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Subject: Econ. Resources on the Internet [3 of 20]
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Summary: This document contains a list of resources of interest
         to economists. It should be of interest to anyone looking
     for economic and related information.
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Last-modified 1999/09/30
Version: vol. 4 no. 2
Url: http://rfe.org

   Resources for Economists on the Internet, Vol. 4, No. 2, September, 1999

             Editor: Bill Goffe <[e-mail]>
             Editorial Assistant: Elise Braden <[e-mail]>

                            Part 3 of 20

   This guide, sponsored by the American Economic Association, lists
   more than 1,000 resources on the Internet of interest to academic and
   practicing economists, and those interested in economics. Almost all
   resources are also described.

   Resources for Economists on the Internet (RFE) is a copyrighted work
   of the American Economic Association (the "AEA"). Permission to make
   digital, electronic or hard copies of part or all of RFE for personal
   or classroom use, Usenet distribution, or mailing lists is granted,
   provided that copies are not made or distributed for profit or direct
   commercial advantage and that whole copies show the following notice:

   "Resources for Economists on the Internet (RFE), Copyright 1999
   American Economic Association"

   Otherwise the AEA owns the exclusive right to print, publish,
   distribute, reproduce, sell, prepare derivative works, transmit,
   download, or otherwise transfer copies of RFE. Copyrights of
   components of this work owned by others than the AEA must be honored
   and attributed to the rightful owner. Abstracting and short quotes
   are permitted. To copy otherwise or to republish otherwise, including
   on web pages, in whole or in part requires prior specific permission.
   Permissions may be requested from the American Economic Association,
   2014 Broadway, Suite 305, Nashville, TN 37203, or via E-mail:
   [e-mail]. RFE is provided without any express
   or implied warranty.

   ----------------------------------------------------------------------

   For distribution via Usenet, this FAQ is split into 20 parts as large
   files don't travel well on Usenet. For other locations of this guide,
   see the section titled "1.5 Where to Obtain This Guide" in part 2.


2.0 Data

2.1.0 U.S. Macro and Regional Data

2.1.1 Economic Indicators 104th Congress

   [most major releases; no graphs]

   This data is prepared for the Joint Economic Committee by the
   President's Council of Economic Advisors. This site offers news
   releases on the current and recent past performance of the U.S.
   economy. While material can be searched for, the "Catalog or Table of
   Contents Listing," which offers monthly reports, is probably the
   easiest way to view the material. This site is run by the University
   of California for the Government Printing Office and is updated
   monthly.

   # http://www.gpo.ucop.edu/info/econind.html


+  2.1.2 Economic-Indicators.com
+
+  [links to data and current numbers]
+
+  This site is by R. Mark Rogers and  is the on-line companion to his
+  book "The Handbook of Key Economic Indicators" (he is also at the
+  Atlanta Fed). He lists links to macro data, with some emphasis on
+  recent releases and commentary on the current state of the economy.
+  Overall, it offers very extensive coverage.
+
+  The category "Economic Indicators, Summary Data Tables" contains the
+  latest U.S. macro data. The data is updated weekly.
+
+  The category "Economic News and News Releases" contains (besides the
+  above):
+
+  # Financial or Economic News Updates
+  # Current Economic Analysis
+  # Economic Calendars
+  # Economic News Releases from Agencies
+
+  In addition, there are the following categories for data:
+
+  # Monetary and Fiscal Policy Links
+  # Interest Rates and Currency Exchange Rates
+  # U.S. Statistical or Economic Policy Departments and Agencies
+  # Federal Reserve System and Non-U.S. Central Banks
+  # International Statistical or Economic Policy Agencies
+  # Sites for Downloading Data, Actual and Forecast Series
+
+  Finally, technical papers on "indicator methodologies" as well as
+  information about Mark Rogers and the book are available here.
+
+  # http://www.Economic-Indicators.Com/


2.1.3 Economic Statistics Briefing Room (ESBR)

   [handful of most important data series with graphs (White House
   site)]

   This part of the White House web site offers summary data and graphs
   of macroeconomic series. While the series are relatively short, it is
   convenient to have summary information in one place with links to the
   originator. Data is organized in the following categories: output;
   income; employment, unemployment, and earnings; production and
   business activity; prices; money, credit, and securities markets;
   transportation; and international statistics.

   # http://www.whitehouse.gov/fsbr/esbr.html


2.1.4 Econ Data & Links

   [current values and links to sites that generate them]

   This site, run by John A. Shaw, offers current economic data and
   links for a number of different variables. Most of the data is from
   the U.S., but there is also data from Australia; California; and
   Fresno, California; as well as links to other countries. To quote
   from the author, "Over the years I have found that I cannot always
   remember the current value of a particular economic statistic. This
   page was created to provide quick access to a variety of up-to-date
   statistics... In addition, when it was feasible the links in the
   table were chosen so the user has access to time series or data for
   other areas and to related data. Often you will have to follow the
   links or peruse a document or table to get to the particular
   statistic ..."

