Asset and wealth management (A&WM) firms need to gather enormous amounts of information for various tasks. The information could be related to macroeconomic factors, financial and market trends, investment opportunities, industry benchmarks, regulations, company financials, competitive / product intelligence, and customer insights, among others. As such, these firms can leverage databases to gather information that not only allows them to cater to their clients better but also helps them to efficiently run and grow their businesses.
Competitive and market intelligence teams within A&WM firms can specifically take advantages of such databases to gather and analyze information about the company's competitors, customer needs and the market. They can help them develop actionable insights and strategies; identify new opportunities, potential risks, and areas of improvement; enhance performance and operational efficiencies; make timely and well-informed investments or other key decisions; and ultimately improve their competitive position.
Marketing teams within A&WM firms can use these databases to understand customer segmentation based on interests, investment goals, particular strategies, risk appetite, and other factors; target potential clients; and gather information based on which they can develop relevant and customized marketing emails and other materials for prospective clients and measure the effectiveness of marketing campaigns as well.
To leverage the full potential of databases, it is imperative that A&WM firms
- Correctly identify the databases that can help them meet their objectives and goals
- Select databases that are authentic, reliable, have industry-wide acceptance, and should provide the required level of data/details
- Choose a suitable format (desktop, web-based, and mobile app) to ensure that the database is user-friendly and efficient and can provide data in a consumable format. Databases with an intuitive interface provide easy access to the required data
- Evaluate the data provided by each to see if it meets the requirements. For instance, there are some financial databases that offer comprehensive historical data and trends, while others provide real-time data, which is needed for day-to-day trading. The firm then needs to decide as to which data points are most relevant to their analysis
- Check and compare the cost of a database, and use the free trial period (if any) to evaluate the database before making a financial commitment as these databases are usually quite expensive
However, even after following all the above listed steps, selecting, and subscribing to the right databases, searching for and getting access to the right data across multiple databases can be a challenging task. Despite having access to a gamut of resources, A&WM firms are often not aware of where they can find the exact information they are looking for; what channels the databases cover; their structure, etc. Furthermore, sometimes, these firms are not completely sure of what they require or what would be the most relevant database for their requirements.
Here’s a list of the most useful databases that A&WM firms can use to gather information, along with a brief synopsis of their coverage:
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Description
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Benefits of Database
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Publishes credit rating and provides assessment services for a range of debt obligations, programs and facilities, and entities (including various corporate, financial, and government organizations) that issue such obligations in markets globally, including various corporate, financial institution and governmental obligations, and structured finance securities. The company is an independent provider of credit rating opinions and related information
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• Can be used to create industry- and company-specific reports
• Offer sector outlook and research reports, as well as briefs on various topics related to the A&WM industry, credit ratings, credit risk, etc. • Can be used to develop reports required for benchmarking, industry analysis, risk assessment, and financial performance assessment |
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Offers credit rating, commentary, and research solutions related to corporate finance, emerging markets, financial institutions, infrastructure, insurance, public finance, sovereigns, and structured finance
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Provides credit rating, benchmarking, analytics, and workflow solutions to players in the global capital, commodity, automotive, and engineering markets. The capital markets include asset managers, investment banks, commercial banks, insurance companies, exchanges, trading firms and issuers. The company operates through six segments: S&P Global Market Intelligence (Market Intelligence), S&P Global Ratings (Ratings), S&P Global Commodity Insights (Commodity Insights), S&P Global Mobility (Mobility), S&P Dow Jones Indices (Indices) and S&P Global Engineering Solutions (Engineering Solutions)
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Offers articles and industry news summaries that help financial advisors, investment consultants, pension plans, endowment agencies, and foundations to streamline their money management processes; also provides Search & Hire database, which is updated daily and features webinars, polls, videos, Q&A, and breaking news, along with the latest news related to manager-level hiring and terminations
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• Cover the latest developments, executive interviews, and industry opinions that can be used by A&WM firms to develop new brands, growth strategies, products, and services to gain a competitive edge
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Provides insights into strategic issues within the asset management industry and helps clients address those issues with business intelligence gathered through surveys, interviews, third-party data analysis, and reports; also reports industry news related to mutual funds, ETFs, variable annuities, retirement plans, college plans, etc.
