SAS UK targets Capital Markets with Client portfolio reporting

SAS’ software helps financial services companies weather the credit crunch storm

02 September 2008 -  SAS, the leader in business intelligence and predictive analytics has tailored its software to specifically target Capital Markets, based on its leading enterprise intelligence platform. SAS UK’s client portfolio reporting software will help investment banks, asset management firms and hedge funds capitalise on the vast amounts of data held in their organisations, by performing smarter analysis faster and helping to better monitor and control portfolios.

SAS’ software works with, and leverages data from, existing individual productivity tools; adding value by providing centralised control of enterprise-wide data. Using SAS, firms will benefit from unmatched transparency and traceability, appealing to new investors and easing regulatory compliance.

Whilst capital market organisations continue to increase in size and complexity, they remain reliant on loosely controlled IT infrastructure built from personal productivity tools for reporting and data analysis. It is still common practice, for example, to use spreadsheets to manage vast amounts of complex data; an approach that is constrained by a number of shortcomings; from manual spreadsheet errors and inconsistencies to lack of flexibility and scalability.

Ian Manocha, Managing Director of SAS UK states: “In these difficult economic conditions, players in the Capital Markets must demonstrate to customers and shareholders that they are doing their utmost to ride-out the storm. These organisations need to harness their vast amounts of data to explore, predict and optimise performance as well as manage risk. SAS’ software enables them to do this, moving them beyond desktop productivity tools into more sophisticated analysis of information across the organisation.”

SAS aims to provide capital market organisations with a single system that integrates data management, analytics and reporting within a transparent framework. Disparate business information, such as market data and standard scenarios can be centrally managed to ensure accurate information, regardless of application, source or format. Companies can access all relevant data and know, with confidence, that the data is accurate and reliable. Traders can accurately evaluate a portfolio’s overall risk and develop a streamlined portfolio management process that will meet today’s needs whilst being scalable to meet future requirements. Additionally, SAS can provide easy access to its' broad and deep set of analytic, reporting and data access functionality from within the familiar environment of Microsoft Word, Powerpoint and Excel. This enables organisations to keep working with their current productivity tools, whilst moving forward to meet their enterprise wide needs.

Different user groups - traders, analysts and senior management can access the information and reports they need, when they need it, in a familiar format and in the level of detail they require. Furthermore they can respond to investors’ concerns for transparency, as SAS provides visual workflow that traces risk measures from final reports all the way back to the source data.

Manocha goes onto add: “Any change in this volatile environment, such as polarisation of the industry, regulation and competition from new entrants, imposes an increased reporting burden either internally or externally for these businesses; a burden which spreadsheets and productivity tools just can not cope with. SAS has the strength and depth in data management and analytics to ensure these companies can react swiftly and positively to these market changes.”

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