   # http://www.csufresno.edu/Economics/econ_EDL.htm
   # John Shaw <[e-mail]>


2.1.5 Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA)

   [National Income and Produce Accounts (GDP, etc.), international and
   regional data]

   Perhaps the most important data on the U.S. economy is found here:
   the National Income and Products Account (NIPA): GDP and its
   components, personal income, and corporate profits. There is both
   current and historical NIPA data -- quarterly from 1946, and annual
   from 1929. They also offer extensive international data (Balance of
   Payments, Exports and Imports, Investment Position, U.S Direct
   Investment Abroad, and Foreign Direct Investment in the United
   States) from recent years in a variety of formats.

   On the regional side, it offers Gross State Product (GSP), State
   Personal Income (some annual data from as far back as 1929, with more
   recent quarterly data), Local Area Personal and Per Capita Personal
   Income, and Employment and Income Projections. Finally, it offers
   gross product by Industry and Tangible Wealth.

   In terms of reports, it offers the BEA monthly journal, "Survey of
   Current Business," which frequently explains recent data, changes in
   survey methods, and the like. This journal is offered online, free of
   charge. Finally, it offers extensive documentation on the
   methodologies of the Bureau of Economic Analysis and guides to their
   data, as well as information about themselves.

   # http://www.bea.doc.gov/


2.1.6 Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)

   [more than 250,000 long series; unemp. and price series most
   prominent]

   The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is perhaps best known for
   reporting the unemployment rate and CPI, but they generate a very
   extensive amount of other data as well. Their LABSTAT database is
   very extensive and detailed -- in all, it contains hundreds of
   thousands of time series.

   Their data consists of:

   # Average Price Data
   # Collective Bargaining-State and Local Government
   # Collective Bargaining-Private Sector
   # Consumer Price Index-All Urban Consumers
   # Consumer Price Index-Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers
   # Consumer Expenditure Survey
   # Employee Benefits Survey
   # Employment Cost Index
   # Employment, Hours, and Earnings-National
   # International Price Index
   # Employment Projections by Industry
   # Geographic Profile
   # Occupational Injury and Illness Rates
   # International Labor Statistics
   # Local Area Unemployment Statistics
   # Department Store Inventory Price Index
   # Major Sector Multifactor Productivity Index
   # Producer Price Index
   # Major Sector Productivity and Costs Index
   # State and Area Employment, Hours, and Earnings
   # Occupational Injury and Illness Rates
   # Work Stoppage Data

   For detailed access to their hundreds of thousands of series, their
   "Selective Access" section is quite useful. Experienced users can
   also directly retrieve a series with the BLS series id. The majority
   of users will be satisfied with their "Most Requested Series"
   section.

   Besides current and historical data, they have press releases on
   recent data releases (quite useful for tracking the economy), current
   summary data in "The Economy at a Glance" section, the Monthly Labor
   Review and details on their various programs and the BLS itself.

   # http://stats.bls.gov/
   # gopher://stats.bls.gov:70/1/
   # ftp://stats.bls.gov
   # Information (Internet access): <[e-mail]>


2.1.7 Conference Board

   ["Leading Economic Indicators" and non-govt. data]

   This organization "is the world's leading business research and
   membership organization with 2,800 companies and other enterprises in
   63 counties." For data, of particular note are their "Leading,
   Coincident, and Lagging Indicators," which are composite indexes of
   macro variables that lead the business cycle, coincide with it, or
   lag behind it. The most recent release is available here, as are
   their values from 1959. There is also information on how the series
   are put together.

   They also offer the "Business Cycle Indicators" database, which has
   some 250 macro variables "that have proven to be most useful in
   determining current conditions and predicting the future direction of
   the economy." About half the sources are private. Data is updated
   several times a month, and is in both spreadsheet and ASCII formats.
   It costs $250 a year for individuals, and site licenses and
   educational discounts are available.

   # http://www.tcb-indicators.org


2.1.8 Congressional Budget Office (CBO)

   [current federal spending and revenue; macro forecasts]

   This agency was created by Congress in 1974. Its "mission is to
   provide the Congress with objective, timely, nonpartisan analyses
   needed for economic and budget decisions and with the information and
   estimates required for the Congressional budget process." It is best
   known for its estimates of federal spending, revenue, and the
   resulting deficit, but it also generates numerous reports, studies,
   papers, and memorandums (the different names reflect different levels
   of review and how the document was requested). Every new one is
   available here, as well as Congressional testimony and cost
   estimates, and they cover the complete range of federal spending and
   taxing (both at the aggregate level and down to specific programs).