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Offers news, analysis, and insights to financial advisors and wealth management professionals
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Offers financial software, enterprise applications, analytics and equity trading platforms, data services tools, and news through Bloomberg Terminal (via its Bloomberg Professional Service). The company’s business also includes a news agency (Bloomberg News), a global television network (Bloomberg Television), websites, radio stations (Bloomberg Radio), subscription-only newsletters, and two magazines: Bloomberg Businessweek and Bloomberg Markets
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• Offers real-time data, latest news, information across markets and securities asset classes, and in-depth research that can help firms better understand their competitive landscape
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Provides investment analysis and publishes newsletters, stock and fund risk ratings (Star Ratings), pitch-books, and data and research insights related to investment products and portfolio management resources for financial professionals (including individual investors, financial advisors, asset managers, retirement plan providers, and institutional investors); also offers Morningstar Indexes for financial institutions, along with relevant software and data platforms for investment professionals. The firm also offers software and data platforms for investment professionals, such as "Morningstar Research Portal", "Morningstar Direct" and "Morningstar Advisor Workstation"
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• Provides insights into investment strategies, asset allocations, performance trends, competitive landscapes, market trends, etc., which help investors and A&WM firms to develop plans that provide them a competitive edge
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Provides ratings, data, research, and investment analyses to advisory firms, banks, corporations, investment managers, private equity funds, institutional traders, individual investors, and universities; also offers the S&P Dow Jones Indices to its clients
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• Provides detailed financial data and profiles that can be used to compare the financial performance of competitors
• Enables competitor benchmarking • Provides research reports that help in understanding industry dynamics • Offers M&A and transaction information to understand competitors’ strategies • Offers a customized screening feature that helps clients to identify companies and deals that meet specific parameters |
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Offers news and information on global developments across domains such as legal, regulatory, tax, compliance, government, and media; also provides market, industry, and sub-industry reviews, surveys, and general economic insights to institutional and individual investors
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• Offers market research reports that can provide insights into industry trends, market sizing, and competitor analysis
• Provides extensive news coverage across different industries • Offers analysis tools and financial data (market data, financial statements, analyst reports, historical pricing information, etc.) |
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Offers a suite of periodical publications (including white papers, webinars, and videos), an online data platform, as well as custom research and advisory services to asset managers, wealth managers, private equity firms, and financial technology firms
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• Provides insights into macro themes, micro-trends, and innovations that enable A&WM firms to develop strategies to enhance brand awareness, reach industry leaders, and drive accurate decision-making
• Provide analysis of distribution channels that can help optimizing distribution |
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Encourages adherence to ethical standards, promotes public financial literacy of funds and investing, and advances the interests of investment funds and their shareholders, directors, and advisers; enables clients to gather information from various scientific journals from various sources and its master database
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• Builds a foundation for the industry by strengthening policy and regulatory frameworks and encouraging sound governance, operational, and fiduciary practices
• Helps firms and investors through education and expanding access to regulated funds and other professionally managed products for meeting their financial goals |
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Provides proprietary data, business intelligence, and research and marketing services, including investment flow data, advisor sales analysis, in-depth research, analytics, editorials, event organization for investment managers, asset owners, and custodians, and transaction cost measurement of more than 500 million trades every month. Strategic Insight delivers its products and services through four distinct divisions: SI Data, SI Research, SI Intelligence and SI Interactive. Its portfolio of leading editorial titles includes the well-recognized brands PLANSPONSOR, PLANADVISER, Chief Investment Officer, Global Custodian, and The Trade
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• Offers market research and industry updates that can be used to make decisions related to market entry, product development, and expansion strategies
• Enables firms to increase market share and decrease time to market by helping them identify their most important distributors • Offers a full picture of assets and flows on a global basis • Provides a customized research component unique to a firm’s needs |
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Provides competitive intelligence, user experience research and consulting services to financial services, insurance, and healthcare institutions. It helps clients improve their digital capabilities and user experience. Offers research platform and analyses the customer experience to help clients advance their competitive positioning
