What data do Quants use?

[MarkBrezina]

Dear everyone.
I'm a student of physics, who has recently ventured into the investment analysis world I now sit with a series of questions which I would really like some seasoned and experienced answers to.
Do investment analysts use big data, when they do analysis for their employers?
What dataformat is used? What do you use as input in your research? stock volume? Moving averages? current price? Any examples of your own is highly appreciated
What analysis strategies do you use? If you can't elaborate, please just tell whatever you can like, I use averages a lot
Are you exposed to the news, behavioral psychology, politics to understand the connections between theory and reality?
What maths do you use most? Statistics, differentialgeometry? Dynamic systems/chaos?
Best regards Mark Brezina

 

[MarkBrezina]

Meanwhile I haven't had any answers here, I'm now running the same questions through any and every panel I can find. The more answers the more precise my statistics, so please do start actually giving any feedback, it'll all be thrown into the pile