Managing equity risk has become a central issue in portfolio construction. Many investors want to remain invested in equity markets while reducing the impact of drawdowns. In recent years, defined-outcome and buffer strategies have become a prominent response to this challenge.

This paper from Syntax Data shows how these approaches reshape the payoff profile of equities by defining gains and losses over a fixed outcome period, most commonly one year. Within that period, the strategy provides a predefined buffer against initial losses while limiting upside participation through an options-based structure.

​Originally published by Syntax Data on May 11, 2026. Read the blog post here. Read the full research paper here.

When financial advisors first encounter direct indexing, the most common question is also the most practical: how do I build something that looks like the broad market, but does it better? Quality and growth are the natural starting point. Quality companies (those with stable earnings, low leverage, and high profitability) have historically produced more consistent returns through the cycle. Growth companies, with strong earnings trajectories and reinvestment opportunities, have driven a disproportionate share of long-term equity returns. Combining the two creates an index that is recognizable to clients (large- cap, US, well-known names) while pursuing the kind of fundamental edge that justifies a custom portfolio over a passive ETF.

This case study from Syntax Data walks through how an advisor can use Syntax Direct to construct a Quality + Growth tilted large-cap index, examines the resulting portfolio, and presents the backtest performance against the broad large-cap benchmark.

Originally published by Syntax Data on May 11, 2026. Read the full case study here.

​Syntax Data, a financial data and technology provider offering data-optimized index solutions, announced a partnership with MSCI Inc. (NYSE: MSCI) to offer a range of MSCI indexes on the Syntax Direct platform: a forward-looking index development tool that revolutionizes the rapidly growing direct-to-index investment process.

As part of this strategic collaboration, MSCI will help Syntax expand into the independent RIA channel by helping financial advisers gain access to an expanded set of ADR index universes while also providing distribution support for the wealth management community. American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) allow advisers to gain exposure to a broad range of international equities using indexes designed to deliver diversification benefits using U.S.-listed securities – without leaving U.S. exchanges.​

Originally posted on Business Wire on March 31, 2026. Read the full article here.

​Approaches to managing equity risk have become an important consideration for many long-term investors. The growth of defined-outcome and buffer strategies reflects a straightforward objective of staying invested in equity markets while reducing the impact of drawdowns. Over time, these approaches have moved from niche tools to widely used allocations. As a result, discussions of equity risk management increasingly focus on buffers, even though they represent only one way to manage risk within equities.

This paper from Syntax Data provides a framework for evaluating defined-outcome and buffer strategies. The framework focuses on how different approaches to managing equity risk are structured, the types of risks they are designed to address, and how they tend to behave across market environments. Defined-outcome strategies approach risk management through changes in exposure across market conditions, emphasizing drawdown recovery and full-cycle behavior rather than outcome certainty at a single point in time. Buffer strategies focus on defining outcomes over a specified period, offering horizon-specific loss protection in exchange for capped upside.

Originally published by Syntax Data on March 25, 2026. Read the full article here.

Tuttle Capital Management, a pioneer in thematic exchange-traded funds (ETFs), announced the upcoming launch of the Tuttle Capital Space Industry Income Blast ETF (CBOE: SPCI). The fund is designed to offer investors a unique dual mandate: Full participation in the performance of space industry companies through exposure to the Syntax Space Industry Index (the "Underlying Index"), combined with regular income generation via a systematic options overlay strategy. Syntax Indices allows for the construction of bespoke financial products based on Syntax’s world class industry data.

The Syntax Space Industry Index is designed to measure the performance of companies with significant exposure to activities relating to space, including GPS and geospatial technologies, satellite operations, satellite manufacturing, space programs, launch services, and spacecraft.

​Originally posted on TMX Newsfile on March 12, 2026. Read the full article here.

​The artificial intelligence (AI) industry is entering a pivotal phase, driven by a small group of private firms that dominate the development of foundation models, the core technology behind generative AI applications. The implications are significant: the emergence of publicly traded AI foundation model firms could reshape technology investment strategies, introduce new valuation benchmarks, and accelerate competitive dynamics across the broader AI ecosystem. While AI is in its relative infancy, it is coalescing around a small group of private firms and some well known giants as they battle to define the next era of computing.

