ECONOMICS 594
To get a complete listing of Economics databases, go to the Library homepage and click on metaLINK. Once in metaLINK, scroll down to the listing for Economics. There are links to tutorials next to some of the database descriptions. The tutorials require the latest version of Flash and that Javascript be enabled. Get Flash here. Instructions for enabling JavaScript in commons browsers is available here.
U.S. Data
Bureau of Economic Analysis
Covers U.S. economic accounts on an international, national, regional, and industry level. BEA tutorial
Bureau of Labor Statistics
This Department of Labor site has statistics on labor force, employment, unemployment, and persons not in the labor force.
Census Bureau Economic Programs
Economic data on agriculture, retail and wholesale trade, international trade, manufacturing, and more.
Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services
Statistics page for CMS. This is a good place to start when researching health care expenditures.
CPS Utilities (on CD-ROM) Ref Online & Data HA 203.C685
This is the Census Bureau's Current Population Survey, 1962-2003. The cd-roms contain the Annual demographic file with data on the composition and economic status of the U.S. population. Comprehensive information is given on employment, occupation, and industry for persons 14 years old and over. Characteristics such as age, sex, race, marital status, family relationships, household structure, occupation, employment history, income, educational background, and ethnicity are shown for each person in the household.
EconData (INFORUM)
University of Maryland website that provides access to several hundred thousand economic time series. Series include national income and product accounts (NIPA), labor statistics,
price indices, current business indicators, industrial production, information
on states and regions, as well as international data. Data is at the U.S.national, state/local and international levels.
EconData.Net
Not to be confused with EconData above, this site specializes in U.S. regional socioeconomic data.
Economic Report of the President
The entire report from the years 1995 onwards and the statistical section from 1997 onwards can be viewed or downloaded from this site. Contains historical statistics on employment, GDP, CPI, etc.
Economic Research Fred
FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) provides historical US economic and financial data, including daily US interest rates, monetary and business indicators, exchange rates, etc. Has over 3000 economic time series.
Economic Statistics Briefing Room
Provides easy access to current federal economic indicators.
Energy Information Administration
Official energy statistics from the United States government.
Federal Reserve Bank Reports 
The Federal Reserve Bank Reports contains three databases collected from Federal Reserve Banks. Two of them (Foreign Exchanges and Interest Rates) come from reports published for the Federal Reserve Board (H.10 and H.15 reports). The other one contains the Coincident State Indexes from the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. Available via Wharton Research Data Services (see below). Requires registration.
Fedstats: One Stop Shopping for Federal Statistics
Provides links to statistics from over 70 government agencies.
Global Insight
The database covers U.S. and international financial, economic and industry data. Binghamton University users have access only to the Basic Economics files which cover monthly, quarterly, and annual time series. Available via Wharton Research Data Services (see below). Requires registration.
Historical Statistics of the United States on CD-ROM
Covers colonial times to 1970, with statistics on labor, demographics, national income, consumer income and expenditures, etc. Located on the Census workstation in Online and Data Services.
ICPSR (Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research) Data Archive
Provides access to a vast archive of social research data. ICPSR data can be downloaded by BU researchers that access ICPSR through the
campus network or remotely by authenticating for resources from the Libraries'
web pages.
NABE: National Association for Business Economics
This site has a collection of useful data links. Click on Economic Links.
National Longitudinal Survey of Labor Market Experience (ICPSR)
The primary purpose of the five sets of surveys that comprise the National Longitudinal Surveys is the collection of data on the labor force experience of specific age-sex groups of Americans. Data is available via ICPSR (see above) and covers the years 1966-1992.
New York State Data Center
Provides access to the various statistical series for and about New York State's economy and population. Download data as spreadsheet files.
Panel Study of Income Dynamics on the Web
PSID is a longitudinal survey covering economic and demographic information on both families and individuals. Content focuses on income sources and amounts, employment, family composition changes and residential location. It is a good source of labor statistics. Data can be downloaded directly from the web site.
STAT-USA/Internet Home Page
Click on State of the Nation to find statistical data on economic indicators, employment, international trade, industry, national income and product accounts, etc. Some statistics updated daily or weekly.
Statistical Abstract of the United States
Contains a collection of statistics on social and economic conditions in the United States. Selected international data are also included. The Abstract is also your Guide to Sources of other data from the Census Bureau, other Federal agencies, and private organizations.
USA Trade Online
U.S. export and import information on more than 18,000 commodities world wide. Users must access this database from a PC in Bartle Library. Go to the Bartle Reference desk to get the password.
Wharton Research Data Services (WRDS)
WRDS is the interface used to access the Compustat, CRSP, Global Insight, and other large financial and economic data files. Most data is for the U.S., but the Penn World Tables files provide some international information. Use of these files requires registration and is strictly restricted to Binghamton University faculty and students.
International Data
B&E Datalinks
This page is sponsored by the Business and Economic Statistics division of the American Statistical Association. It provides links to national and international data sources.
China Data Online
Provides access to monthly and annual macroeconomic statistics, monthly reports on economic development, city and county data, and industrial sector data. This is a single user only database. Searching of the statistical databases is allowed, but not the yearbooks or census data. It can only be used in the library. Go to the Bartle Reference desk to get the password.
