Austrian conceptual artist Michael Marcovici created “Rat Traders,” a project where rats were trained to predict foreign-exchange futures prices by associating piano notes with price changes. Despite claims of outperforming human traders, the experimental design lacked rigor. Hedge funds showed interest but never followed through due to logistical issues. While historical market data may offer some predictability, most attempts are fruitless. Another example of unusual correlations is David Leinweber’s discovery that Bangladeshi butter production could predict S&P 500 variations. In the end, while people seek predictability in the stock market, these stories highlight the chaotic and unpredictable nature of financial markets.
https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2014/10/the-artist-who-trained-rats-to-trade-in-foreign-exchange-markets/381456/