Share market research to go Pokemon-style

Kiwi equity research firm ShareClarity is to launch an augmented reality app for its subscribers in the coming weeks as it moves into the 21st Century.

The app will allow smartphone users to hover their phone over the name of any listed company - whether it's on a building or in a newspaper - and then see data pop up including latest share price and revenue.

Daniel Kieser, managing director of ShareClarity and a former equity analyst at ABN Ambro, said the app would take away the step of having to type in a company name and he hoped it would help connect with millennial users.

The company is also looking to add voice control by the end of next year which would allow users to speak into their phone and ask for company information using technology platforms like Apple's Siri programme.

Kieser is picking a big shift in the way equity research is presented in coming years.

Currently broking firm analysts typically write 10 or 20 page research notes in pdf form which are emailed out to fund managers and clients in the hope that it will stimulate buying or selling activity through their dealing desks which the company can make money on.

But new rules coming out of Europe mean there is pressure to have greater separation between the dealer desks and analyst research with research being paid for.

Kieser said the other problem was only a small percentage of research notes were opened and read.

He is predicting research notes could be simplified into short videos in the future and more modulised short snappy takes which could be sent out to clients via messenging services like WhatsApp.

"It has to move away from pdfs and email," says Kieser who points out the way research has been presented hasn't changed in more than 20 years.

He believes it will change because of the need to generate revenue from the research and get more people reading.

But whether the traditional broking houses in New Zealand will be quick to move on any change is yet to be seen.