   Besides these reports, they offer considerable data. Their "Current
   Budget Projections" is their well-known twice-annual budget
   projections, which contain many details besides the basic federal
   revenues, expenses, and deficit. "Current Economic Projections" offer
   both short-range (18-24 month) and long-range macro forecasts (the
   latter do not include cyclical fluctuations). Their "Historical
   Budget Data" contains extensive information on not just budgetary
   data, but actual and potential GDP and the NAIRU (the
   "non-accelerating inflation rate of unemployment," or the rate of
   unemployment consistent with stable inflation). "Current Status of
   Discretionary Appropriations" details this category of spending.
   Finally, their "Monthly Budget Review" summaries federal spending,
   revenue, and the deficit month-by-month.

   # http://www.cbo.gov/


2.1.9 Federal Budget for the Fiscal Year 2000

   [summary and very detailed federal budget info]

   This site offers a wealth of information on the U.S. federal budget.
   Students and others with a limited background should find "A
   Citizen's Guide to the Federal Budget" to be very useful. Besides the
   budget itself (which is in considerable detail), one can also find a
   wealth of historical and some forecasted information (some of the
   data starts in 1901). Data is available in spreadsheet format.

   # http://www.access.gpo.gov/omb/


2.1.10 Survey of Consumers from the Univ. of Michigan

   [well-known survey of consumer attitudes]

   Information about this famous survey on consumer beliefs and
   expectations (including the Index of Consumer Expectations) and the
   data itself can be found here. As one might expect, the Index has
   many components, each of which is reported here. Data, charts and
   various reports are available.

   # http://athena.sca.isr.umich.edu


2.1.11 Council of Economic Advisors (CEA)

   ["White Papers" on policy]

   Besides some information on the Council and its members, this site
   offers four things: the current "Economic Report of the President,"
   "Changing America: Indicators of Social and Economic Well-Being by
   Race and Hispanic Origin," its white papers on policy matters, and
   "Monthly Economic Indicators."  However, the latter is somewhat
   difficult to use as the only interface to it is via a search engine
   -- you must have some idea of what terms occur in the material if you
   want to read it.

   # http://www.whitehouse.gov/WH/EOP/CEA/html/CEA.html


2.1.12 Economic Report of the President: 1999

   [President's policies and a fair number of time series]

   This site offers the 1999 Economic Report of the President. Besides
   the text (in ASCII and PDF), it also includes the statistical tables
   from the appendices in various formats. Text is in plain format
   (there appear to be no charts). Data is offered in spreadsheet, text,
   and PDF formats.

   # http://www.gpo.ucop.edu/catalog/erp99.html


2.1.13 Economic Reports of the President: 1996-1999

   [old reports]

   You can search some old versions of this publication here, as well as
   read the 1999 report in PDF format. The full documents and data are
   said to be available, but they do not seem to be available.

   # http://www.access.gpo.gov/eop/


2.1.14 Economic Reports of the President: 1992-94

   [old reports]

   Old versions of some issues of this publication are available here.
   Some have data and graphs, and some do not.

   # gopher://gopher.umsl.edu:70/11/library/govdocs/erps/


2.1.15 EconData

   [very extensive data, but requires a downloadable program]

   This database is collected from a variety of U.S. government agencies
   by INFORUM, a project building an inter-industry model of the U.S.
   economy. It contains a wide variety of macro data, regional, and
   international data and places it in a common format. A slightly
   abridged list of categories includes

   # Annual U.S. Data:
   # Annual National Income and Product Accounts
   # Annual Jobs, Hours, and Output
   # Gross Output and Product by Industry
   # SIC Shipments by Manufacturing Products
   # International Sales and Purchases of Private Services
   # County Business Patterns
   # Value of Construction Put in Place
   # Annual Survey of Manufactures
   # Annual Retail Trade
   # Service Annual Survey
   # Annual Sales of Merchant Wholesalers

   # Quarterly U.S. Data:
   # Quarterly National Income and Product Accounts
   # SIC Export & Import
   # Monthly National Employment, Hours, & Earnings
   # Consumer Price Indexes
   # U.S. Import Price Indexes Locality of Origin
   # BEA End Use Export and Import Indexes
   # Harmonized System Export & Import
   # SITC Export & Import Price Indices
   # Industrial Production
   # Kilowatt Hours
   # Capacity and Capacity Utilization

   # State & Local Data:
   # Gross State Product (regions and states)
   # State Personal Income
   # Hours and Earnings
   # Employment by State

   # International Data:
   # Foreign Trade by Country and Area
   # Exports and Imports by 2-digit SIC
   # U.S. Intl. Transactions & US Trade in Goods
   # Average Exchange Rates

   The data is accessed by programs (only for PCs) provided by this
   project and it can easily be output to ASCII or into a spreadsheet
   format. The data is also compressed with pkzip, and they provide this
   and similar programs as well.

