Downloading Real Time Data from FRED (fImport/fredSeries)
Costas Vorlow wrote:
Dear Brian, Thanks. I tried to download data from FRED via quantmod (BTW excellent package) but I can't. It returns empty time series (unlike the GS Yahoo example). Is there something wrong? (using 2.9.2 R).
I have no idea, as you didn't provide a reproducible example (see posting guide or http://catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html) Also, please keep replies on-list, so everyone can benefit from what you discover or create. Regards, - Brian
2010/1/8 Brian G. Peterson <brian at braverock.com
<mailto:brian at braverock.com>>
Research wrote:
Hi,
I was looking at the API for ALFRED:
http://api.stlouisfed.org/docs/fred/realtime_period.html
http://api.stlouisfed.org/docs/fred/series_release.html
ALFRED is like FRED but provides us with real-time data, i.e.,
data for macroeconomic variables as they were originaly
announced (released) and not the revised (finalised) data
which FRED contains. These are useful for real-time
econometric applications.
I was wondering, how can one use the existing
routines/packages that access FRED, to access ALFRED.
>From what I have checked so far, the mnemonics appear to be
the same on FRED and ALFRED for the same series (say PAYMES
for non-farm payrolls).
I haven't used the fImport function, but quantmod has a similar
function, so I'll use that in my examople on modifying, the
details should be quite similar.
look at function:
getSymbols.FRED
copy this to function getSymbols.ALFRED
modify it to include a parameter for the api key, or better yet
register one for the project.
then modify the line starting with download.file to reflect the
new required URL. While the Symbol may be the same, the url is
clearly different
test and share with the community
Regards,
- Brian
--
Brian G. Peterson
http://braverock.com/brian/
Ph: 773-459-4973
IM: bgpbraverock
Brian G. Peterson http://braverock.com/brian/ Ph: 773-459-4973 IM: bgpbraverock