Part 2/8:
The Bloomberg piece begins by discussing the myriad forces responsible for challenges facing equity research, including regulatory changes surrounding bank charges, a shrinking pool of public companies, and the rise of index-tracking funds. The speaker posits that independent content creators, who can focus deeply on specific companies, are starting to eclipse traditional analysts, whose responsibilities have expanded over the years. The advent of artificial intelligence only adds to the looming threat, as finance firms explore cost-effective automated solutions that diminish the need for fundamental analysis.