FUNDAMENTALS OF FINANCIAL
DATABASE APPLICATIONS
A. Market Data Management
Financial Software & Financial Data
Systems
 Learn how to use them in data extraction and
analysis
 Using Bloomberg which is the industry leading
data system
 Financial software also includes applications in
Excel, simulation programs and other trading
models applications
 Using Bloomberg Excel API to perform data
retrieval and simple analysis on dataset
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 Service providers aggregate, consolidate and
present the information from a variety of sources
 They also provide their own (proprietary)
analytic tools and news information
 Typically charge a fee for this service, which may
or may not be worthwhile depending on the
user’s needs
 Some excellent providers:
 Bloomberg, Thomson Reuters, S&P Capital IQ
 All of the information found on Bloomberg or
Capital IQ can be found in other places
 Information providers save time, and that is
typically their value proposition
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Information Services Providers
Data Skills
 Employers often value employees with knowledge
of using these information data systems
 Being well versed in company specific
information and economic data is a great way to
differentiate yourself in an interview
 Every employer wants resourceful employees!
 “As a general rule, the most successful man in
life is the man who has the best information.”
Benjamin Disraeli
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Data Skills – You Should be Able To
 Select an appropriate database for use
 Search databases effectively to obtain
data/information to support the analysis of
companies
 For example, Economic Calendars provide the dates
and times of upcoming economic data releases. The
Bloomberg calendar provides information on the
economic data being released, some historical
information, and expectations (based on published
work from economists).
 The databases that we will look at are the same
as the ones used in industry. They are not always
the easiest tools to use, but the experience you
gain will put you at an advantage when looking
for job.
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Specialist Financial Databases
 Sometimes called the data feeds
 The following data feeds or databases are the
most commonly used by finance professionals in
New York, London and other major financial
centers around the world.
 They are used to assist in making trading,
investment and hedging decisions, and to obtain
information that is relevant for corporate
financial decisions, hedging strategy, portfolio
management and investment banking.
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Specialist Financial Databases
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Database Uses Access
Thomson Reuters
Eikon
• Financial reports
• Share prices, charts
• Analyst reports
• Annual reports
• Financial and capital
market data
Web based
application
Bloomberg
Professional
• Financial reports
• Share prices, charts
• Estimates
• Company news
• Financial and capital
market data & analytics
Standalone
Bloomberg
Terminal
Factiva • Business and company
news
• International newspaper
articles
Internet and
software based
Other Specialist Financial Databases
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Database Uses Access
DataStream,
Worldscope, Capital
IQ, Computstat on
the WRDS platform
• Research and data
analysis
• Public and private
companies
• Financial data, M&A
• News
• Debt, equity, IPOs
• Excel modelling
Web based
application
FactSet • Real time financial data
• News feeds
Internet and
software based
Markit • Corporate bond, loan
data
• Pricing and financials
Web based
application
 Bloomberg Professional Services aka
Bloomberg Terminal
 Known for its distinctive old fashioned black screens
with coloured text and a colour-coded keyboard that
support multimedia. It offers a incredible vast range
of functions to access and analyse company, economic
and financial information
 Thomson Reuters Eikon
 has been the biggest competitor to Bloomberg
Terminal, possessing nearly a 25% market share
 Factiva
 offers a collection of news sources through a common
interface. It includes international newspapers and
trade journals. It has a powerful search engine. 9
Introduction to Financial Databases
Introduction to Financial Databases
 FactSet
 the fourth largest player in the financial data space
after Bloomberg, Thomson, and S&P Capital IQ
 Its PowerPoint add-in allows bankers to automate
much of the pitchbook presentation process
 But not good for equity research
 WRDS platform
 Provides comprehensive sources of financial,
accounting, economic, management, marketing,
banking, and insurance data. Hang Seng University
Library subscribes to several datasets.
 Compustat, CRSP (Center for Research in Security
Prices), Thomson Reuters, Capital IQ
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Class Activities
 Thomson Reuters Eikon
 Watch a training video about Thomson Reuters
Eikon at https://training.refinitiv.com/eikon/
 Email registration required
 Factiva
 Go to the HSU library website and find the Factiva
database at https://library.hsu.edu.hk/search-
resources/databases-a-z/
 Search for the latest news about Alibaba, Tencent
and Meituan. Print or save one piece of news you find
most interesting or inspiring
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Bloomberg Terminal
 A software system (the Bloomberg Professional
Service) designed specifically for trading desks
and financial markets
 With over 330,000 terminals currently licensed,
it manages more than 33% of the financial data
of the market
 has risen to become the gold standard for
financial market news, data, and trading tools
(quite expensive cost)
 The famous black-screen terminal has become
nearly synonymous with Wall Street
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 News feeds, financial data
 Price data, real-time quotes
 Live chat, instant messaging service (IB Manager),
with other users
 On a wide variety of markets: Equities, bonds,
governments, derivatives, FICC etc.
 API connectivity: an API that permits export of
data to other software or to custom applications
 Swap manager, option pricing
 Risk modeling and other analytical tools
 Great customer support
 “Anywhere" account, vs. shared terminal 13
Bloomberg Terminal Capabilities
Bloomberg is Best for
 Buy side, sell side within trade and sales
functions
 Asset management and portfolio managers
 Powerful in the bond market
 Bloomberg's fixed income data is unmatched.
 The datasets are more extensive and have been
updated faster than other rivals, making it
especially suitable for credit research analysts,
fixed income sales and bonds from traders and
professionals in debt capital markets.