Alternative data
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.
Man Group’s proprietary data platform is a timesaver for quants
The investment firm’s head of data delves into its alt data strategy and use of AI tools to boost quant efficiency.
Vanguard cautiously explores neural networks for alt data analysis
John Ameriks, head of Vanguard’s Quantitative Equity Group, explains the rationale behind dataset selection and how the group has been using machine learning.
Data isn’t king if the ‘royal’ C-suite doesn’t buy in
Voice of the CTO: As banks strive to take advantage of cutting-edge tools, the basics of proper data management and governance are too often overlooked. Banks are learning that a CDO can help gain favor with the C-suite.
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.
GenAI offers promise, complexity for research management
Research management system providers are building on their AI capabilities using LLMs to improve the research process, but challenges remain.
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.
Will generative AI crack the code for bank tech teams?
Banks could roll out tools to help translate old—or write new—code within months.
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.
Quant shop preps NLP-powered index for physical climate risk
Sharp rise in extreme weather events prompts PGIM Quant to aim for better climate-risk pricing
What is Aladdin Trader? BlackRock’s fixed-income tool still a mystery
Sources tell WatersTechnology that Aladdin Trader will expand on the platform’s ‘limited’ execution functionality.
Waters Wrap: Reading the fixed-income tea leaves
A lot gets made about how much fixed income has been electronified. Anthony says that “percentage” ignores the important technological evolutions and strategic shifts being made by the vendor community.
Waters Wrap: Market data spend and nice-to-have vs. need-to-have decisions
Cost is not the top factor driving the decision to switch data providers. Anthony looks at what’s behind the evolution of spending priorities.
Ignoring ESG data simply doesn’t make business sense
There’s a brewing controversy about “woke” ESG investments. But politics aside, ESG as a dataset brings more transparency to investment decisions.
Bloomberg rolls out integrated alt data for Terminal users
The initial launch includes consumer spend and foot traffic geolocation data—pre-integrated with all the other data on the Bloomberg Terminal.
Six banks team with Expand Research to create data vendor catalog
The initiative aims to help firms better manage the data they already use and to identify and compare alternatives available in the market.
Ex-LSEG execs partner to offer data strategy consulting
Dunlap and White have held senior roles on the buy side, sell side, and at vendors and exchanges, over careers spanning more than 30 years each.
As ESG investing faces headwinds, MSCI’s CEO says ESG ‘most popular’ topic for clients
For future analytics enhancements, the vendor will also lean into large language models and generative AI.
Bloomberg, Snowflake ally to accelerate cloud data adoption
Bloomberg has built an app in Snowflake’s cloud framework that will make it simpler and faster for Snowflake clients to populate their cloud-hosted tools with Bloomberg data.
Nasdaq–Adenza: A look at the tech
The exchange operator announced its intention to acquire the software firm, which combines AxiomSL and Calypso, in a deal that amounts to its largest acquisition to date.
Alt data’s growing pains: Integration and aggregation challenges stall wider adoption
Demand for alternative data continues to grow among investment firms. So why are some alt data providers taking products off the market?
S&P Global–IHS Markit post-merger: One giant leap for data analysis?
The combined entity will look to tap into AI tools provided by S&P’s Kensho outfit and AWS’ cloud to build new analytics platforms.
BloombergGPT: Terminal giant enters the LLM race
Bloomberg has developed a large language model with the aim of improving its Terminal’s ability to provide sentiment, charting and search.
Waters Wavelength Podcast: Episode 262 (Previewing Nafis)
Wei-Shen and Tony take a look at what’s to come at the North American Financial Information Summit (Nafis).