Data Resources

The Economics Department is committed to equipping students with the cutting-edge data resources necessary for rigorous research and analysis. Students have access to several premier financial and economic databases and platforms, ensuring you have the tools to translate theory into empirical insight. In addition to the Economics Research Tools provided through the Lafayette College Libraries, the college provides the following:

Bloomberg Terminals

Students have access to 12 dedicated Bloomberg Terminals located in the J.H. Tarbell Lab, on the second floor of the William E. Simon Center. Bloomberg Terminals provide students with real-time data from markets around the world, as well as news, research, and powerful analytics used by professionals in finance, business, and government. Access to the Tarbell Lab is available to all members of the Lafayette College community through the Economics Department.

WRDS

Wharton Research Data Services is an online research data platform that provides access to financial, accounting, regulatory, banking, economics, and marketing data. It is to be used for academic and non-commercial purposes. The databases available through WRDS include: (1) CRSP (Center for Research in Security Prices) provides the most comprehensive collection of security price, return, and volume data US-listed companies. This database is essential for any study involving stock market analysis, asset pricing, or historical security performance. (2) Compustat offers financial accounting data on thousands of publicly held companies. This includes detailed data on income statements, balance sheets, cash flows, and segment data.

Members of the Lafayette College community can learn more about accessing WRDS here.