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Historical Data
IMPORTANT !
Many current sources are also historical sources due to their length of time in publication. For example, the Monthly Labor Review is an excellent historical source, and the URI Library has this in print going all the way back to 1918 (see links below).
So... please visit the Current Data page in this guide for more historical sources!
- Monthly Labor Review1918-2007.
- Montly Labor Review Online1981 - present.
Federal Reserve Economic Data
What is the difference between FRED® and ALFRED®?
FRED® contains the most accurate information about the past that is available today, while ALFRED® contains information that was known on some past date in history.
- FRED - Federal Reserve Economic Data"FRED® is a database of over 20,000 U.S. economic time series (1,000 macro series and 19,000 regional series). With FRED®, you can download data in Microsoft Excel and text formats and view charts of data series."
- ALFRED - ArchivaL Federal Reserve Economic Data"Economic Data Time Travel from the St. Louis Fed's Economic Research Division. ALFRED® allows you to retrieve vintage versions of economic data that were available on specific dates in history."
Economic Report of the President - Online
"The Economic Report of the President is an annual report written by the Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors. It overviews the nation's economic progress using text and extensive data appendices. The Economic Report of the President is transmitted to Congress no later than ten days after the submission of the Budget of the United States Government. Supplementary reports can be issued to the Congress which contain additional and/or revised recommendations."
For the print version, please refer to the "In Print" box on this page.
- Economic Report of the President. 1995 - presentEarlier reports dating to 1947 are also available through a link to FRASER on this page.
In Print
- Economic Report of the President Transmitted to the CongressCall Number: Online AccessContains over 100 pages of statistical tables covering such basic economic indicators as national income, employment, production, prices, corporate profits, government finance, agriculture, and international transactions. Most tables contain almost 40 years of data.
- Business Statistics of the United States. 1995 - present (Annual)Call Number: Carothers Library Reference - Non Circulating HC101 .A13122A historical record of over 2,000 time series, with almost 30 years of annual data and 4 years of monthly data. Areas covered include GDP and cyclical indicators; consumer income and spending; industrial production and capacity utilization; busines sales, inventories, and investment; prices; employment costs, productivity and profits; employment, hours, and earnings; money and financial markets; foreign trade and finance; and international comparisons. Industry-specific data are also included. Formerly published biennially as a supplement to the Survey of Current Business under the title Business Statstics.