Wealth Management

DATA DRIVEN INVESTMENT DECISIONS

Published

7 months ago

January 4, 2021

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Keith Bortoluzzi, CEO, Thread

According to The Economist in 2017, ‘the world’s most valuable resource is no longer oil, but data’.

Like oil, data can be extracted from diverse sources. Like oil, data then needs to be stored and refined in data centres. Eventually, both serve as feedstocks for the economy. Many sectors depend on oil by-products from the kerosene that fuels airplanes to the fertilizers that nourish our soil or the soap that we use to wash our hands. Similarly, data drives services from social networks and digital marketplaces to connected devices.

Similarly, in much the same way that the discovery of oil at the end of the 19th century led to the development of new machines, boosted growth, and increased the living standards of many, data is already reshaping our society in 2020. Increasing interconnectedness as well as giving us a deeper understanding of human behaviours and needs, data transforms business models, changes the way we interact, and powers more accurate services.

Of particular interest to us is the fundamental link that ties data with decision-making, particularly for finance professionals. Unlike oil, which has an intrinsic energy content and can, therefore, be used in its raw state, data is an intangible asset with no practical use in the physical world unless it is refined or contextualized.

If you use the right tools to interpret data points, you will get a shape or a curve. From this shape, you will derive information, that is, a new understanding of the physical world. Based on this newfound insight, we can make decisions which in turn will shape the real world. That’s why we believe that having the right tools to structure and analyse data is as important as having access to data itself.

The investment data funnel

We can understand a typical investor workflow in three stages, otherwise known as an investment data funnel. Much like in the oil and gas industry, this funnel is categorised into Upstream (collecting data), Midstream (deriving actionable insights from data), and Downstream (turning insights into decisions). The challenge for investors today is to make sense of the overload of information that they are exposed to on a daily basis.

Over the last decade, financial analysts downsized the average number of companies under their coverage by roughly 25%, according to StarMine numbers. Over the same period, analysts’ job postings dropped only by around 18%. These numbers underscore how investors prefer to focus their limited resources on deeper analyses and due diligences. But what if instead of investing in more upstream — data collection — and midstream — data analysis, investment firms were able to put more time into the downstream section of the investment data funnel?

When working with partner asset management firms, we have seen how investing in downstream processes, namely collaboration and communication, yields valuable benefits. However, to be truly productive in today’s interconnected but physically-remote world, Asset Managers need a new approach to digital collaboration. Next-generation technology which enables them to share and discuss ideas, as well as retain learnings for the good of the whole team and wider business.

Next-generation productivity tools for Asset Managers

Even in today’s digital environment, Asset Managers derive their best and most original investment ideas from the collective knowledge of specialists within their organization, such as industry experts, bonds, or equity analysts. Cross-industry expertise and collaboration are often required to crack the most complex investment opportunities – but this is difficult to achieve when we are all working remotely.

Traditionally, investment teams have operated in silos, relying on different files, tools, and methodologies to source, build or update investment theses. The ability to share information and collaborate on ideas has often been based on the back-and-forth, informal communication between team members.

First-generation tools like Excel, Word, and email clearly help individuals be more productive individually, but it’s easy to see how information can get lost and distorted. Similarly, how do you ensure decisions involve all the relevant stakeholders and ideas are discussed openly and transparently when there are many different email threads and offline conversations in the mix?

When we think about next-generation productivity tools for the investment community, it’s all about collaboration and a shared digital workspace where all relevant information and people are gathered in one place to create, discuss, and challenge investment ideas.

This should include features such as real-time editing and commenting on investment notes, a centralized and shared views build so that teams can tap into a ‘single source of truth’, access to company restatements and estimates made by your colleagues, and the ability to edit estimates directly within a shared table which removes the hassle of copying and sharing Excel sheets with teams as a way to share knowledge. It is very common to see separate teams reviewing the same information several times instead of capitalizing on each other’s work because they don’t have the right tools to collaborate and properly split their workflow.

It’s time to redefine the way Asset Managers work, share and collaborate. While innovation usually takes iterative steps towards a final revolutionary product that changes the world, the current crisis, where investment teams have been forced to work remotely, has provided as a unique opportunity to break down silos and make the big leap into collaborative, next-generation investment technology.

