Satellite images, tanker tracking, and prediction markets: The data hedge funds are using to invest during a war

• Hedge funds are desperate for intel about the Middle East.
• The strikes on Iran by the US and Israel have sent shockwaves through global markets.
• Data intelligence firm Neudata sent a rundown of vendors that could provide on-the-ground info.

The smart money needs to get smarter.

Hedge funds and other savvy investors have battled volatile markets since March's onset, due to the conflict between Iran and the US and Israel. It has thrown interest rates, equities, and commodities into disarray, and many big-name managers suffered losses in the month's first week.

For funds hungry for on-the-ground intel about the Middle East, alternative data intelligence firm Neudata has compiled a report for the data consumers on its platform — think hedge funds and big institutional investors — outlining datasets that could help.

Sophisticated money managers have long mined obscure datasets, such as anonymized credit card receipts, to gain an edge in the industries they cover. This desire for under-the-radar info also extends to geopolitical events that impact markets.

Some products recommended by Neudata come from big-name data providers such as S&P, FreightWaves, and Kpler. Business Insider is highlighting 10 providers, mostly smaller players, that specialize in obscure data niches.

Below are 10 datasets Neudata tagged for clients desperate to understand "the conflict's current events and its potential broader global impacts."

Satellite players

Satellite images have been used by hedge funds for years to get more granular information on companies' health. Analysts would track the number of cars in parking lots at big retailers to help project next quarter's sales.

Now, these images are being used to get a sense of damage to energy production sites caused by bombs.

Vendors such as Vantor, Planet, and Satellogic were flagged by Neudata. Images of strikes and their damage can also help combat disinformation, the report notes.

There are also satellite vendors that use a technology known as synthetic aperture radar, which is not blocked by clouds or darkness. This technology is mostly used to track movement during nighttime, such as military vehicles leaving a base, and providers in this space include ICEYE and Umbra Space.

Transpo trackers

The Strait of Hormuz, the narrow stretch of water between Iran and the United Arab Emirates, has become the most closely watched region in the world as the conflict continues. Tens of millions of barrels of crude oil pass through the area daily.

For investors looking to track how the conflict has disrupted shipping routes and trade patterns, Neudata pointed to datasets offered by tanker trackers VesselsValue and Linerlytica. Neudata's report states that 33 hedge funds use VesselsValue data already.

Additionally, FlightRadar24 can give macro investors a sense of the on-the-ground atmosphere in surrounding countries like the UAE and Qatar by providing information on airport closures and departures leaving once-safe havens.

Prediction market signals

Prediction markets like Polymarket and Kalshi have generated plenty of controversy thanks to potential insider trading on the platforms in the lead-up to the first Iran strikes, as well as the extraction of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

Hedge funds have already been tapping different data feeds to track prediction market activity, but for funds focused on the Middle East in particular, Neudata highlights a pair of providers.

Unusual Whales, which made its name tracking investment disclosures by politicians, has a new product tracking unusual bets, such as a new account making a larger wager on a contrarian view, so users can catch potential insider trades before an event happens.

MarketPsych, which offers data feeds on market sentiment, is building a new product that provides summaries of Polymarket trading events. The hope is that it will help funds with their macro forecasts, Neudata's report states.