In the present day and age where data is ubiquitous, few open data sources exist that are comprehensive in their coverage and easily accessible to students, researchers, and individual investors. I recently came across an excellent source of open data – Finnhub. Finnhub is a data aggregator that seeks to “democratize financial data.” It provides many cool datasets – both fundamental and alternative – that have been built using cutting-edge machine-learning algorithms. Several of these datasets, such as fundamental financial statements, stock ownership, analysts’ estimates, earnings transcripts, etc., are commonly used in archival accounting and finance academic research.
To facilitate efficient and effective use of the extensive data, the platform provides dedicated REST APIs, e.g., the Finnhub Stock API. The APIs are accompanied by detailed documentation and libraries in popular programming languages, including Python, Ruby, and Kotlin. You can learn more about the platform, various product offerings, and pricing plans on its website. While you are there, you may also want to check out the investment research platform – valueinvesting – that relies on several of these datasets. This investment research platform allows one to build financial models and stock screeners while leveraging extensive resources and pre-existing templates.
Happy researching/investing!