   # http://inforumWeb.umd.edu/Econdata.html


2.1.16 Economic Information Systems

   [key long time series]

   This firm sells value-added software and consulting services, and as
   a sidelight offers a substantial amount of historical (from the
   beginning of the series) and current data in a useful format. This
   includes formatted National Income and Product Accounts (NIPA, which
   includes such variables as GDP); Flow of Funds Accounts, reserves,
   credit, interest rates, and monetary data from the Federal Reserve;
   gross state product and personal income data from the Bureau of
   Economic Analysis, and state and metro area employment by industry
   from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Such formatting makes the data
   particularly useful as it is easy to import into statistical and
   spreadsheet programs. The site also lists 4 digit SIC codes, and
   there is a concordance between SIC codes and NAICS (North American
   Industrial Classification System) codes.

   They also offer "Economic Insight," which provides economic analysis
   and of the U.S. economy, the states, and for metro and counties.

   # http://www.econ-line.com/


2.1.17 Economagic

   [excellent source of macro time series (some 100,000 series
   available)]

   According to Ted Bos, this site is a major overhaul, and indeed
   replaces his "Economics Time Series Page." Thus, it is a
   one-stop-shop for a variety of time series data: "This page is meant
   to be a comprehensive site of free, easily available economic time
   series data useful for economic research, in particular economic
   forecasting." In all, over 100,000 time series are available. Users
   can build charts of the series on-line without the need to download
   the data and using their own charting software. Data comes from a
   variety of sources: the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis' FRED
   database, other Federal Reserve Banks, Business Cycle Indicators
   (some 250 time series that behave consistently over the business
   cycle, but which has not been updated in several years), the BLS's
   employment and unemployment data, the BEA's national accounts data,
   and retail sales and building permits data from Census. There is even
   tax collection data from the IRS. Downloading is particularly easy
   with some 8,000 series -- you can click on a file and Excel will
   automatically start with the data (this assumes you you are running
   MS Excel and your browser is configured to call it when you click on
   an .xls file).

   In addition to the data offered by the "Economic Time Series Page,"
   EconoMagic adds the BLS Labor Force data. For features, it offers
   mechanical forecasts of the data for subscribers. The user can input
   their own data, or use the data from the site. Various variables can
   be used to aid the forecast, and this includes the public forecasts
   of key macro variables.

   # http://www.Economagic.com


2.1.18 FRB of St. Louis

   [very convenient macro data source with key (500) macro series]

   The major resource of this site is FRED, their macro database. In
   all, more than 500 different macro, monetary, and financial time
   series are available from a variety of different sources. Information
   in this source is current, relatively extensive, easily available,
   and easily downloaded.

   Data comes in the following categories:

   # Daily/Weekly U.S. Financial Data
   # Monthly Monetary Data
   # Monthly Interest Rates
   # Monthly Reserves Data
   # Monthly Commercial Banking Data
   # Business/Fiscal Data
   # Quarterly Gross Domestic Product and Components
   # Monthly Consumer Price Indexes
   # Monthly Producer Price Indexes
   # Monthly Employment and Population Data
   # Exchange Rate Data and Balance of Payments Data
   # Monthly Regional Data (for the 8th District)

   Each category consists of a large number of series (forty is not at
   all uncommon). Each series is available in an ASCII file, suitable
   for very easy downloading. Each group can also be downloaded as a
   compressed or zipped file. Most series are available for long or very
   long periods, and the most recent values are quite current. In
   addition, compressed files are available with all series in each
   category. To help users find data, information on all files is
   available in one summary file. You can also arrange for new data to
   be e-mailed to you.

   This site also offers information on the St. Louis Fed and the
   Federal Reserve System, banking information, community affairs,
   economic research, and educational opportunities. Articles, data, and
   programs from the St. Louis Fed "Review" since 1993 are available
   here. Copies of the "Regional Economist", "Annual Report," and the
   "Beige Book" are also  available. Data publications include "Monetary
   Trends," "National Economic Trends," International Economic Trends,"
   and "U.S. Financial Data."  Newsletters include "Bridges," "Inside
   the Vault," "Central Banker," and "Payments Quarterly."

   # http://www.stls.frb.org


2.1.19 Haver Analytics

   [emphasis on rapid delivery, quality checks, and very wide coverage
   (fee-based)]

   This firm provides "the most accurate and timely economic data
   available. By using time tested computer programs we are able to
   provide most of the time sensitive data within 10-25 minutes of
   release. In addition, we do extensive quality assurance checks on
   every series before it is made available to clients." In all, they
   have 60 databases with data from 100 sources. Besides the usual U.S.
   macro data, they also offer daily and weekly data, forecasts, data
   from Canada, Germany, Japan, Europe, the OECD, emerging markets, and
   energy statistics.

   # http://www.haver.com/


2.1.20 STAT-USA

   [broad and current coverage]

   This site, run by the Department of Commerce, specializes in timely
   reporting of federal government statistics. Thus, rather than going
   to Census, BLS, the Fed, and the BEA for different series and
   reports, you can go to this single site. Retrieving most of the data
   requires payment -- subscriptions (both for individuals and site
   licenses) are available, and single reports can also be purchased.
   While most (nearly all?) of the data can be found elsewhere on the
   Internet, some users might prefer the ability to go to a single
   well-organized site. For those interested in the most recent
   statistics, a particularly useful section is the "Newsstand" -- it
   has recent data, and it is where individual reports can be purchased.

