IDG Contributor Network: Using location data for stock picks? Watch for stale data models

The use of alternative data sets for informing stock picks or long-term investments in industries such as retail, airlines, real estate and auto is growing. In the case of mobile location data, investors and others use it as a valid indicator of consumer interest or even sales. But without regular system updates, these indicators may be less than valid. In fact, the information used by money managers to make extremely important business decisions could be dated or even faulty because some locat