Datastream
Datastream provides historical coverage of major securities from worldwide markets, (including the U.S.) plus increasing data coverage on emerging markets and new instruments. It can be accessed on the Census workstation in the Online and Data Services Office.
Davidson Data Center & Network (DDCN)
DDCN is an integrated, fully searchable database on transition and emerging markets. DDCN archives and provides (mostly) free access to socio-economic micro and macro data on transition economies.
Direction of Trade Statistics and The Historical Direction of Trade Statistics
Covers trade flows from one region of the world to another. The Historical Direction of Trade Statistics CD-ROM, which complements this title, has coverage from 55,000 time series of annual, quarterly, and monthly trade data for approximately 200 countries from 1948 to 1980. Loaded on the Statistical workstation in Online and Data Services.
International Energy Agency
Has international statistics for coal, oil, etc.
International Financial Statistics Online
Statistics on all aspects of international and domestic finance from 200+ IMF countries. Contains approximately 32,000 time series of financial and economic data. International and domestic finance statistics for most countries of the world. Financial data includes exchange rates, international liquidity, international banking, money and banking, etc. International Financial Statistics tutorial
Japan Statistical Yearbook
Comprehensive summary of basic statistical information, covering demographics, land, economics, society, and culture. Files are available in both PDF and Excel format.
Penn World Tables
Provides national income accounts-type of variables converted to international prices. Available via Wharton Research Data Services (see below). Requires registration.
Statistical Resources on the Web
Provides numerous links to statistical sites, both U.S. and international.
Statistical Universe
Indexes and abstracts statistical publications from the U.S. government from 1973, state and private sources from 1980, and documents from international organizations from 1983. Some statistical tables are available online.
World Bank Africa Database (CD-ROM)
Over 1,200 indicators of macro-economic, sectoral, and social data for 53 African countries and 20 regional country groups going back to 1970. It can be accessed on the Statistical Workstation in the Online & Data Services Office. The disk can be obtained from the Bartle Reference Desk, call number HC800.A1 W677.
World Development Indicators (CD-ROM)
Contains over 550 time-series indicators for 208 countries and 18 country groups, covering 1960 to 2004. It can be accessed on the Census Workstation in the Online & Data Services Office.
Financial Databases
Wharton Research Data Services (WRDS)
WRDS is the interface used to access the Compustat, CRSP, Global Insight, and other large financial and economic data files. Use of these files requires registration and is strictly restricted to Binghamton University faculty and students.
COMPUSTAT data files are produced by Standard & Poor's Institutional Market Services. The principal contents of the data files are the items reported by companies in standard financial reports, such as quarterly and annual income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements. Both current and historical data are available.
CRSP, The Center for Research in Security Prices (CRSP), from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business, maintains security data for the NYSE, AMEX and NASDAQ stock markets.
Thomson Research
This database provides financial information derived from the SEC filings of over 12,000 publicly-held companies. Best used when researching a small group of companies, rather than a large data set. Contains 10 years worth of data for many companies.Thomson Research tutorial
Compact D/SEC (CD-ROM)
Similar to Thomson Research, above, this CD-ROM contains somewhat less data, but allows for searching across all of the companies in the database. The discs can be obtained at the Bartle Reference desk. Discs are only occasionally updated. Ceased publication in 2006.
Factiva
Use the Companies/Markets button to access recent historical data on stock prices, currencies, mutual funds, and market indices. Factiva tutorial Wall Street Journal tutorial
Articles
EconLit
EconLit is the main database for Economics articles. There is some full-text coverage. EconLit tutorial
Business Source Premier
This is the primary database for management, with some coverage of economics topics and journals.
Science Direct (Elsevier)
Despite the "Science" title, this database has good coverage of economics, econometrics, and finance articles.
Web of Science
This is an interdisciplinary database that covers social sciences, sciences, and humanities. It is not full-text.
Books and Dissertations
infoLINK or Encore
infoLink and Encore are two versions of the Library Catalog. Look here for our holdings of books, journals, dissertations, government documents, CD-ROMs, DVDs, etc. Remember that not every library economic data source is listed on this web page.
Dissertations & Theses @ Binghamton University
Full text of all BU dissertations from 1997 to the present. Citations and abstracts of all BU dissertations published by UMI. Searchable by keyword, author, and advisor.
Dissertation Abstracts
This is a selective database dissertations and honors theses published in the United States, Canada, Great Britain, and Europe since 1980 (for dissertations) or 1988 (for honors theses). The BU Libraries will own few of these titles. Most dissertations can be obtained via InterLibrary Loan (ILLIAD).
Working Papers & Studies
The National Academies
The economics and business portion of this site contains synopsis of relevant studies. The featured reports are available for free in PDF format.
National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)
To search for working papers on a specific topic, click on Publications, then Working Papers. NBER tutorial
Print Resources
In addition to the databases and CD-ROMs listed above, the Libraries have numerous print resources that contain econometric data. A handout for such sources can be found here.Data Help
If you have data questions, contact:
Colleen Hailey, Economics and Management Librarian, chailey@binghamton.edu, 777-2621
Dave Vose, ICPSR Designated Representative, dvose@binghamton.edu, 777-4907
For help with understanding statistics in general, try the The Statistics Homepage . This is an electronic online textbook which "offers training in the understanding and application of statistics".