Unlocking ETF price forecasting: Exploring the interconnections with statistical dependence-based graphs and xAI techniques

In the complex landscape of financial markets, accurately predicting Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF) price movements requires advanced methodologies. This research introduces a practical approach that integrates network analysis with graph embeddings, specifically utilizing Node2Vec, to enhance financial prediction models' performance and interpretability. By representing the intricate relationships within financial markets in a lower-dimensional space, we improve the efficiency of AI-driven predictions. A key component of our method is applying the SHAP Explainable AI (xAI) framework, which helps interpret our tree-based models' decision-making process. Using six different tree-based models, our approach delivers accurate predictions while maintaining transparency in model interpretation. This combination of graph embeddings and explainability tools enables stakeholders to understand better the factors influencing financial market behavior, improving decision-making based on AI models.