DB 27
Bloomberg
The Bloomberg database is a standalone resource which provides real-time information on
market securities and financial instruments. Historical share prices are also given. Note that
dates are American style, e.g. 12.25.2013 instead of 25.12.2013.
Coverage: WORLD.
Up to 20 years back.
Users may email and download data.
It is not permitted to extract API data.
Logging on
You will firstly need to obtain two sets of username and password from the library helpdesk one for the PC itself and one for the database.
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Log in to the PC with the first username and password (you will not be able to log in
with your own LSBU username and password)
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Double-click on the green Bloomberg icon
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You can then log in to the database with the second username and password.
When the Bloomberg “welcome screen” appears, type MAIN where the blue cursor flashes
and press the green GO key to reach the main Bloomberg search page.
To display the live news which appears in many languages at the bottom of the screen,
double-click on the headline. If you wish to turn this on or off, type NO where the blue cursor
flashes and press GO.
Logging off
Press the red COM DFLT key once or press the Alt and F4 keys at the same time.
Bloomberg
The Bloomberg keyboard explained
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Bloomberg
It is possible to run several Bloomberg windows at the same time. Do not
close windows as this will lead to a “Exit the Bloomberg?” dialogue box.
Minimise unwanted windows instead.
To move between Bloomberg and the internet, double left-click on the desktop.
HELP
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Contact Bloomberg: get Bloomberg’s experts to explain how to run a
particular search. Press the green HELP key twice to bring up the “Live Help”
box, and enter your query -sending instructions are given on screen.
Bloomberg will respond immediately.
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At the main page, click on 31) Bloomberg Help / Search
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At the main page, click on 33) for Cheatsheets
For help with commands etc:
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Type MAIN and press GO for the Bloomberg main page.
Then click on 22) Tools & General Information.
Then click on 4): EASY: Ease of Use Tips & Shortcuts
Then click on 1): Bloomberg Shortcuts.
or click on 6): Most Frequently Asked Helpdesk Questions.
For Interactive Manuals and Online Training Manuals:
Type BU and press GO.
Click on 12) View training videos.
Under “Bloomberg Core Videos” click on 2) “Getting Started” for
basic guidance. Also note that you can take exams, and register for
seminars and events (free), Take evidence of registration with you.
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Bloomberg
Useful commands
At the flashing cursor type:
• Keyword(s) / Company name and press the green Help key to
run a query search.
• EASY and press GO for ease of use tips.
• GRAB and press GO to E-mail a screen (as a GIF file).
• LANG and press GO to set language preference: English,
Japanese, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian,
Chinese (Traditional), Korean, Chinese (Simplified), and
Russian.
• BU and press GO for Training Videos
• LAST and press GO for details of last searches.
• Press the shift key and press GO to page back through last 8 pages visited.
• N and press GO for main news menu.
• FA and press GO for financial analysis.
• WFX and press GO for world currencies.
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ESNP and press GO for economic statistics snapshots.
CBQ and press GO for country analysis.
MA and press GO for mergers and acquisitions analysis.
Pressing the HELP key once will explain any screen.
MSG and press GO to retrieve messages (including any
attachments sent to you). Note that Bloomberg will only E-mail
the Bloomberg PC and not your own E-mail account.
• HDSK and press GO to retrieve a record of your “livechat”
conversations with the Bloomberg helpdesk.
Example of how to search for historical share prices:
From the Bloomberg MAIN page click on:
Press the yellow F8 key (Equity), and, leaving spaces, type TK, leave a space
and then enter company name to find the Ticker symbol, e.g. Equity TK NEXT
PLC and then press GO
Select from list
Click on HP Historical Table [under 5)] for historical share prices or
simply type HP (Data in range can be changed by overtyping as
required)
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Bloomberg
How to search for merger information (Bloomberg M and A analysis)
• At the flashing cursor type MA and press GO.
• If you wish, now click on the green HELP key for information on how
to use M & A search.
Select region, currency etc using the drop-down menus or click on the other hyperlinks,
e.g. “Proposed Deals”.
To search for a given company / specific date range etc
Click on: 95) Quick Search
or
96) Advanced Search
Using graphs
From a page of company data:
• Type GP and press GO to display company information as a graph.
To display news for a particular date on a graph: • Click on the grey “news” tab, then position the mouse arrow on
the graph (a vertical orange line appears). Left-click mouse to
open news window.
• Click in the grey “Track” tab then position the mouse arrow on the
graph (intersecting orange lines appear). Choose point of interest
on the graph and note data which appears in the box on the top
left.
• Graph may be shifted up, down, left or right by clicking on the grey
“track mouse” tab, dragging the mouse arrow onto the graph, and
then holding the left mouse button down to “drag” the graph.
NB. Annotations can be added to the graph by clicking on the grey
“annotations” tab, selecting an annotation from the drop-down menu and
dragging this onto the graph (hold the left mouse button down and then
release it to convert the small cross which appears on the graph into the
annotation, e.g. circle).
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Bloomberg
Saving results
E-MAILING
Type GRAB and press the GO button to E-mail results to the E-mail
account of your choice. Each page has to be E-mailed individually.
To make the process easier, right click on the desktop, click on “screen options”, and
then click on “save screen.” Attachments can then be E-mailed collectively
to the E-mail address of your choice.
Printing
You will need to save any work on to your USB or email to yourself in order to print out
material elsewhere.
Further help
Please refer to the folder situated next to the Bloomberg terminal for advice on searching
particular information/ recent updates.
For any questions regarding Bloomberg, contact your Information Skills Adviser:
llrbus@lsbu.ac.uk
Produced by LLR January 2014
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