New Global Financial Database available to EUI members from 1 January 2017

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The Global Financial Database of long-range series on stocks, bonds, bills and other financial data from 200 countries, is now available to EUI members. The Global Financial Database covers approximately 200 countries from the medieval period to present.

EUI members can create an account on the GFD platform using an eui.eu mail account. A unique User Name and Password (case-sensitive) will be assigned via the eui.eu mail account. Enter the User Name (EUI mail address) and GFD Password at the login link (also in the top-bar menu).

Each financial and economic data series is assigned nine metadata descriptors: series ID; description; start date; end date/most recent; periodicity; country/territory; currency; series type (eg. government bond yields) and GFD sector designation (eg. equity).

Main series include:

  • Asset Allocation from the 1800s to present
  • Commodity data from 1252 to present
  • Economic data (general) from the early 1200s to present
  • Equities from 1694 to present
  • Exchange rates from the 1200s to present
  • Fixed income from the late 13th century to present
  • Inflation from 1209
  • National accounts and GDP from 1790 to present
  • Example of series:
Symbol IGITA10D
Description Italy 10-year Government Bond Yield
Begin 11-30-1807
End 09-29-2016
Periodicity Monthly from Nov. 1807 to Nov. 1983; Weekly from Dec. 1983 to Dec. 1988; Daily From Jan. 1989 to Sep. 2016.
Country ITALY
Currency ITL
Series Type Government Bond Yields
GFD Sector Fixed Income

Data collated and provided by GFD has been compiled from diverse archival resources including financial reports, news periodicals, sectoral journals and other publications. “GFD has produced continuous chain-linked data sets by appending the current data series with the historical data which have been verified, cross-referenced and transcribed prior to their inclusion.”

EUI members also have access to these, related, financial data resources:

  • Create an account on the GFD platform, using an eui.eu mail account
  • A unique User Name and Password (case-sensitive) will be assigned via the eui.eu mail account
  • Enter the User Name (EUI mail address) and Password at the login link, in the top-bar menu
  • Search and browse to access data series required.
  • EUI alumni can access GFD on campus. External Library users do not have access to this resource.

Please contact the Library to arrange a research data appointment: [email protected]

The EUI Library Data Portal provides access to a comprehensive collection of macroeconomic and micro-socioeconomic data resources. All 75 resources in the EUI Data Portal have an information guide with (i) Data description, (ii) Time coverage, (iii) Support links; eg. user networks, online manuals, software tools &c., and (iv) Instructions on how to access.

Macroeconomic Data: National, regional and global economic statistics are available from major providers, including Thomson Reuters, Eurostat, IMF, World Bank, OECD, ECB, WIIW, UN and many others.

Micro-socioeconomic Data: Individual, family, household and firm level data are available from Eurostat, GESIS, ICPSR, Bureau van Dijk, UKDS, DIW and many others. Micro-socioeconomic data is subject to special registration requirements. EUI members should complete the micro data registration form (selecting the required dataset from the drop-down menu) and sign two conditions of use agreements at the Economics Information Office (Badia Fiesolana, 085) or at the Economics Departmental Library information desk (Villa La Fonte, 2nd floor). Detailed instructions are given on each micro data resource page under ‘How to access.’

Online research software manuals. Paper manuals are available in the 001-005 shelf range at the Badia Library and the Economics Departmental Library (Villa La Fonte).

The EUI published the 4thedition of the Library Research Data Guide on 28 October 2016.

The Guide (PDF) provides information on research data management, data discovery, terms and conditions of access and use, data security, dataset metadata and documentation, data repositing, preservation and open data sharing.

The 4th edition contains a new section (#8) on ‘Qualitative Data in Humanities and Social Sciences: access and use’ and expanded details about data management plans (DMPs) and data management in the EU Horizon 2020 research funding programme.

The section on open data provides information on whether, when, how, where and under what terms, research data outputs can be openly shared.