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File Format

FNUs are comma-separated text files consisting of:

• Ticker information on the first line.
• The name of the dataset on the second.
• Sequential entries of date, closing price, and adjustments (if any) from the third line onwards.

Line 1: Ticker
Line 2: Name
Line 3: Date, closing price, 0
Line 4: Date, closing price, 0
Line 5: Date, closing price, 0
Line 6: Date, closing price, 0
etc...

For visual guidance, download our FNU example: General Electric

Adjustments for Accuracy

Use the third value in each data entry to correct for distributions or portfolio changes, ensuring your data reflects real-world events accurately.

Tips for Creating FNUs

• Utilize software like Excel for easy creation, saving your work as a CSV before changing the extension to .fnu.
• Ensure dates are in MM/dd/yyyy format.
• For month-end values, adjust settings in FT Cloud to accommodate.

Maintaining Your Data

Keep your FNUs up-to-date to avoid gaps in data representation. Note that FT Cloud only processes month-end values and cannot display data outside the main database’s date range.

FNU Use Cases: Enhancing Investment Analysis

FastTrack Native Units (FNUs) offer a powerful tool for importing a wide range of data into FT Cloud or FastTrack, significantly enhancing the depth and accuracy of investment analysis. Below are key use cases where FNUs prove invaluable:

Private Funds Data

Hedge Funds and Private Equity: Investors and analysts can import detailed performance data on private investment vehicles that are not publicly traded or listed. By using FNUs to bring in data on hedge funds or private equity, users gain insights into alternative investments, enabling a more comprehensive portfolio analysis.

Annuities and Managed Accounts

Annuity Contracts and Separately Managed Accounts (SMAs): FNUs facilitate the import of annuity contract performances and SMAs, offering a clearer view of these investment products. This is particularly beneficial for financial advisors and planners aiming to provide clients with a detailed overview of their retirement strategies and managed investment accounts.

Indexes and Blended Benchmarks

Indexes and Blended Index Data: Users can import data on specific indexes or create custom blended benchmarks that reflect their investment strategy or the performance of a sector or theme. This allows for nuanced comparison and analysis against standard market indexes, enhancing strategic decision-making.

Case Studies: Real-World Applications

Enhancing Portfolio Analysis with Private Fund Data: A portfolio manager imports performance data on a selection of private equity funds to assess their contribution to portfolio risk and return. Using FNUs, they seamlessly integrate this data, enabling a holistic view of portfolio performance across both public and private investments.

Custom Benchmarks for Strategy Alignment: An investment analyst creates a custom blended index comprising various public and private indexes to serve as a benchmark for a diversified investment strategy. By importing this custom benchmark through an FNU, the analyst can directly compare the portfolio’s performance to the bespoke benchmark, ensuring strategy alignment.

Improved Annuity Investment Insights: A financial advisor imports annuity performance data for a client’s portfolio, using FNUs to analyze the annuities’ contribution to the client’s retirement goals. This detailed analysis helps in making informed recommendations for future annuity investments or adjustments.