Datastream

• Datastream holds the Historical and Current Summary databases from I/B/E/S. These databases primarily provide earnings forecasting data. These databases are accessible by simply appending the correct I/B/E/S datatype to your company code.


Things to Remember:
• The areas in which data is most complete are currently in datatypes for FISCAL YEAR 1 and FISCAL YEAR 2, as listed by the program HELP IBES?
  
   
   

• Consensus Economics undertakes monthly and bi-monthly surveys of over 350 prominent economists to obtain their 2 year forecasts and views on most nations. The forecasts are normally updated monthly, around the middle of the month, except for Latin American countries which are updated every two months. Only limited series are included in our subscription.  Only previous 4 years are retained.
• The Economist Intelligence Unit forecasts are normally updated monthly, in the second week on a rotating three month cycle. In general each series is stored as an annual time series beginning in the mid-1980s and ending four years from the present. Data prior to the current year are actual historical figures and data for the current year and the upcoming four years are forecast figures. When a new forecast is received, the old forecast is discarded. Most nations are covered. Princeton has a full subscription directly to EIU Market Indicators and Forecasts.
• The OECD Economic Outlook is normally updated every six months, at the end of June and the end of December. The OECD member states as well as some specialized regions are covered. Forecasts are for the current year plus the next year. Princeton has a full subscription directly in the OECD iLibrary .

Things to Remember:

• Forecasts predict into the future. The EXCEL api assumes one is going to the present, unless one specifies otherwise. Use an appropriate future end date.