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• Can assist in conducting comprehensive competitor analysis and customer experience research, as well as provide insights into market trends across industries
• Helps clients understand industry best practices, product and capability matrices, as well as product and pricing strategies of competitors |
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Offers insights and analysis on retirement, insurance, annuities, workplace benefits, and distribution to help develop effective business strategies
Enables clients to understand industry trends, enhance their strategies, improve management, develop talent, undertake research and information sharing, and identify related products and services that can enhance their market position |
• Enables clients to understand industry trends, enhance strategies, improve management, develop talent, undertake research and information sharing, determine growth opportunities, and monitor key trends related to • consumers, technology, regulations, life insurance, retirement, and other financial products
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Media tracking database that provides their clients the ability to analyze direct marketing activities of their competitors. Web based search utility allows mining the database through which the clients are better informed to make their marketing campaigns effective. It can be especially beneficial for marketers, product managers, and competitive intelligence professionals by giving them a direct view into products, services and offers provided by their competitors
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• Helps clients monitor and analyze direct marketing activities of competitors
• Provides information on competitors’ marketing spend, channels, strategies, and campaigns • Offers intelligence related to new products / service launch |
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Conducts various rating and evaluation exercises, as well as develops standards and measurement systems that improve the quality of products, services, and compliance adherence for retirement and mutual funds, brokers / dealers, discount brokerage firms, and life insurance, healthcare, and banking companies
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• Provides competitive benchmarking on various industry KPIs
• Helps clients analyze and identify successful strategies of competitors |
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Provides data, research, and other information about employee benefits related to retirement, health, social security, financial wellness, and demographics. EBRI maintains 401(k) micro-database that tracks individual 401(k) participant investment activity. It also maintains IRA database that includes account and individual-level administrative data on IRA activity. It offers resources for employers, policymakers, service providers, and others in developing innovative solutions and making policy and design decisions.
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• Offer data related to employee benefits, retirement planning, retirement savings, social security, healthcare, retirement readiness, etc. to help clients make better business and financial decisions, monitor industry and competitor trends, identify opportunities, track the latest regulations, and take strategic decisions
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Offers research and educational tools that can bridge the gaps between the academic community and decision-makers in the public and private sectors; also provides research on issues affecting individuals’ income in retirement (areas of focus include social security, state and local pensions, health and long-term care, financing retirement and older workers, etc.)
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Undertakes research projects, national surveys, case studies, and analyses, as well as develops infographics on managing public sector recruitment, retention, retirement, and employee health and wellness to highlight issues faced by state and local government employers and employees
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Evalueserve – Your specialized database expert
Evalueserve can source relevant insights from the databases listed above and many more. Our domain experts have in-depth knowledge of using these resources and finding actionable insights for A&WM firms.
Apart from expertise in databases, Evalueserve offers an integrated market and competitive intelligence (MICI) program through its proprietary AI-based platform Insightsfirst. Our platform leverages AI, NLP, and generative AI, as well as domain experts to cater to the intelligence needs of asset managers. Global Asset and Wealth Management (AWM) firms leverage our MICI program which is scalable and addresses the intelligence needs of multiple stakeholders; we offer:
- AI and Generative AI enabled Technology Platform (Insightsfirst): curates’ information from 200,000+ data sources and provides self-service and timely intelligence on your key competitors
- MICI Processes: streamlined processes to gather, aggregate, and disseminate timely
- Domain Expertise: bring in strategic and actionable insights by identifying underlining leading indicators thereby adding business context to the platform insights
Benefits:
- Powers up your competitive intelligence programs
- Curated to specific requirements of departments – marketing, strategy, CXO office, etc.
- AI/NLP allows you to scale multi-fold
- Domain experts provides the additional intelligence and ensures zero noise
- Allows you to take a smarter and process-oriented approach to tracking competitors and collaborating internally (using newsletters, dashboards, alerts, etc.)
Click here to know more about our MICI program.
Watch this space for the next list of resources including databases, online platforms and news dailies that are beneficial for firms operating in the asset and wealth management space.
Please note:
- This article is not a paid promotion of the listed databases. It has been developed to create awareness around Evalueserve’s expertise
- Majority of above stated databases and resources are subscription-based
- Domain experts at Evalueserve have in-depth knowledge of using these resources, which are client-provided. You can get in touch with our domain experts if you wish to seek more information on these or any other databases
