Quant investing, AI, and data centers

Uncover innovation-driven investment opportunities

Below you can find a selection of timely pieces of insight on quant investing, artificial intelligence (AI), and data centers. Innovation often impacts more than one part of the market or the economy. As such, we have collected analysis that is relevant to allocators interested in quant investing, to those focused on real estate opportunities and, finally, to investors eager to learn more about AI.

Living with Trend Following: The Past 25 Years (Aspect Capital)

The path ahead is unclear – shaped by fiscal, monetary, political, and geopolitical challenges. But the future is always unpredictable.

From Black Box to Glass Box: Understanding and Attributing ML Models (Robeco)

Machine Learning (ML) techniques are increasingly important in the operation of financial markets and capital allocation processes.

Capturing the Data Opportunity in Uncertain Era - Full Report (State Street)

This survey of 900 institutional investors reveals that most will have completed their data transformation within two years.

Data Center Investments: A 360-Degree View (MetLife IM)

The evolution and mass adoption of generative artificial intelligence has caused demand for data centers to soar. What does this mean for investors?

Artificial Intelligence Index Report 2025 (Stanford University)

As AI continues to reshape our lives, the corporate world, and public discourse, the AI Index continues to track its progress.

Morningstar Factor Monitor: Q2 2025 (Morningstar Indexes)

Data shows that the heightened volatility of the second quarter makes the strong performance of the momentum factor even more remarkable.

How equity factors dampened the April tariff tantrum (FTSE Russell)

For compliance reasons, this paper is only accessible in certain geographies

In a year of equity market volatility, factors have provided an oasis of relative stability. Find out more.

Cross-Country Relative Duration Strategies (Macrosynergy Research)

Generally, returns on duration positions are positively correlated across countries and, in most cases, strongly so.

Tracking the Quantum Computing Universe (S&P Dow Jones Indices)

Quantum computing is a transformative technology that uses quantum physics to address complex problems.

How Artificial General Intelligence Could Affect the Rise and Fall of Nations (RAND)

The authors focus on a variety of impacts, some of which are perhaps unlikely but significant, arising from AGI's development and deployment.

Understanding The Virtue of Complexity (AQR)

State-of-the-art models are commonly trained with as many parameters and for as many iterations as compute budgets allow, often with little regularization.

Leveraging LLMs in Finance: Pathways to Responsible Adoption (ESMA)

Generative LLMs are increasingly used in the financial industry to achieve operational efficiencies in tasks involving text analysis and production.

Navigating the Rise of Artificial Intelligence in Valuation: Opportunities, Risks, and Standards (IVSC)

Although technology has been used in valuations for decades, recent advances may profoundly affect how valuations are performed and reported.

FX Order Flow as a Risk Factor (Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis)

The authors propose a novel pricing factor for currency returns motivated by the market microstructure literature.

Modeling Bank Stock Returns: A Factor-Based Approach (FRBNY)

This note introduces a five-factor asset pricing model that effectively explains bank stock returns and isolates idiosyncratic risks.