The Steinhoff example | Why machine learning powered investment algorithms trump traditional methods
Since news broke last week Tuesday of alleged accounting irregularities involving South Africa-based German listed retail giant Steinhoff, its share price has plummeted from R46.25 on Friday to between R6 and R7 today amidst a flurry of investor fear and panic selling. According to Stuart Reid, chief engineer at NMRQL Research (pronounced ‘Numerical’), the warning signs were there but ignored by many fund managers due to their inherent cognitive biases, highlighting the benefits of machine-learning powered investing.