   The "State of the Nation" contains the data. Besides daily and "hot"
   releases, its major headings are:

   # General Economic Indicators
   # Housing and Construction
   # Employment
   # Manufacturing and Industry
   # Monetary Statistics
   # Economic Policy

   # http://www.stat-usa.gov


2.1.21 National Income and Product Accounts (Univ. of Virginia)

   [graph NIPA data on-line and get data]

   This site at the University of Virginia allows one to graph data from
   the National Income and Product Accounts (GDP and such); Personal
   Income and Outlays; Government Receipts and Expenditures; Foreign
   Transactions; Saving and Investment; Income, Employment, and Product
   by Industry; Quantity and Price Indexes; and Supplementary Tables.
   With each, you can pick a series and plot the data.

   # http://www.lib.virginia.edu/socsci/nipa/


2.1.22 NBER's Macro-Historical Database

   [pre-WW II data from the U.S., U.K., France, and Germany]

   This database comes from the National Bureau of Economic Research's
   early history. To quote from its introduction: "During the first
   several decades of its existence, the National Bureau of Economic
   Research (NBER) assembled an extensive data set that covers all
   aspects of the pre-WWI and interwar economies, including production,
   construction, employment, money, prices, asset market transactions,
   foreign trade, and government activity. Many series are highly
   disaggregated, and many exist at the monthly or quarterly frequency.
   The data set has some coverage of the United Kingdom, France and
   Germany, although it predominantly covers the United States." In all,
   more than 3,500 series are available. More details can be found in
   "Improving the Accessibility of the NBER's Historical Data, Daniel
   Feenberg and Jeff Miron, Journal of Business and Economic Statistics,
   vol. 15 num. 3, July 1997, pp. 293-299 (also NBER Working Paper no.
   5186). More detailed paper documentation is available from the NBER,
   and an on-line "analytical index" is available as well.

   Data is arranged in 16 chapters; they are

   # Production of Commodities
   # Construction
   # Transportation and Public Utilities
   # Prices
   # Stocks of Commodities
   # Distribution of Commodities
   # Foreign Trade
   # Income and Employment
   # Financial Status of Business
   # Savings and Investment
   # Security Markets
   # Volume of Transactions
   # Interest Rates
   # Money and Banking
   # Government and Finance
   # Leading Indicators

   Data are offered in Micro-TSP.db format (which is pure ASCII) and is
   supported directly by RATS, TSP, EViews, and other packages.

   # http://www.nber.org/databases/macrohistory/contents/index.html


2.1.23 USinfostore.com

   [buy 60,000 macro series]

   This firm resells some 60,000 different macro time series; they offer
   convenience by gathering series from many sources and making them
   available in one place. They focus on:

   # Flow of Funds
   # National Income and Product Accounts
   # Output and Productivity
   # Employment
   # Prices
   # Money, Interest Rates, and Foreign Exchange

   They offer a search service for their data, an on-line charting
   capability, and the ability to download the data into Excel
   spreadsheets. They have two subscription levels: the less expensive
   one is $39 a month for some 10,000 series, and the complete service
   is $99 a month. Finally, their "Top 150+" service is free -- all you
   need to do is register.

   # http://www.usinfostore.com/


2.1.24 County and City Databooks

   [useful extraction engine]

   This service takes data from the BLS's 1988 and 1994 County and City
   Databooks, and converts the data to a particularly easy to use
   format. The data available is extensive and varied; there are more
   than 200 variables, and they can be output in a variety of formats.

   # http://fisher.lib.virginia.edu/ccdb/


2.1.25 EconData

   [very extensive data, but requires a downloadable program]

   This database is collected from a variety of U.S. government agencies
   by INFORUM, a project building an inter-industry model of the U.S.
   economy. It contains a wide variety of macro data, regional, and
   international data and places it in a common format. A slightly
   abridged list of categories includes

   # Annual U.S. Data:
   # Annual National Income and Product Accounts
   # Annual Jobs, Hours, and Output
   # Gross Output and Product by Industry
   # SIC Shipments by Manufacturing Products
   # International Sales and Purchases of Private Services
   # County Business Patterns
   # Value of Construction Put in Place
   # Annual Survey of Manufactures
   # Annual Retail Trade
   # Service Annual Survey
   # Annual Sales of Merchant Wholesalers

   # Quarterly U.S. Data:
   # Quarterly National Income and Product Accounts
   # SIC Export & Import
   # Monthly National Employment, Hours, & Earnings
   # Consumer Price Indexes
   # U.S. Import Price Indexes Locality of Origin
   # BEA End Use Export and Import Indexes
   # Harmonized System Export & Import
   # SITC Export & Import Price Indices
   # Industrial Production
   # Kilowatt Hours
   # Capacity and Capacity Utilization

   # State & Local Data:
   # Gross State Product (regions and states)
   # State Personal Income
   # Hours and Earnings
   # Employment by State

   # International Data:
   # Foreign Trade by Country and Area
   # Exports and Imports by 2-digit SIC
   # U.S. Intl. Transactions & US Trade in Goods
   # Average Exchange Rates

   The data is accessed by programs (only for PCs) provided by this
   project and it can easily be output to ASCII or into a spreadsheet
   format. The data is also compressed with pkzip, and they provide this
   and similar programs as well.

