Articles by Max Bowie
BlackRock-Preqin: It’s the data, Cupid!
As BlackRock buys Preqin, and LSEG strikes a data deal with Dow Jones, Max notes that in data, strange bedfellows breed valuable offspring.
IEX Cloud closure forces fintech clients to seek data alternatives
IEX says it is ditching its unprofitable data arm to focus on its core exchange business, but other vendors believe they can turn a profit from its former client base of fintechs, retail investors and some institutions.
The IMD Wrap: Déjà vu as exchange data industry weighs its options
Max highlights some of WatersTechnology’s recent reporting on data costs and capacity issues facing the options industry, and asks, haven’t we seen this before somewhere?
The IMD Wrap: Will banks spend more on AI than on market data?
As spend on generative AI tools exceeds previous expectations, Max showcases one new tool harnessing AI to help risk and portfolio managers better understand data about their investments—while leaving them always in control of any resulting decisions.
Heavy lifting: Why using AI for data extraction is still no easy task
Using AI to extract data from documents and filings should be a no-brainer. But it takes a lot of brains and money to get those processes set up and running reliably and accurately.
The IMD Wrap: The risks of becoming AI-rich and memory-poor
Like Alice in Wonderland, Max disappears down the rabbit hole of AI to discover a world that is sometimes fantasy—and sometimes a nightmare.
Firms worry that lack of ‘explainability’ will be regulatory roadblock for AI
Industry experts share their concerns about advanced AI’s ‘black-box’ nature and how that may attract fragmented regulatory scrutiny.
Putting the ‘A’ in CDO: The rise of the chief data and analytics officer
As data and analytics become more intertwined, banks and vendors are creating a new role—the chief data and analytics officer—to help them take advantage of the opportunities it presents. It may sound easy, but rethinking data can be a gargantuan task.
The IMD Wrap: Talk about ‘live’ data, NAFIS 2024 is here
This year’s North American Financial Information Summit takes place this week, with an expanded agenda. Max highlights some of the must-attend sessions and new topics. But first, a history lesson...
Northern Trust building internal cloud data ‘marketplace’
Using a mix of in-house expertise and third-party technologies, the firm has constructed a cloud-based data mesh that gives internal staff access to proprietary datasets and analytical tools to deliver greater insights into client activity.
The IMD Wrap: Beginning of the end for data audits?
This week, there’s exciting news for data bean-counters in the form of a partnership between two vendors that could change the way we view and track data usage and audits.
MSCI counts the cost of bank M&A, looks ahead to custom indexes, AI
Cancellations of overlapping contracts following a bank merger put a dent in MSCI’s earnings, but management remains upbeat about the potential of recent acquisitions and new technology developments.
The IMD Wrap: The growing data catalogue space
With their potential to manage costs and surface strategic datasets, it’s no wonder Max gets excited about data catalogs. This week, he takes a look at a new startup entering the space.
The IMD Wrap: Taking stock of inventory management
With market data and associated costs typically representing a firm’s third-largest expense, there’s a lot of incentive to manage data and its usage more efficiently. Max flings open his fridge to illustrate what’s new in this space.
The IMD Wrap: No more turf wars, or why CDOs should heed the Voice of the CTO
Max reviews how our recent Voice of the CTO series has implications for those beyond a firm’s technology function, and how communication and collaboration between tech, data, and leadership will deliver better results.
The IMD Wrap: Blowing tires, engines and budgets in F1 and financial data
There are many similarities between Formula One and financial data—except when it comes to how much you can spend and how much spend contributes to success.
‘Founder’ banks join EDM Council program to benchmark data management
The Data Excellence Program—the first to recognize data management at an enterprise level, rather than being an accreditation program for individuals—will help firms solidify data management as a program rather than a series of projects.
The IMD Wrap: Discoverability and visibility, the new challenge of alt data overload
There’s a novel kind of data tsunami on the horizon: the volume of new datasets, and trying to discern what’s out there—and how much of it is useful.
Amazon expects $900M+ per quarter from extending server life
The cloud provider is following the server lifespans imposed by rivals Google and Microsoft last year, in a move expected to yield more than $900 million in Q1 2024.
The IMD Wrap: Market data budgeting for 8-year-olds
Balancing a market data budget is challenging enough, but it’s even harder when cost pressures are tight, and when fees and discounts create extra confusion.
Trade reporting challenges require data re-think
Data accuracy issues are hampering some firms’ regulatory reporting abilities. So why aren’t data professionals more involved? And how can compliance costs be turned into revenue drivers?
The IMD Wrap: As crypto rises, yes, reference data is VERY important
With the SEC’s approval of spot Bitcoin ETFs, Max explains why reference data will take on greater importance—whether non-data people know it or not.
The IMD Wrap: AI efforts will force renewed focus on data in 2024
Machine learning and generative AI offer a tremendous opportunity to help users obtain more insights from raw data, but these tools first need perfect datasets on which to base their decisions.
Breaking news: How the Grinch stole data
Will the greedy Grinch get his comeuppance for trying to steal the Whos’ valuable market data at Christmas? Max Bowie investigates.