Major Financial Data Sources
To match equities from databases (CRSP, Compustat, Datastream, Execucomp, NYSE TAQ, SDC), see the Matching Guide. For hints on finding specific items in these databases as well as additional sources, see the Economics and Finance FAQ.
| Source | Description | Available |
| Datastream International* | Up to date as well as historical international data on stocks, indices, bonds, commodities, futures, options, earning forecasts (IBES), economic conditions, interest rates, exchange rates, and economic forecasts. Minimum frequency is daily for financial information. Data is derived from national governments, central banks, the International Monetary Fund, OECD, major investment houses, stock exchanges, and Datastream's own researchers. | SSRC and Stokes Library |
| Global Insight * | Daily data for interest rates, government bond yields, commodity prices, exchange rates, select futures and options, and monthly data for economic indicators. | Online |
| Wharton Research Data Service* (WRDS) | Interface to various financial and economic databases including Compustat, CRSP, IBES, Optionmetrics, TAQ, and Philadephia Stock Exchange Currency Options. | Requires user to validate through password (request may take up to 48 hours and is for academic purposes at Princeton University only; undergraduates request a research assistant account and list your adviser as your faculty member). |
| Global Financial Data | Data on bonds, commodities, interest rates, stock markets and indices, futures, exchange rates, GDP, prices, and unemployment. World exchange rates back to 1624, inflation rates back to 1748, and wholesale prices back to 1720. Major commodities going back to 1784. Some annual series go back to the 1200s. Methodology and sources are documented. Stock market indices go back to 1693. Also included are data on stock market capitalization, dividend yields, price/earnings ratios, total return performance indices, and Global Financial Data's World Stock Market Indices. | Online. |
| Bloomberg* | Up to date as well as historical (though generally not before 1989) international data on stocks, preferred stock, indices, bonds (corporate, governmental, and municipal), commodities, futures, options, exchange rates, mortgages, and money market instruments. Frequency varies but is typically daily for financial information and in some cases intradaily. Intradaily data is typically kept from 30 to 90 days only. Downloading is extremely limited. | SSRC |
| Thomson One Banker* | Web version of several SDC databases (VenturXpert, Mergers and Acquisitions, Global New Issues) and most recent years of Thomson Ownership Data. | Online; SDC version is in SSRC. |
| Handbook of World Stock, Derivative and Commodity Exchanges. 1994, 1997- | Provides a country by country listing of exchanges. Gives a brief history and other pertinent information. | HG4551.H319q (Current edition in Data and Statistical Services) |
*Must be used for academic purposes only, that is, to support the teaching and research of Princeton University.
Also consult the FAQ. The Economics and Finance Library homepage may also offer additional sources.
Last modified August 8, 2012
Todd Hines and Bobray Bordelon
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