We summarise a 2021 research paper that uses EPFR data on portfolio flows to analyse the relationship between capital flow volatility and currency exchange rate (FX) volatility in advanced and emerging markets. In addition to summarizing key findings, we also pinpoint the key datasets that may be used to track cross-border capital flows and relative macroeconomic indicators.

We summarise a 2021 research report that surveyed investment organisations and their alternative data usage. The paper discusses developments in alternative data adoption since 2019, and the changes in the market for 2022.

We summarise an economic study that constructs coincident employment indices with high-frequency data to identify trends in US labour market during the pandemic. Given the significant lags in traditional employment statistics, the paper finds value in using alternative data sources to gain critical information on changing labour market dynamics in real-time.

We summarise a 2021 white paper that explores developments within alternative data and compliance. The paper also recommends several vendor vetting processes and factors to consider when assessing third-party alternative datasets.

We summarize a 2020 academic paper that proposes a new ML-based selection method that claims to evaluate the contribution of factors to asset pricing in a superior manner than Fama-French 3- and 5-factor models.

We highlight key findings from an academic paper that compared the predicting power of different news-based Economic Policy Uncertainty Indices for gauging 1) the stock price behavior of Chinese public firms and 2) economic trends in China.

We summarise a study that explores a strategy of dynamically hedging long-term exposure to climate risk by hedging news about climate change over the short term.

We summarise a 2021 research that interviewed data leaders and practitioners in the financial services on their in-house AI/ML adoption and development.

We summarise a study that evaluates the impact of cyber risks along the supply chain, on listed companies’ equity returns. The frequency, severity, and impact on share prices of cyber breaches are analysed. First-hand (homegrown) and third-party induced cyber breaches are both included.

We summarise a 2021 whitepaper from the systematic active equity team of a global investment manager, which discusses the lessons that their team has learned using alternative data. The paper also highlights the three “edges” they believe alternative data offers in active equity investing.