I've heard anecdotes from multiple sources that there are groups of software engineers and algorithm designers buried deep inside all the major firms that are doing just this. I know those firms manage and create hundreds of billions of dollars and I've been told that the stiffest competition is in these tiny software components of the business.

But I don't mean to sound too snarky. Sorry about that. So go ahead and try to get a job at Machine Insight or another such firm to find out what they're all about. http://www.machineinsight.com/