Datastream downloads and specific event studies

Many people are interested in specific financial events that concern companies. They want to study for instance how the value of stocks change in case of company mergers or when interim earnings are reported. Datastream offers a good search option to download data so you can study such events: a table search. When you want to do a table search its is best if you already have certain data available: a list company identifiers together with the specific time period you want search for each company. (Alternatively you can use the Datastream Navigator to select a set of companies and data types.)

When you search Datastream the type of company identifiers that can be used are: DS Code, DS Mnemonic, Sedol and ISIN. Sample file of prepared data for a search:

Before you do a table search in Excel make sure that the Macro-security settings in Excel are set low. You can change the option on Excel through the Menu-option: Extra > Options > Security tab. When you have changed the setting you need to close Excel and start it up again.

The table search option is avialable through the Excel Datastream AFO menu option: Datastream AFO > Request Table > New Request Table.

When you have selected the table search option the Excel spreadsheet will be renewed and you can then use buttons above the columns to select the conditions for the search. You will need to indicate many things: Update (Yes/No), Search type (time series etc.), Format, Series Lookup (DS code OR Sedol OR ISIN), Data Type, Start Date, End Date, Frequency (Daily, Weekly, Monthly or Yearly).
The button for Series Lookup will lead you to the Datastream Navigator, just like the button at Data Type. You can also copy-paste the columns of company identifiers and dates from another file you prepared earlier.

Remember to add an extra tab in your new Spreadsheet for downloading the data to! After you have added this tab, then use the last button at Data Destination to select the first cell in the first tab. You will be returned to the table with the search conditions where the text appears: Blad1'!$A$1.
You have to skip one or more columns for the next destinations depending on the number of variables you want to download (see example picture above). Depending on the time period surrounding the event, the number of variables, and the number of companies, you may want to transpose the data because the number of columns available in Excel is ±240. Alternatively you can add more tabs for downloading data for each set number of companies.

When you are done inputting the variables etc. save the file and then click the button Process Table to let Datastream gather the data from its servers.

Below you find two examples of Table request files in Excel. The best way to view these files is on a computer with Datastream and where Excel has the Datastream AFO. The Macro's in the Excel files will cause trouble on a computer without Datastream and the Datastream AFO: you may not be able to view these files or you may have to close Excel using the Task manager.

Create-Table-Voorbeeld-cols.xls

Author information: LinkedIn

11:37 PM - 5 July 2008