   # http://inforumWeb.umd.edu/Econdata.html


2.1.26 Regional Economic Information System

   [nice extraction engine for employment and earnings data]

   This system, sponsored by the University of Virginia's Geospatial and
   Statistical Data Center, has a very extensive collection of
   employment and earnings variables collected by the U.S. Bureau of
   Economic Analysis (BEA) from 1969 to 1995 for (i) U.S. regions, (ii)
   U.S. states and counties, (iii) U.S. MSAs, and (iv) BEA Economic
   areas. Large extractions from this database can even be placed on an
   ftp site for ease of use.

   # http://fisher.lib.virginia.edu/reis/


+  2.1.27 Dismal.com Economic Calendar
+
+  [find release dates and forecasts for data]
+
+  This section of "The Dismal Scientist" offers a very useful calendar
+  of macroeconomic data releases. It often includes the consensus
+  forecast (from Thomson Global Markets), as well as the value for the
+  last period. It also covers some data from outside the U.S.
+
+  # http://www.Dismal.com/economy/releases/calendar.asp


2.1.1.0 Federal Reserve

2.1.1.1 Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System

   [broad and detailed financial and monetary data]

   This site offers extensive material about the Federal Reserve
   (including a listing of its regulations from A to Z), a very
   extensive list of their books, pamphlets, staff studies, periodic
   releases, press releases, and miscellaneous publications (with
   ordering information). There is a section devoted to the Federal Open
   Market Committee (FOMC), which includes meeting dates, the Beige
   Book, minutes, transcripts, and press releases. There are also press
   releases, speeches and testimony (including Humphrey-Hawkins),
   consumer information, regulatory information, and numerous reports to
   Congress. This "background" information is quite extensive.

   They also offer various "Surveys and Reports." This includes the
   triennial "Survey of Consumer Finances," "National Survey of Small
   Business Finances," "Senior Financial Officer Survey," "Senior Loan
   Officer Opinion Survey on Bank Lending Practices," and "Survey of
   Corporate Medium Term Notes."

   Very extensive data is also in the "Statistics: Releases and
   Historical Data" section. This includes the following releases:

   # Commercial Paper
   # H.15 Selected Interest Rates
   # H.3 Aggregate Reserves of Depository Institutions and the Monetary
     Base
   # H.4.1 Factors Affecting Reserve Balances
   # H.6 Money Stock, Liquid Assets, and Debt Measures
   # H.8 Assets and Liabilities of Commercial Banks in the United States
   # H.10 Foreign Exchange Rates
   # H.15 Selected Interest Rates
   # G.5 Foreign Exchange Rates
   # G.13 Selected Interest Rates
   # G.17 Industrial Production and Capacity Utilization
   # G.19 Consumer Credit
   # G.20 Finance Companies
   # E.2 Survey of Terms of Bank Lending to Business
   # E.16 Country Exposure Lending Survey
   # Z.1 Flow of Funds Accounts of the United States
   # Corporate Medium-Term Notes
   # G.5A Foreign Exchange Rates

   Many of these releases include long historical time series. Some are
   of high frequency, and many series begin years ago. The frequency of
   new data varies: some are daily, some weekly, some monthly, some
   quarterly, and some annual. The breadth of many of these releases is
   quite surprising.

   There is also extensive information on bank and financial market
   regulation and supervision (including supervision manuals), and
   information for consumers. Some articles from the "Federal Reserve
   Bulletin" are available, as are many working papers from the staff.
   Finally, the offer a link to "Fed in Print," a database of Federal
   Reserve publications.

   # http://www.bog.frb.fed.us


2.1.1.2 FRB of Atlanta

   Besides information about the bank and the Federal Reserve (including
   educational information and some Treasury information), you can also
   find regional economic information for this, the 6th Federal Reserve
   District, links to other regional data, and their publication
   "Regional Update." Among publications, you'll find their "Economic
   Review," "Economics Update" and "Financial Update." Finally, they
   offer their videos, press releases, speeches, information on their
   publications, and research working papers.