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Wealth Management

DIGITAL NATIVES CAN BE THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND THE BIGGEST TRANSFORMATION IN INSURANCE

Published

5 days ago

July 29, 2021

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Sam Vickerman, Practice Director, Insurance & Retail, Grayce

Often referred to as digital laggards in the finance sector, insurance companies are renowned for being slow to adopt new technologies. Held back by legacy systems and old-fashioned business models, the industry also lacks the technology talent required to speed up innovation. According to Deloitte, just 4% of millennials want to work in insurance, with many more being drawn to exciting roles in technology, consulting or other financial companies instead. Insurtech start-ups are beginning to emerge, who are focused on developing software for the sector. Yet the gap between these fledgling firms and traditional insurance companies is growing. Exacerbating the problem further is the impact of Covid-19 on the sector, with customer demand for more digital products and services growing. If insurance companies are to prosper in the post-pandemic world, they need to find ways to adopt digital technologies at a faster rate. And that must start with changing the next cohort of workers’ perception that the industry is dull and dusty and finding ways to attract and retain this talent.

Attracting digital native talent

Immersed in technology since birth, millennial and Gen Z workers are confident in and capable at using digital tools – it’s argued that the brains of digital natives are actually wired differently to ‘digital immigrants’ (those who have adapted to the new world as adults), due to vastly different kinds of early learning experiences. In the workplace, this translates to differing communication and information-gathering styles, and according to Forrester, these workers prefer greater mobility, tech autonomy and software diversity compared to their older counterparts. Insurance firms must find ways to tap into this talent pool more widely if they’re to digitalise their operations and compete with the emerging start-ups in the sector, and they should start by employing individuals that show a curiosity and willingness to continuously learn. These individuals can act as digital champions for their organisations, helping them to embed the latest technologies into their operations and shape the future of their business.

Sam Vickerman

Here are a handful of those technologies that could drive widespread transformation of the sector.

Highly personalised services through IoT and social media – traditional risk assessment relies on datasets that consider a range of factors such as the customer’s age, gender, location, marital status and so on. But today, endpoint devices and social media can provide much more personal insights into the individual – in a model that is beneficial to both the insurer and the customer. Wearables, for instance, provide deep insights into a person’s physical health, measuring factors such as blood pressure, temperate and number of steps per day. The business gets a more accurate risk assessment, and the customer gets a more tailored policy that suits their needs. This model is growing in popularity, with a recent study by Accenture finding that more than three-quarters of consumers are willing to share their personal data in exchange for more personalised insurance offers and cheaper coverage.
Digitising paper records – the insurance sector is a heavy user of paper-based records, with firms typically keeping thousands of files in paper archives, gathering dust. If files are digitised, analysed and stored in the cloud, documents can be automatically reviewed, helping to reduce inconsistent information or errors.
Internal workflow automation with RPA and Machine Learning – automation enables firms to reduce the time spent on routine paperwork and administrative tasks, freeing up employees to focus on more creative, value-add work with their clients. Robotic Process Automation (RPA) can help address repetitive work, including preliminary assessment of each claim, data entry and payments. In turn, this results in more efficient decision making, reduced call times to customer service teams and far greater accuracy of data entry.
Automated resolutions through AI-powered chatbots – customer service agents spend thousands of hours on the phone, often supporting clients with simple requests. Chatbots can help automate many of these conversations, using AI to filter through the chats and route priority customers that require urgent attention through to human service agents. This can drastically cut costs in customer support and sales.
Blockchain implementation – according to PWC, blockchain implementation could cut costs by $5-10bn for reinsurers worldwide. Key benefits include reducing verification and validation time, eliminating errors and minimising reputational risks. Blockchain enables all required parties to be connected by smart contracts, meaning reinsurers don’t have to interact with the insurer to get access to the client’s data.

