SunGard has released a list of ten ways it believes integrated market data can help financial advisors capitalise on change.

SunGard released the list to promote its MarketMap suite of front-to-back global market data software, which provides lightweight market data applications, customisable web components and data feeds, and integration with other SunGard software.

The ten trends identified by SunGard as shaping market data in wealth management have been split into three categories by the firm: enhancing client service, gaining efficiencies and controlling costs.

The first category includes three trends: firstly that market uncertainty is driving investor demand for better service from advisors and higher quality market data to drive decisions; secondly, that reducing risk through asset diversification is driving the need for global asset class coverage, requiring improved scalability; thirdly, that market data also helps advisors facilitate long-term wealth planning.

SunGard has identified four trends in its “gaining efficiencies” category: firstly, the firm says that wealth managers are seeking integrated, single-vendor solutions to help increase efficiencies, reduce costs and improve productivity; secondly, that advisors need market data to help them make secure investment decisions, and comply with regulations; thirdly, that advisors need market data that can be viewed alongside research, client portfolios and execution capability to help improve accuracy and speed; fourthly, that growing advisor and investor demand for mobile applications means market data must be managed in lightweight, technology-efficient infrastructures.

In the final category, controlling costs, the firm has highlighted three trends: that market data is increasingly purchased and centralised at the firm level to manage consistency and delivery, and gain transparency into variable costs; secondly, that firms only want to pay for the market data that they need and use; lastly, that firms are demanding best practice, integrated processes that can be used out-of-the-box or configured to meet individual advisor requirements.

The firm says MarketMap helps SunGard customers support growth opportunities while managing costs associated with market data. Market data is delivered through the SunGard Global Network and enriched by third party sources, providing decision support for trading, research, risk management, portfolio management and advisory functions. In addition, says SunGard, MarketMap offers an integrated historical database and tools to help firms analyse investment results and opportunities, and distribute real-time content via websites and software applications.

“As the wealth management industry experiences constant change, financial advisors need fast, high-quality data to meet their research needs, improve price discovery and enhance client service,” says Robert Jeanbart, global head of SunGard’s MarketMap business unit.

MarketMap’s integration with SunGard’s WealthStation aims to offer advisors "seamless access to news, pricing and analysis alongside financial planning, asset allocation and trading capabilities,” said Jeanbart.