   # http://www.frbatlanta.org/


2.1.1.3 FRB of Boston

   This Federal Reserve Bank offers information about itself, material
   for education and public service (including frequently asked
   questions of their research library), and information on financial
   services for consumers (including Treasury Direct). For regional
   data, for this, the 1st Federal Reserve District, they offer
   extensive links to information on their region's states, as well as a
   link to the "New England Electronic Economic Data Center" (NEEEDc)),
   which is run by Jim Breece of the University of Maine. The data is
   published in the "New England Economic Indicators" and the "New
   England Banking Trends." It has some 90 variables from 1969 for all
   states and some metropolitan areas and GSP data for the New England
   area from the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Finally, you can read
   their publications "New England Economic Review," "New England
   Economic Indicators," "Regional Review," "Fiscal Facts," "New England
   Banking Trends," "Bank Notes," "FedFlash," and "Fedtalk." Conference
   proceedings, research reports, press releases, and working papers
   from the bank's staff are on-line as well.

   # http://www.bos.frb.org/


2.1.1.4 FRB of Chicago

   This site includes a number of guides to the Chicago Fed (the 7th
   Federal Reserve District), the Fed in general, and financial markets
   (including extensive information on Treasury securities). Some of
   this will be of interest to economic educators (they also have a
   large section with education specific material). Many of their
   publications are available as well; these include "Agricultural
   Letter," "Chicago Fed Letter," "Economic Perspectives," "FedWire,"
   "Detroit FedPoints," "Economic Development News & Views,"Profitwise,"
   "Midwest Economic Report," and "On Reserve." This material will be of
   interest to economists, the general public, consumers, and educators
   who have an interest in the many activities of the Fed. There is also
   some regional economic information, as well as various reports,
   working papers, working papers by their staff, and speeches.

   # http://www.frbchi.org/


2.1.1.5 FRB of Cleveland

   [particularly nice macro publications]

   This site first offers extensive information about this Federal
   Reserve Bank, which covers the 4th Federal Reserve District. In
   addition, they have various public announcements, but likely to be of
   the most interest are their publications. Under the heading of
   Economic Research there is "Economic Commentary," which analyzes
   recent events (it would be an excellent classroom supplement), and
   "Economic Trends" (which examines and plots recent economic
   statistics), and the "Economic Review" (which offers detailed
   analysis of economic issues). They also offer working papers from
   their Financial Services Research Group. Under the banking category
   they offer the "Community Reinvestment Forum," "Fourth District
   Focus: News for Depository Institutions," and "Fourth District
   Dialogue," "FedWord," and "Fourth District Operating Circulars."

   In addition, there are entries for functional areas of the bank:
   Banking Supervision and Regulation (BS&R), Corporate Communications
   (CC), Community Reinvestment (CR), Data Services, Economic Research,
   Electronic Payments, Marketing, and Securities. Finally, they list
   employment opportunities with the bank, and other resources on the
   Internet.

   # http://www.clev.frb.org/


2.1.1.6 FRB of Dallas

   This federal reserve bank offers information about itself and the
   Federal Reserve System. In addition, they offer many of their
   publications: "Southwest Economy," "Financial Industry Issues,"
   "Financial Industry Trends," "Houston Business," "Financial Industry
   Studies," "Banking and Community Perspectives," "Vista," and
   "Economic Insights" (which offers "commentary from Dallas Fed
   president, Robert D. McTeer and noted public policymakers and
   analysts on a variety of economic topics of current interest"), and
   their quarterly research journal "Economic Review". They also offer
   summary regional economic data for this, the 11th Federal Reserve
   District, numerous links to macro data (including the Conference
   Board's Leading, Lagging, and Coincident Indices). They also offer
   their exchange rate measure, (the Trade Weighted Value of the Dollar
   (TWVD)), and two regional indicators: Texas Industrial Production
   Index (TIPI), and Texas Index of Leading Indicators (TILI). Finally,
   they have information on bank supervision, and their Center For Latin
   American Economics.

   # http://www.dallasfed.org/


2.1.1.7 FRB of Kansas City

   This federal reserve bank offers information about itself and the
   Federal Reserve System. Additional information is offered by
   functional areas:  Economic Research, Bank Supervision, Community
   Affairs, Financial Services, Public Affairs, and Consumer Affairs.
   Economic Research offers a wide range of interesting material: their
   "Economic Review," "Regional Economic Digest," "Economic Forces
   Shaping the Heartland," "Financing Rural America," and their
   symposia. For the financial sector, they offer "Financial Industry
   Perspectives," "Financial Industry Trends," and "Fed Letter." For
   regional data (this is the 10th Federal Reserve District), they offer
   their "Manufacturing Survey," and offer extensive regional data from
   their "Regional Economic Update," which includes information in the
   following areas: employment, income and taxes, business activity,
   construction, energy, agriculture, and banking. Finally, they offer
   abstracts of their working papers.

