

This approach keeps you aligned with the bigger picture while still adapting to short-term changes in market momentum.

4. Manage Trades Actively

You don’t have to follow each signal from start to finish. Many traders use 3C Analysis with active trade management to protect profits and limit drawdowns.

Here’s a simple framework:

• Enter using the signal’s suggested level.
• Once the trade moves in your favour, take partial profits, say one-third of the position.
• Move your stop to break even to lock in a profitable day.
• If the market dips back to your entry, you can close out flat and protect your capital.
• Aim to finish each session or day with no open exposure.

This keeps you in control, reduces overnight risk, and ensures you’re always trading from a position of strength.

Final Thoughts

The beauty of 3C Analysis is flexibility, it’s not just a signal service, it’s a complete market framework you can tailor to your own trading style.

Whether you want to pick one call per day, follow the weekly trend, or use specific levels as part of your strategy, 3C helps you stay disciplined, consistent, and aligned with real market flows.

With 3C Analysis integrated into your MarketMates membership, you have access to the same professional signals and structure that guide institutional traders, helping you stay clear, concise, and consistent in every trade.