Features in Market Data Terminals
for Investment Research & Analysis
Professional financial information platforms that provide real-time market data, news, analytics, and research tools for investment professionals. Examples include Bloomberg Terminal, Refinitiv Eikon, and FactSet.
We ask vendors to mark their product against our feature list. It is not available for all products and in some cases we have derived data from publicly available sources. The list of features follows. Vendors can add a further 10 key features of their own.
Analytical Tools & Charting
A suite of analytical and visualization tools to support in-depth quantitative and qualitative market analysis.
- Advanced Charting
- Interactive, multi-format charting with technical indicators.
- Backtesting Tools
- Simulate strategies based on historical data.
- Comparative Analysis
- Side-by-side comparison of securities, sectors, or countries.
- Custom Indicator Creation
- Ability to create and save personalized technical indicators.
- Downloadable Chart/Image Exports
- Ability to export and share charts in various formats.
- Historical Correlation Analysis
- Correlation and regression tools for instruments and indices.
- Market Heatmaps
- Visual heatmaps of market movers by chosen criteria.
- Portfolio Analytics
- Performance attribution, scenario analysis, exposure breakdown.
- Real-Time Chart Refresh Rate
- The frequency with which charts are updated.
- Risk/Return Analytics
- Calculation of risk and return metrics (Sharpe ratio, beta, etc.).
- Scenario Simulation
- Stress testing under user-defined or historical scenarios.
- Screening and Filtering
- Stock, bond, and fund screeners with advanced criteria.
Collaboration & Communication
Built-in tools for research sharing, note-taking, instant communication, and collaboration across teams.
- Annotation Tools
- Add notes, highlights, and comments directly to charts and documents.
- Audio/Video Call Integration
- Start audio or video meetings directly from the platform.
- Collaborative Editing
- Multiple users can edit analysis or notes simultaneously.
- Document Sharing
- Send and share research documents with colleagues.
- Internal Messaging/Chat
- Real-time messaging and discussion within the terminal.
- Permission/Access Controls
- Manage user roles and access levels for shared content.
- Shared Workspace/Watchlist
- Ability to create, share, and co-edit watchlists among teams.
- Version Control
- Track edits and maintain versions of shared research outputs.
Cost & Commercial Terms
Pricing transparency, flexibility, and affordability, including contract terms and user controls.
- Add-On Feature Pricing
- Option to pay only for add-ons or specific modules required.
- Contractual Flexibility
- Ease of changing or terminating user contracts.
- Discounts for Volume/Commitment
- Price decreases for higher usage or longer-term commitments.
- Flexible Subscription Options
- Support for monthly, annual, and enterprise agreements.
- Pay-As-You-Go Pricing
- Usage-based pricing models available.
- Per-User Licensing
- Charges based on number of named or concurrent users.
- Transparent Pricing Structure
- Clearly communicated product fees and components.
- Trial/Evaluation Period
- Ability to use the product in full or partially before purchase.
Customer Support & Service
Availability, quality, and breadth of product support and customer service offerings.
- 24/7 Technical Support
- Round-the-clock access to troubleshooting and assistance.
- Average Support Response Time
- Typical time to first response for customer inquiries.
- Dedicated Account Managers
- Assigned points of contact for personalized support.
- In-Platform Help/Live Chat
- Live chat with support staff directly within the terminal.
- Multilingual Support
- Support offered in all major languages.
- Proactive Service Notifications
- Automated alerts for scheduled maintenance, downtime, or new features.
- Self-Help Knowledge Base
- Comprehensive documentation, FAQs, and video training.
- User Community/Forum
- Accessible user community for peer support and best practices.
Integration & Connectivity
The ability to integrate with external systems and connect with other platforms, feeds, and tools.
- API Access
- Availability of REST, WebSocket, and other APIs for programmatic access.
- Collaboration Tools Integration
- Seamless transfer/sharing of data into Slack, Teams, email, etc.
- Custom Data Feeds
- User-uploaded data or custom feed support.
- Excel Integration
- Native add-ins or plugins to link data and analytics into Excel.
- Export to Common Formats
- Support for exporting data to CSV, XLSX, PDF, and other formats.
- Mobile App Availability
- Companion mobile app for remote access.
- OMS/EMS Platform Connectivity
- Integration with order/execution management systems.
- Single Sign-On Support
- Centralized login using enterprise credentials.
- Third-Party Application Add-ons
- Marketplace or support for third-party analytics tools and plugins.
Market Data Coverage
The breadth, granularity, and timeliness of financial market data available across various asset classes and geographies.
- Alternative Data
- Inclusion of non-traditional datasets (e.g., satellite imagery, web scraping, sentiment scores).
- Asset Class Breadth
- Number of asset classes supported (e.g., equities, fixed income, FX, commodities, derivatives).
- Broker and Trade Feeds
- Integration with trade/quote feeds from major brokers and exchanges.
- Corporate Actions Data
- Access to data on splits, dividends, mergers, and other corporate actions.
