Data Sources & Attribution

Overview

The Insider Index aggregates and analyzes data from multiple publicly available sources. This page provides transparency about where our data comes from, how it is processed, and the limitations you should be aware of.

We are committed to accuracy and transparency. All data is sourced from legitimate, publicly accessible sources and is processed according to established methodologies.

1. Congressional Trading Data

Description

Members of Congress are required to disclose securities transactions under the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act of 2012. These disclosures include purchases, sales, and exchanges of stocks, bonds, and other securities.

Data Points Collected

• Member name and state/district
• Transaction type (purchase, sale, exchange)
• Security name and ticker symbol
• Transaction date
• Estimated value range (not exact amounts)
• Disclosure filing date

Limitations

• Transactions must be reported within 45 days of the trade date
• Values are reported in ranges (e.g., $1,001 - $15,000), not exact amounts
• Some transactions may be filed late or amended
• Spousal and dependent transactions may be included

2. Hedge Fund Holdings (13F Data)

Description

Institutional investment managers with over $100 million in qualifying assets under management are required to file Form 13F with the SEC quarterly. These filings disclose their long positions in U.S. equity securities.

Data Points Collected

• Fund name and CIK number
• Security name and CUSIP
• Number of shares held
• Market value as of quarter end
• Investment discretion type
• Voting authority

Limitations

• 13F filings are due 45 days after quarter end (significant delay)
• Only long positions are disclosed (no short positions)
• Only covers U.S. exchange-traded securities above certain thresholds
• Does not include options, futures, or other derivatives
• Positions may have changed significantly since the filing date

3. Index Fund Holdings

Description

We collect holdings data from major index funds and ETFs, including their constituent securities and portfolio weights. This data helps identify which securities are included in the most widely tracked indices.

Data Points Collected

• Fund name, ticker, and CUSIP
• Constituent securities and weights
• Total assets under management
• Expense ratio
• Rebalancing frequency

Limitations

• Holdings may be updated on different schedules by different providers
• Intraday changes due to creations/redemptions are not captured
• Small percentage positions may be rounded

4. Market Data

Description

Real-time and delayed price data for stocks, indices, cryptocurrencies, and forex pairs are obtained from licensed market data providers.

Data Points Collected

• Current and historical prices
• Volume and trading activity
• Market capitalization
• Price changes and percentage moves

Limitations

• Some data may be delayed (typically 15-20 minutes)
• After-hours and pre-market data may not be included
• International markets may have different delay schedules

5. Social Sentiment Data

Description

We analyze public social media posts and discussions to gauge market sentiment toward specific securities. This data is processed using natural language processing to determine bullish, bearish, or neutral sentiment.

Limitations

• Sentiment analysis is inherently subjective and may be inaccurate
• Social media activity may not represent actual investor behavior
• Bot activity and spam can skew sentiment metrics
• Sentiment does not predict future price movements

Data Processing & Quality

All data undergoes the following processing steps:

• Validation: Data is checked for completeness and consistency
• Normalization: Different formats are converted to a unified schema
• Deduplication: Duplicate entries are identified and removed
• Entity Resolution: Securities are matched to canonical identifiers
• Calculation: Derived metrics (like overlap scores) are computed

Despite our best efforts, errors may occur. Users should independently verify any information before making decisions.

Attribution & Compliance

We respect the terms of service and usage policies of all data sources. Our use of public data is intended for informational and research purposes in compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

If you believe we have used data improperly or in violation of any terms, please contact us immediately.