Summer Sessions - Pushing the Informational Edge: Accessing Alternative Data

In an increasingly challenging environment of alpha capture, investors are looking beyond traditional data sources as a means to achieve a competitive edge. Digitization and advancements of technology have enabled the collection of previously unmeasurable information, leading to a proliferation of available data sources pertaining to the macro economy and individual firms. While the increased availability of data affords considerable opportunity for economists, investors, and traders it also comes with complexities that need to be understood and addressed. In this session, Rajeev Bhargava, Head of Investment Indicator Research at State Street Associates and Gideon Ozik, founding partner at MKT Mediastats provided an overview of the various sources of alternative data currently available, review the benefits, current academic research as well as some of the inherent challenges these sources of information yield.