With the Nikkei 225 recently reaching an all-time high, investor attention has returned to Japan. This may well bolster the country’s alternative data industry, which is showing similarly positive signs of growth. Following a recent Neudata visit to Tokyo, we analyse the evolution of Japanese alternative data with a particular focus on how digital payments are impacting transactional data collection.

Nearly two years since we last analysed the clickstream data ecosystem, we return to discuss this alternative data landscape. We consider the effects of past disruptions, the current market leader and emergent competitors, and the evolving utility of clickstream and web traffic data.

Recent changes in the social media space have impacted some alternative data vendors – with possible implications for clients. In this intelligence piece, we analyse the results of our recent survey carried out among providers of social media data. We specifically assess the fallout of API changes at Twitter and Reddit, and how this potentially hinders the free flow of social media data.

From pandemic restrictions to conflicts between countries, geopolitical developments can have a huge impact on global and local economies. In this report, we highlight alternative datasets to help assess risk for a country’s economy, financial stability and international trade.

ESG sentiment identifies the public perception of companies on material ESG issues and can provide early warnings of potential controversies. These alternative datasets can also help overcome some of the challenges of slow-moving ‘traditional’ ESG data, by offering more timely insights into a company’s sustainability performance and momentum. With significant product developments in the ESG sentiment data space, this report outlines key players in the market and some of the new use cases being developed.

Quantitative funds have been a driving force in alternative data adoption. But the range of appropriate datasets can be limited due to the specific characteristics required. In this intelligence piece, we consider which datasets are most popular among quant funds and why.

China's rapid economic growth and technological advancements have generated massive amounts of industrials data. Recognising the strategic importance of this data, China has released various regulations to safeguard and control its use. In this report, we look at the country’s regulations on industrials data, analyse the implications of recent rules, and provide suggestions for navigating this evolving landscape.

Following the recent spate of bank failures, investors are showing increased interest in datasets tracking the industry. In the second part of our focus on the banking sector, we look at dataset types that can act as a proxy of a bank’s performance.

International media reports and discontinuations on our Scout platform suggest many foreign users are losing access to Chinese data. But observations from within the country tell a different story. After surveying domestic data providers, we outline the challenges offshore users face as China develops its regulatory approach for the data industry.

Private markets investors are increasingly seeking to build an information mosaic in-house by leveraging alternative data, including for due diligence, post-deal value creation and investment benchmarking. While saving consulting fees, alternative data vendors also offer additional angles and a means to assess target companies beyond more traditional deal-sourcing platforms. Although due diligence is case-specific, this report offers some ideas to help private markets investors validate or challenge their assumptions during the process.