   # http://www.kc.frb.org/


2.1.1.8 FRB of Minneapolis

   Besides information on the Fed and itself, they offer fairly
   extensive regional (Ninth District) data: agriculture, banking,
   business, construction and real estate, exports, labor markets,
   natural resources, population, and travel and tourism. There are also
   links to macro data. They also offer their publications: "Quarterly
   Review," "Fedgazette," "The Region," their "Annual Report," and
   "Community Dividend."  Papers from their economists (staff reports,
   working papers, and discussion papers) are available too. Of special
   interest is the "Economic War Between the States" section,  which
   deals with development incentives that states offer on a competitive
   basis. They also offer extensive banking information. Finally, they
   provide nice educational information.

   # http://woodrow.mpls.frb.fed.us/


2.1.1.9 FRB of New York

   [more than the usual amount of material; includes current exchange
   rates]

   Besides offering extensive information on themselves (they cover the
   2nd Federal Reserve District) and the Federal Reserve in general,
   this site has extensive information on banking (including regulatory
   issues), various news items (including news in various financial
   markets and from speeches), and same day exchange rate and interest
   rate information (see the "Statistics" section). Regarding
   publications, they offer their "Annual Report," "Current Issues in
   Economics and Finance" (which focuses on "specific public policy
   issues"), "Economic Policy Review," ("a policy-oriented research
   journal on macroeconomics, banking, and financial market topics"),
   "Research Update" (which summarizes recent research), "Staff
   Reports," and "Research Papers." There is also extensive educational
   information (some of the publications can be ordered on-line).

   For statistics, they offer considerable interest rate data (some from
   the early part of this century). This includes the Federal Funds
   rate, the Discount Rate, the Prime Rate and some CD data. Finally,
   there is considerable information for consumers on savings bonds and
   the Treasury Direct Program.

   # http://www.ny.frb.org/


2.1.1.10 FRB of Philadelphia

   [well known for surveys of macro forecasts]

   Besides the usual information on itself and the Fed in general
   (including press releases), they offer two surveys of macro
   forecasts: the "Livingston Survey" and the "Survey of Professional
   Forecasters." They also offer extensive regional information (they
   cover the 3rd Federal Reserve District), banking information,
   consumer information, working papers from their research department,
   and their "Business Review."

   # http://www.phil.frb.org/


2.1.1.11 FRB of Richmond

   Besides offering general information (including news releases and
   material for educators), this federal reserve bank (for the 5th
   Federal Reserve District), also has extensive material on banking for
   its member banks, information for consumers, and community affairs.
   There is also extensive regional information. Finally, it also
   includes the research department's working paper series, "Annual
   Report," and its "Economic Quarterly."

   # http://www.rich.frb.org/


2.1.1.12 FRB of San Francisco

   [offers "Fed in Print" database]

   This site offers information about itself and the Federal Reserve
   System as a whole (this includes extensive educational material,
   including downloadable simulators for monetary and fiscal policy). Of
   particular interest are their publications: "Economic Letters"
   (formerly the "Weekly Letter"), "Economic Review," and "Western
   Economic Developments."  Of topical interest is "FedViews," which
   analyses economic events on a very frequent basis. This Federal
   Reserve Bank is home to "Fed in Print," a database of many types of
   Federal Reserve publications, including working papers.

   There is also extensive information for banking and financial
   services, community affairs, and consumer information.

   # http://www.frbsf.org/


2.1.1.13 FRB of St. Louis

   [very convenient macro data source with key (500) macro series]

   The major resource of this site is FRED, their macro database. In
   all, more than 500 different macro, monetary, and financial time
   series are available from a variety of different sources. Information
   in this source is current, relatively extensive, easily available,
   and easily downloaded.

   Data comes in the following categories:

   # Daily/Weekly U.S. Financial Data
   # Monthly Monetary Data
   # Monthly Interest Rates
   # Monthly Reserves Data
   # Monthly Commercial Banking Data
   # Business/Fiscal Data
   # Quarterly Gross Domestic Product and Components
   # Monthly Consumer Price Indexes
   # Monthly Producer Price Indexes
   # Monthly Employment and Population Data
   # Exchange Rate Data and Balance of Payments Data
   # Monthly Regional Data (for the 8th District)

   Each category consists of a large number of series (forty is not at
   all uncommon). Each series is available in an ASCII file, suitable
   for very easy downloading. Each group can also be downloaded as a
   compressed or zipped file. Most series are available for long or very
   long periods, and the most recent values are quite current. In
   addition, compressed files are available with all series in each
   category. To help users find data, information on all files is
   available in one summary file. You can also arrange for new data to
   be e-mailed to you.

   This site also offers information on the St. Louis Fed and the
   Federal Reserve System, banking information, community affairs,
   economic research, and educational opportunities. Articles, data, and
   programs from the St. Louis Fed "Review" since 1993 are available
   here. Copies of the "Regional Economist", "Annual Report," and the
   "Beige Book" are also  available. Data publications include "Monetary
   Trends," "National Economic Trends," International Economic Trends,"
   and "U.S. Financial Data."  Newsletters include "Bridges," "Inside
   the Vault," "Central Banker," and "Payments Quarterly."

   # http://www.stls.frb.org