Is it possible to predict global daily investing behaviour at a glance? Perhaps. Researchers from RMIT University in Melbourne have trained an algorithm to determine investor mood no matter where they are in the world, painting a more accurate prediction of daily global stock market returns. The algorithm analyses images used in news articles, scoring them based on overall mood; people tend to “buy and sell more impulsively and intensively” when in a bad mood.
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Societal Issues
To curb drug deaths, communities turn to Reddit, texts and wastewater
With drug overdose deaths on the rise, authorities are attempting to curb the epidemic by tracking and sharing information in real time. In one unique effort, a nonprofit in New York City is using drug-testing equipment and stamping or marking habits of dealers to identify drug batches that may endanger users. Other approaches are also being used, such as monitoring drug-related chatter on Reddit and analyzing local wastewater for opioid and other drug levels. With the combination of these efforts, researchers hope to put a dent in the opioid crisis and reduce overdose deaths. Read full article here