Challenged by pressure on margins, increasing regulation, the shift from active to passive investment, the growth of sustainable investing, and, most recently, the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, buy-side firms are accelerating operational change and digital transformation. There is a need to deliver data and analytics platforms that can increase efficiency, reduce costs and mitigate risk while remaining agile and open to new business opportunities.
Buy-side firms are driving operational change and digital transformation to improve performance.
Portfolio managers are looking for data solutions to better integrate ESG data into their investment practices.
Rising numbers of research professionals with coding skills require Python and API technology in order to provide fast access to data.
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The Covid-19 pandemic added to the pressure on technology and resources as firms relocated staff from offices to work-from-home environments.
A surge in investor interest in alternative data, particularly ESG data, is also a new challenge and opportunity, leading asset managers to evolve their processes and look for new analytics solutions that integrate ESG and alternative data and enable flexibility of access for their users.
A New Operational Approach
Buy-side firms are acknowledging the value of single open architecture platforms that connect workflows between sell-side analysts, buy-side analysts, and portfolio managers, providing a more seamless research and investment decision-making process.
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Data quality, consistency, and timely access, as well as intuitive interfaces, are critical to successful transformation, along with machine learning and Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools and techniques that power sophisticated searches and allow asset managers to build unique portfolios and improve performance.
A Single-Platform Solution
Refinitiv has collaborated with customers to develop workspace for analysts and portfolio managers, an AI-based platform offering fast access to required Refinitiv content. The platform aggregates industry data delivers proprietary analytics and automates critical research and portfolio management workflows.
It provides consistent data across applications to underpin research and analysis. Workspace takes the breadth of rich content unique to Refinitiv and serves it up in an easy-to-use interface that enables market monitoring, idea generation, financial modelling, portfolio analytics and collaboration across communities.
The web-based design of workspace for analysts and portfolio managers means it has a light footprint, is highly performant and supports navigation between applications in a browser-style window, making it highly intuitive and customisable, allowing users to set up their own homepage and bookmark favourite applications.
The AI engine responds to user behaviour, surfacing tools and search results most pertinent to the user. Along with a powerful search tool, providing access to Refinitiv content and insights, and Excel add-in capabilities allowing for detailed modelling, Refinitiv CodeBook gives analysts and portfolio managers the ability to code and create custom analytics using Python and APIs in the Refinitiv Data Platform.
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Onboarding Strategic Partners
Refinitiv has onboarded key strategic partners to support Refinitiv Workspace workflow applications. These include MSCI Risk Metrics and Barra to support portfolio analytics, MarketPsych ESG Analytics for sentiment analysis, and BattleFin for alternative data. And on top of this, Refinitiv is one of the world’s largest platforms for third-party research, indices, and news.
The workspace also integrates seamlessly with industry-leading Refinitiv data sets such as Datastream, StarMine, ESG, I/B/E/S, company fundamentals, real-time research, and Reuters News.
The initial release of workspace for analysts and portfolio managers supports equity-based research and portfolio management. Refinitiv will soon add more multi-asset capabilities.
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