FRED Lessons
Easy Access to FRED
Excel Add-in for FRED
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Introduction to FRED
In graphs and problem sets, Money, Banking, and Financial Markets, 4e by Cecchetti and Schoenholtz, makes extensive, integrated use of data provided by FRED.

FRED is the free, online database created and maintained by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis for use by everyone—professionals, students, and the general public. FRED covers about 200 countries with nearly 150,000 economic time series from about 60 data producers. FRED is updated daily.

Understanding the data that describe an economy and its financial system is critical to understanding money and banking. Having direct access to the data to analyze, update, and compare financial institutions and developments across time and across countries adds immeasurably to the information on the page of a textbook—or in a news article.

The data, previously scattered across many public and private sources, have been available only to businesses and professionals who could afford the services of private data gatherers. It was impractical, if not impossible, for the general public, including students, to gain direct access.

FRED now provides access, free of charge, through a single interface, to a vast wealth of data previously available to only a few.

You can use FRED to understand key issues and concepts in money and banking. When reading relevant news stories, use FRED to explore the issues at a deeper level as well as get updates.

When you have finished using this textbook, your new-found ability to find, manipulate, and understand economic and financial data will be an enduring benefit of your studies.

Select a link at the top for more FRED resources.