Turning Raw Data into Useful Insights Can Help Companies Make Better Business and Investment Decisions
Analyzing massive amounts of unstructured, disconnected and constantly evolving data using new and emerging technologies has the potential to create significant new investment opportunities, according to a new thought leadership initiative by Fidelity Investments®, one of the world’s leading financial services providers with $1.6 trillion in managed assets, including the No. 1 provider of sector mutual fund assets with $59 billion1.
[caption id="attachment_22845" align="alignright" width="239"] Fidelity Investments Thinking Big[/caption]
The emerging trend, referred to as Big Data, is the 4th topic featured in Fidelity’s innovative Thinking Big initiative. The Big Data theme showcases thought-provoking insights from Kyle Weaver, portfolio manager of Select IT Services Portfolio and Select Wireless Portfolio. For example:
With the proliferation of smartphones, GPS, credit cards, social networks, and electronic sensors in everything from cars to refrigerators, the data supply is growing 40 times faster than the planet’s population.2
Turning mountains of data into useful insights may help companies respond to markets faster, experiment more, and boost productivity and profitability.
Data analysis is changing from an exercise in hindsight to a predictive, real-time science. As the pioneers address inevitable questions about privacy and security, there will be enormous investing opportunities.
“Last year, the world created 1.8 trillion gigabytes of data,3” said Weaver. “That data is increasingly comprised of information that had never been digitized or captured before -- everything from log files (the language that computers speak), to location (where you are, or more accurately where your cell phone or your car is), to weather patterns, pictures, videos, and personal opinions posted via social media.
“As more of people’s interactions with the world are digitized and captured as data, this data becomes increasingly important to businesses, governments, and other institutions around the world. The ability to access it, store it and unlock its value has the potential to determine winners and losers in virtually every industry,” concluded Weaver.
Thinking Big Initiative
Launched earlier this year, the “Thinking Big” initiative has featured thought-provoking topics such as Water Economics, Synthetic Biology and Personalized Medicine. Since being launched, there have been more than 1 million views of the Thinking Big videos, while the campaign website has generated more than 200,000 unique visitors. Thinking Big builds on Fidelity’s comprehensive thought leadership and investor education efforts, showcasing leading-edge insights generated by the firm’s team of more than 420 equity, fixed income and asset allocation research analysts4 across a range of global investment themes.
“At Fidelity, research is at the core of what we do,” said Chris Bartel, senior vice president, Global Equity Research, Fidelity’s Equity Group. “We believe that conducting in-depth, fundamental research at the company level can help determine the best investment opportunities. Maintaining a global research staff also provides a comprehensive point-of-view on the key themes and ongoing dynamics within each asset class.”
Whether it’s understanding the economic, ecological, and geopolitical consequences associated with the global water supply or how synthetic biology can help increase the supply of essential products, create new demand, and launch or upend entire industries, Thinking Big is designed to spark dialogue on important global issues that may impact today’s investors as well as future generations.
Fidelity’s Thinking Big initiative utilizes digital video, social media, print and interactive Web elements, including a microsite for investors at fidelity.com/thinkingbig and an additional site for financial advisors at advisor.fidelity.com/thinkingbig.
About Fidelity Investments
Fidelity Investments is one of the world’s largest providers of financial services, with assets under administration of $3.8 trillion, including managed assets of $1.6 trillion, as of October 31, 2012. Founded in 1946, the firm is a leading provider of investment management, retirement planning, portfolio guidance, brokerage, benefits outsourcing and many other financial products and services to more than 20 million individuals and institutions, as well as through 5,000 financial intermediary firms. For more information about Fidelity Investments, visit www.fidelity.com.
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