Dusty to digital-first

The insurance sector is in much need of a revamp and companies risk falling behind if they do not start investing in digital innovation today. However, by giving ambitious digital natives licence to research and embed new technologies, they can transform their operations and compete with new market entrants. Technology is driving several disruptive trends in insurance, such as personalisation, automation and real-time based assessments. If insurers can get digital adoption right, they will benefit from cost reduction, better communication with their customers on the channels of their choosing and more accurate risk assessment. The next generation of workers can help drive this change – shifting the perception of insurers from dusty to digital-first. It’s time for insurance companies to start investing in these individuals now.

Wealth Management

ROBINHOOD’S IPO COULD TURN THE TRADING PLATFORM INTO A 35 BILLION DOLLAR CONCEPT

Published

5 days ago

July 29, 2021

admin

US share and crypto trading platform Robinhood is expected to list on the Nasdaq on 29 July
The company will trade under the ticker HOOD
Stock expected to be priced between $38 – $42 per share
Listing would put a value on the company of around $35 billion
Robinhood is under the regulatory spotlight following the GameStop craze
UK investors can’t participate in IPO but can buy shares when trading begins

Susannah Streeter, senior investment and markets analyst, Hargreaves Lansdown

‘’There is likely to be huge interest in Robinhood’s IPO, given the swirling speculation about the company on social media forums and the media coverage the company received as it became a central figure in the GameStop craze earlier in the year.

The company was set up to help further democratise investing in the US and draw more ordinary traders into the Wall Street world. If the stock does list within the range of $38 – $42 per share, this will turn out to be a $35 billion dollar idea. But the company has come under the regulatory spotlight and that could have a big impact on the company’s future potential as an investment.

The app has come under fire for the so called ‘gamification’ of investing with the use of rewards and celebratory notifications to encourage users to trade more. Its strategy is paying off with the number of accounts increasing to 18 million by March this year from 7.2 million in March 2020.

The way that Robinhood makes money has also come under intense scrutiny. Instead of charging investors a dealing commission, it puts clients’ trades through certain companies, and in return, these companies pay Robinhood a fee. It’s these charges, called “payment for order flow” that make the company most of its money.

Even though each fee is a tiny fraction of a cent per share traded, it soon adds up. Over the last year Robinhood made $720m from payment for order flow – three quarters of its total revenue. That rose to 81% of revenues in the first 3 months of this year.

But this model is now under review, with the US regulator, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) planning to look again at the stock market trading rules, which could include payment for order flow.

The concern is that it stops investors from getting the best price for their deals and could create a possible conflict of interest between firms like Robinhood and their clients. Firms promise to trade at, or at better than, current market price. But the question remains about whether, under the system, there are even better prices available with other market making companies, which they don’t use. If rules do change this could be a big worry for the firm’s revenues and future investors in the company. It was enough for Robinhood to highlight a potential ban on payment for order flow as a key risk in its prospectus.

This isn’t the first time Robinhood has come under fire from US regulators. In December last year, Massachusetts securities regulator accused Robinhood of gamifying investing. The case included a customer, with no investment experience, who traded 12,700 times in six months. More recently, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority fined Robinhood a record $70m. It said the company had caused “widespread and significant harm” to investors.

And there could be more storms gathering on the horizon. The Robinhood prospectus named seven US state and federal bodies investigating the company. All this could add up to potential issues down the line, so investors need to take such risks into the equation when they consider investing right from the start of Robinhood’s listed life.

If Robinhood can bat away these issues, or if the SEC decides not to change the current rule book, the groundswell of support among day traders the company has already gathered could potentially accelerate, leading to further growth for the company.’’

How to buy Robinhood shares

UK investors can’t take part in the Robinhood IPO. But HL clients should be able to buy Robinhood shares once they start trading on the US stock market which is expected to be on 29 July. If you believe in the long-term prospects for Robinhood and want to buy the shares, you first need to choose an account to hold the shares in. Once listed on the stock market, you can hold Robinhood shares in a general investment account (Fund and Share Account), ISA or Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP). Before you buy your first US share with HL, you’ll also need to complete a W-8BEN form.

On the first day of trading, it can take several hours to get a live market price. During this time, it isn’t possible to buy or sell the shares. Investors will be able to deal the shares through HL once there’s a live market price, and trading and settlement has been confirmed by the UK clearing and settlement service. This could be after the shares have already started trading on the stock exchange.