The analysis of Anthropic's peer landscape by Syntax Data and PM Insights reveals that the AI ecosystem is not a simple competitive field but a complex web of interrelatedness. While Anthropic, as a leading private foundation model provider, defines the frontier of technology, many of the world’s largest technology firms are simultaneously partners, investors, and formidable direct competitors. Their strategies for engaging with foundation model providers differ significantly. Microsoft, Amazon, and Nvidia primarily leverage partnerships to drive demand for their core cloud and semiconductor businesses. Alphabet and Meta focus more on internal development to maintain a proprietary, full-stack advantage in their consumer and ad-driven product lines.

​Originally published by Syntax Data on February 18, 2026. Read full article here.

Critical minerals refer to a broad category of raw materials (including minerals, elements, and other substances) that are crucial to modern industrial activity. Of particular interest are rare earth elements, a group of seventeen metallic elements that are essential to industries such as electronics, batteries, defense and satellite systems, medical technologies, and energy. In this piece, Syntax Data explores the investment performance of companies involved in the extraction and processing of critical minerals, finding that those with higher risk characteristics have outperformed recently.

​​In 2025, The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) developed a list of critical minerals, 15 of which are rare earth elements, that are both essential to the nation’s economic activity and whose supply chains are vulnerable to disruption, either due to geopolitical factors, trade policy, or rapidly increasing global demand. The list was derived from an initial set of 84 mineral commodities, which were ranked according to their economic importance and likelihood of trade disruption. Each commodity was assigned a risk probability weighting, calculated by multiplying the likelihood of a trade disruption scenario by the impact of that scenario, and proposed for inclusion on the final list if the risk probability was classified as high, elevated, or moderate.
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Originally published by Syntax Data on January 22, 2026. Read full article here.

​The DF Tactical 30 ETF (Ticker: DFTT) started trading on the NYSE ARCA on November 12, 2025. The ETF applies a disciplined rules-based investment approach by allocating to companies exhibiting strong momentum characteristics in favorable market environments, but attempts to reduce market exposure when conditions soften. The underlying index, the DF Risk-Managed Tactical Top 30 Index, was developed by Donoghue Forlines in conjunction with Syntax Indexes.

The largest 100 US stocks have outperformed the S&P 500 Index over the trailing 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 10, 15, and 20 year period ending September 30, 2025 (Paul Kenney, Syntax, Pure Momentum with Downside Risk Management, Oct. 23, 2025, pp. 2-3). The DF Risk-Managed Tactical Top 30 Index utilizes a proprietary methodology to identify and rotate quarterly amongst the thirty top momentum stocks within the one hundred largest US stocks. Technical trend following indicators are then applied to seek to identify a downtrend condition with the possibility of a continuation of a drawdown. When a downtrend is signaled, assets transition from equities into US treasuries.

​Originally posted on Business Wire on November 18, 2025. Read the full article here.

Impact Communications, a leading marketing and PR firm exclusively serving the financial services industry, is proud to announce that eight of its nominated clients have been named finalists in the 2025 ThinkAdvisor Luminaries Awards. This recognition highlights the exceptional contributions by these organizations in advancing the financial advisory and wealth management profession.

Now in its fifth year, the prestigious Luminaries Awards program is presented annually by ThinkAdvisor to celebrate individuals and firms in financial services who demonstrate excellence beyond traditional metrics. Categories span firm and individual awards recognizing product or service innovation, thought leadership and education, industry disruption, and more.

Among the finalists for the 2025 ThinkAdvisor Luminaries Awards are Impact clients Advyzon, Advyzon Investment Management (AIM), Syntax Data, The Oasis Group, Libretto, Kwanti, StraightLine, and EncorEstate Plans, each recognized for their outstanding achievements in advancing the success of financial advisors.

​Originally posted on Business Wire on November 18, 2025. Read the full article here.