Economic data is getting harder to come by, and the alternative won't help everyone
Business Insider·2026-02-02 11:38

Economic Data Erosion - The erosion of economic data poses significant risks for individuals and businesses, particularly due to the reliance on government-issued data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) [1][2] - Budget cuts, leadership changes, and outdated data-gathering techniques threaten the reliability of the economic data that many depend on [3] Alternative Data - Alternative data, which includes non-traditional information sources like satellite images to assess retail foot traffic, offers companies and investors new ways to obtain economic insights [6][7] - Access to alternative data is often limited to those who can afford it, potentially widening the gap between those with resources and those without as publicly available data becomes scarcer [7][8]