- ETF & Fund Data
- Detailed holdings, flows, and analytics for funds and ETFs.
- Earnings Calendar
- Comprehensive calendar for tracking upcoming earnings announcements.
- Economic Indicators
- Availability of macroeconomic data, forecasts, and releases.
- Fundamental Data
- Availability of company fundamentals such as financial statements, ratios, and estimates.
- Global Markets Coverage
- Number of countries/regions for which market data is offered.
- Historical Data Depth
- Length of time for which historical market data is available.
- Index Constituent Data
- Constituent makeup and real-time performance of major indices.
- Market Depth (Level II/Order Book Data)
- Availability of order book and depth of market information.
- Real-Time Data
- Access to streaming, real-time financial market data.
- Timeliness of Data Updates
- Average delay in delivery of updated financial data.
News & Research
Access to curated, real-time news, original research, and analytics relevant to markets and specific instruments.
- Analyst Ratings & Estimates
- Consensus analyst ratings and earnings estimates on listed companies.
- Customizable News Alerts
- User-defined alerts for breaking news on tickers, markets, or keywords.
- Document Search & Filtering
- Advanced search and filtering for news and research documents.
- Event Calendar
- Calendar functionality for important market events, such as economic releases and IPOs.
- Multilingual News
- News coverage and translation available in multiple languages.
- News Clipping/Archiving
- Ability to bookmark and organize news stories.
- Proprietary Analytics
- Availability of in-house analytics and expert insights.
- Real-Time News Feed
- Delivery of news headlines and stories in real time.
- Regulatory Filings Access
- Direct access to regulatory filings (e.g., SEC, SEDAR, etc.).
- Research Library
- Availability of a searchable database of research reports from analysts and institutions.
- Sector/Industry Analysis
- Curated sector and industry analysis for deeper insights.
- Sentiment Analysis
- Sentiment scores derived from news and social media.
- Third-Party Research Aggregation
- Integration of third-party research content within the platform.
Performance & Reliability
The robustness of the platform in terms of uptime, latency, and resilience to load or technical issues.
- Average Data Feed Latency
- Typical time lag from event to data availability.
- Disaster Recovery/Failover Systems
- Resilience and redundancy in case of system failure.
- Maximum Concurrent Users Supported
- Number of users that can simultaneously use the platform with no degradation.
- Offline/Data Snapshot Mode
- Capability to function and access core data/tools with intermittent connectivity.
- Scalability
- Ability to scale system resources dynamically in response to demand.
- Speed of Data Query/Download
- Average time to fill a user data request.
- System Uptime SLA
- Guaranteed platform availability (service level agreement).
Security & Compliance
Measures in place to ensure data protection, user authentication, and adherence to regulatory requirements.
- Audit Trail
- Comprehensive logs of all user and system actions.
- Data Residency Options
- Choice of region for data storage, to meet local regulations.
- Data Retention Policy Control
- Configurable retention of historical user data and logs.
- End-to-End Encryption
- Data encrypted during transfer and storage.
- Multi-Factor Authentication
- Requirements for two-factor/multi-factor authentication of users.
- Regulatory Compliance Certifications
- Platform certified for SOC2, ISO 27001, GDPR, and others.
- Role-Based Access Control
- Configurable access permissions based on user roles.
- Secure Document Storage
- Encrypted, access-controlled storage for sensitive documents and research.
Training & Onboarding
Support and resources to bring new users up to speed and improve ongoing proficiency.
- Certifications
- Official certification programs to verify user skills.
- Custom Training Programs
- Tailored training based on user role or organization need.
- In-Product Walkthroughs
- Interactive feature tours for instant familiarization.
- Learning Path/Progress Tracking
- Monitor trainees’ completion and proficiency.
- Live Training Sessions
- Access to regularly scheduled live product training (virtual or in-person).
- Structured Onboarding Process
- Guided start for new clients to learn key features and workflows.
- Video Tutorials Library
- Extensive, on-demand video training for all key features.
User Interface & Experience
The design, usability, and personalization options that determine how efficiently users can interact with the platform.
- Accessibility Support
- Features supporting visually/hearing-impaired users (e.g., screen reader compatibility).
- Customizable Workspace Layouts
- Ability to save and switch between user-defined workspace configurations.
- Fast Start-up Time
- Time required for the platform to fully launch from cold start.
- Keyboard Shortcuts
- Broad menu of shortcuts for rapid navigation and workflow.
- Language Options
- Number of supported interface languages.
- Multi-Monitor Support
- Native support for multiple screens/setups.
- Responsive Design
- Platform adapts to different device sizes (desktop, tablet, phone).
- Theme/Color Customization
- Support for dark mode and color schemes.
- User Onboarding/Tutorials
- Integrated product training and guided walkthroughs.
- User Profile Personalization
- Save personal settings, favorites, and workspace in a user profile.
- Workflow Automation Tools
- Scripting, macros, or automation of repetitive actions.