The primary use case for PreData is monitoring global geopolitical risks. Very useful alternative data for Global Macro traders and hedge funds and risk managers.

The Trading Ranges strategy was developed by Futures Magazine data science team to supplement active trader entry and exit levels in futures and commodity markets. 

Powerful Natural Language Processing (NLP) solution for asset managers to discover actionable insight from unstructured data acquired.

BattleFin will bring together top Artificial Intelligence and Alternative Data Providers to showcase the latest in new data sets being used to create alpha.

M Science, is a pioneer and leader in providing alternative data solutions to supplement core data in investment research for buy-side investment firms and hedge funds.

Research is considered a very important part of the value-added by portfolio managers. Huge costs of structuring a research department require most firms to buy research from the sell side (investment banks and brokers). In-house research teams also like to supplement their research with alternative views from the sell side.

The goal in trading is to get ahead of the herd. It’s best to anticipate what’s going to happen in the next five to 60 days and focus on major events. Is the top analyst going to upgrade a stock before earnings? Will global macro traders try to position hawkish or dovish around the next FOMC statement? Will the next crop report show more supply or demand? These are the questions; the answers to which will move markets.

London-based alternative data broker Eagle Alpha has listed 24 primary categories of alternative data. But, as you can see, the types of datasets are increasing all of the time. We have defined five types of datasets these various categories generally fit into along with how they are used.

Merriam-Webster defines data as, “Factual information (such as measurements or statistics) used as a basis for reasoning, discussion or calculation.” Traders use data in all forms to construct the basis for their trading decisions. In the past, this involved earnings reports and sales statistics for equity traders and perhaps weather reports and supply/demand calculations for commodity traders.

We are accustomed to splitting trading into technical and fundamental buckets. Both involve crunching data; one set includes market fundamentals and the other pure price data. Alternative data is a third bucket that is gaining traction.