The Research Synthesis Engine
Step 1: The Bulk Ingest (3 minutes)
Paste the executive summaries, key findings, or conclusion sections from all your reports into one prompt. You do not need to paste the full 20-page report — just the 1-2 pages that contain the actual opinion and data.
You are a senior portfolio manager's research assistant. I have received the following research notes this week. For each, I have pasted the key conclusions/executive summary:
[PASTE ALL REPORT SUMMARIES — LABEL EACH WITH FIRM NAME AND DATE]
Synthesize all of this into a single research digest:
1. CONSENSUS SHIFTS: Where is the sell-side consensus MOVING? (Not where it is, but where it is going.) What names or sectors saw multiple upgrades or downgrades this week?
2. CONTRARIAN SIGNALS: Where do analysts DISAGREE with each other? Disagreement = where the market is most uncertain = where the most alpha is available. Flag every material disagreement.
3. NEW INFORMATION: What data points or insights are genuinely new vs. recycled from prior reports? I only want to spend time on information I have not seen before.
4. ACTIONABLE IDEAS: Which reports contain a specific trade idea with defined entry, target, and stop? Summarize each in 1-2 sentences.
5. RISK FLAGS: Are any reports raising risks that others are ignoring? These are the most important signals — the analyst who sees something the consensus is missing.
6. PORTFOLIO RELEVANCE: Given my current portfolio [DESCRIBE BRIEFLY], which reports are MOST relevant to my positions? Rank the top 5 I should read in full.
Step 2: The Consensus Map (3 minutes)
Based on the research digest, build me a consensus map:
For each name mentioned across multiple reports:
- BULL CASE: What is the most compelling bull argument?
- BEAR CASE: What is the most compelling bear argument?
- CONSENSUS PRICE TARGET: What is the average/range of price targets?
- CONVICTION: How many reports are bullish vs bearish? Is conviction increasing or decreasing?
- CATALYST: What is the next catalyst that will resolve the bull/bear debate?
Flag any name where:
- 3+ analysts changed their view in the same direction this week (crowded trade forming)
- A single analyst with a strong track record has a contrarian view (potential alpha signal)
- The price target dispersion is >30% (high uncertainty = potential opportunity)
Step 3: The Weekly Read List (4 minutes)
Given the synthesis and my portfolio, give me my priority reading list for this week:
MUST READ (3 reports maximum):
- The reports that contain genuinely new information relevant to my positions
- Why each one matters
SKIM (5 reports maximum):
- Reports that confirm existing views — I need to know the conclusion but not the analysis
- One-sentence summary of each
SKIP (everything else):
- Reports that are recycled analysis, consensus-confirming, or irrelevant to my portfolio
Also flag: is there any research I SHOULD be looking for that I am NOT receiving? (Gaps in my coverage — sectors, names, or macro themes where I have positions but no research.)
The Compounding Effect
Most PMs read research linearly — one report at a time, in the order they arrive. This workflow synthesizes all reports simultaneously, which surfaces connections that linear reading misses.
When Analyst A says semiconductor capex is accelerating and Analyst B says cloud infrastructure spending is plateauing — the synthesis engine connects these into a single narrative that neither analyst made explicit. That connective tissue is the edge.
Automation Tip
Set up a weekly cadence: every Monday morning, paste the week's research into this workflow. Over time, you can add context from prior weeks:
Last week's consensus was [X]. Given this week's new research, has the consensus shifted? In what direction? What changed and what stayed the same?
This creates a running record of how the street's thinking is evolving — a meta-signal that individual reports cannot provide.
What is Coming Next Week
Issue #10: The client communication generator — turn your investment thesis into a client-ready memo in 5 minutes.
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