Accessing Nasdaq Data Link (formerly Quandl) via API

Author: Optuma Team Last updated: Jul 5, 2022 01:57

Overview

Clients can import data from Nasdaq Data Link (formerly Quandl) directly into Optuma. Nasdaq Data Link provides over 300 databases (many free) containing global financial and economic data. Enterprise Services clients can connect to the Nasdaq Data Link (NDL) automatically, but Trader and Professional Services clients must add the Nasdaq Data Link option to their subscription.

The data import can be done on a symbol-by-symbol basis, or for an entire exchange. Click this image for more information, and to create a free account and API key.

Nasdaq Data Link

Process to configure Optuma

To set up Nasdaq Data Link in Optuma you will need to click the Sign Up link to create a free account, and then click on Account Settings to access your API key:

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  1. To configure NDL data in Optuma, ensure all charts are closed, click the Data menu and select Configure Data Providers.

  2. In the window that opens select Nasdaq Data Link and click Next.

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  3. Copy the API key from your NDL account page.

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  4. Click Next without adding any exchanges to the right-hand side.

  5. Restart Optuma, if the connection has been successful the Data menu will display green text. When you hover over the Data menu you should see a tip window with the text “Nasdaq Data Link Connected”.

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  6. Press F3 to open the Data Selector and right-click on a blank area of the left-hand side window. In the menu that displays select Add Custom Exchange

    Quandl4

  7. In the window that displays, type the name of the Exchange, and select Quandl as the Data Provider. A new field will display called Database, from which you can click to select the Nasdaq Data Link database that you wish to import, such as the free Blockchain data.

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Note: Depending on the size of the database, the import process can take a long time (10+ minutes).
Once the exchange has been imported you will be able to open charts sourced from Nasdaq Data Link, appearing under the name of the exchange selected above.

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Adding Individual Symbols

You can open charts for individual NDL Quandl codes instead of importing a complete exchange. Search the NDL website to find the database and symbol you wish to download e.g. UK GDP from the Office of National Statistics. In the top-right corner of the screen you will see the NDL code:

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Once NDL connection has been configured in Optuma you can then enter the NDL symbol directly into the data selector. The syntax to automatically add the code is NDL:[DATABASE]/[SYMBOL]. In the UK GDP example above:

NDL:UKONS/YBEZ_Q

It will take 5 to 10 seconds for the code to be added, but when it appears in the security selection list double-click to open the chart.

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NOTES

  • By default Optuma will request 10 years of historical data. To increase this, select the exchange from Data > Exchanges menu and select the End of Day Data Options to increase the history:

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  • The first time you open a chart using an NDL code in Optuma, the full historical data will download automatically. After that, the chart will update with new data each time the chart is opened (Data on Demand). As such, data from Nasdaq Data Link is not suited for use in daily scanning - unless the charts have been opened first to download the data.