Economic Data Sources Reference
The primary U.S. federal statistical agencies and databases for economic and financial data. All sources listed provide free public access to their data. API access is available for programmatic retrieval.
FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data)
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Aggregates over 800,000 economic time series from dozens of national, international, public, and private sources. The single most comprehensive free portal for U.S. economic data. Provides API access, Excel add-in, and direct download.
Key Datasets
| Series / ID | Name | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| EFFR | Effective Federal Funds Rate | Daily |
| UNRATE | Unemployment Rate | Monthly |
| CPIAUCSL | Consumer Price Index (All Urban) | Monthly |
| PCEPILFE | Core PCE Price Index | Monthly |
| GDP | Gross Domestic Product | Quarterly |
| DGS10 | 10-Year Treasury Constant Maturity Rate | Daily |
| T10Y2Y | 10-Year Treasury Minus 2-Year Treasury (2s10s spread) | Daily |
| WALCL | Federal Reserve Total Assets | Weekly |
Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
U.S. Department of Labor
Primary source for employment and price data. Conducts the Current Employment Statistics (CES) survey (nonfarm payrolls), Current Population Survey (CPS, with Census Bureau -- unemployment rate), Consumer Price Index (CPI), Producer Price Index (PPI), Employment Cost Index (ECI), and Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS).
Key Datasets
| Series / ID | Name | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| CES | Current Employment Statistics (Nonfarm Payrolls) | Monthly |
| CPS | Current Population Survey (Unemployment Rate) | Monthly |
| CPI | Consumer Price Index | Monthly |
| PPI | Producer Price Index | Monthly |
| JOLTS | Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey | Monthly (lagged) |
| ECI | Employment Cost Index | Quarterly |
Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA)
U.S. Department of Commerce
Produces the national economic accounts including GDP, personal income and outlays (PCE), and international trade data. The BEA's Personal Income and Outlays report contains the PCE price index -- the Fed's preferred inflation measure. Also produces the advance, second, and third estimates of quarterly GDP.
Key Datasets
| Series / ID | Name | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| NIPA | National Income and Product Accounts (GDP) | Quarterly (3 estimates) |
| PCE | Personal Consumption Expenditures | Monthly |
| PI | Personal Income | Monthly |
| ITA | International Transactions (Balance of Payments) | Quarterly |
| GDP by Industry | Value Added by Industry | Quarterly / Annual |
U.S. Treasury Department
U.S. Department of the Treasury
Publishes daily Treasury yield curve rates, auction results, public debt data (TreasuryDirect), and the Monthly Treasury Statement (government receipts and outlays). The daily par yield curve rates are the primary source for the Treasury yield curve.
Key Datasets
| Series / ID | Name | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Yield Curve | Daily Treasury Par Yield Curve Rates | Daily |
| Auctions | Treasury Auction Results | Multiple times per week |
| MTS | Monthly Treasury Statement | Monthly |
| TIC | Treasury International Capital (Foreign Holdings) | Monthly |
| SOMA | System Open Market Account Holdings | Weekly |
U.S. Census Bureau
U.S. Department of Commerce
Conducts the decennial census and produces ongoing economic statistics including retail sales, housing starts, building permits, international trade in goods, durable goods orders, and business inventories. The Advance Monthly Retail Trade Survey is among the most closely watched economic indicators.
Key Datasets
| Series / ID | Name | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| MARTS | Advance Monthly Retail Trade Survey (Retail Sales) | Monthly |
| NHSC | New Residential Construction (Housing Starts) | Monthly |
| MDOG | Advance Report on Durable Goods | Monthly |
| FT900 | U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services | Monthly |
| QFR | Quarterly Financial Report (Corporate Profits) | Quarterly |
SEC EDGAR
Securities and Exchange Commission
Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval system. All public companies are required to file financial statements (10-K annual, 10-Q quarterly), material events (8-K), and insider transactions. Full-text search available. XBRL structured data for financial statements.
Key Datasets
| Series / ID | Name | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| 10-K | Annual Financial Statements | Annual |
| 10-Q | Quarterly Financial Statements | Quarterly |
| 8-K | Current Reports (Material Events) | As needed |
| 13F | Institutional Investment Manager Holdings | Quarterly |
| DEF 14A | Definitive Proxy Statements | Annual |
Tips for Working with Economic Data
Watch for Revisions
Most major economic releases are revised one or more times after the initial publication. GDP has advance, second, and third estimates. Nonfarm payrolls are revised in the subsequent two months and receive an annual benchmark revision. Initial releases move markets, but revisions can paint a different picture.
Seasonal Adjustment
Most economic series are published in both seasonally adjusted (SA) and not-seasonally-adjusted (NSA) forms. SA data removes predictable seasonal patterns (holiday hiring, weather effects) to reveal underlying trends. Use SA for month-to-month comparisons and NSA when seasonal factors themselves are relevant.
FRED as a Starting Point
FRED aggregates data from all the other sources listed here plus many more. For most analytical purposes, starting with FRED is the most efficient approach. Use the original agency websites when you need methodology documentation, microdata, or data not available through FRED.