- What is the content and what are the types of market data that CSI
supplies?
A typical time series captured directly from CSI involves daily
end-day summary (open-high-low-close-volume and open interest, dividend,
split data, or net asset value) quotations on U.S. mutual funds, all
U.S., U.K. and Canadian stocks, all contracts on all world futures
markets, all futures options markets traded worldwide, and selected U.S.
stock options markets. In addition, hundreds of U.S. gov't
fundamentals from the U.S. Departments of Labor, Commerce, Agriculture,
Federal Reserve, etc. are made available. Where the content of the
commodity and futures markets extends back to the first day of trading
for 95%of the markets, the stock and fundamental data series provide
historical coverage varying from less than a year to as many as many as
20 years of daily, weekly, monthly or quarterly readings.
- When and how are daily updates retrieved from CSI's master data
base?
Timely daily updates are available by modem from 5:00 P.M. to
7:30 P.M. Eastern time depending upon the closing times of the markets
required to be downloaded. Updates are available through the Internet,
Telenet or Tymnet or direct dial from CSI's Boca Raton, FL facility.
- What is the source of the data you supply?
CSI uses a network of third party data suppliers including the
exchanges to capture data resources. Several sources are used to
enhance the ultimate accuracy for the end user. Wherever possible,
multiple vendors are compared to uncover defective sources and eliminate
errors.
- How are error corrections communicated to customers and does CSI
publish the errors it commits?
In the CSI Technical Journal which is published monthly, every
error committed by CSI during the prior 30 calendar day period is
printed in the Error column of the Journal. In addition, the committed
errors of prior days that are detected today are electronically
transmitted to users of Unfair Advantage following each download
session. The affected files are automatically corrected with no action
required by the customer.
- What is CSI's Technical Journal and how
can it help me as a customer?
CSI's Technical Journal features a short subject of technical
interest to traders and customers. In addition to the educational
article and other helpful stories about our service, the Journal
displays statistics for the past month identifying all of the Initial
Public Offerings (IPO's) introduced by U.S. exchanges, the dates and x
for y parameters for existing stocks which were affected by splits, and
details of all of the stocks, commodities, and futures that were added
to CSI data resources.
- What analysis tools can I use with data
resources captured from CSI?
Customers may use any product which will adopt the MetaStock(R)
or CSI data format. These include SuperCharts(R), Windows on Wall
Street(R), MetaStock(R), Excel(R), dBase(R), Lotus(R), Paradox(R),
Unfair Advantage and many other popular market-study software products.
- Is CSI an acronym or abbreviation?
Yes. CSI is an acronym for Commodity Systems, Inc. The
original name reflects our beginning history when we specialized in
producing systematic procedures and algorithms for trading the commodity
markets. Commodity Systems began business by compiling a futures data
base for tracking the commodity markets. Soon thereafter we expanded
into the security, mutual fund, index and options markets. This
increased scope of data coverage prompted a change in our name. The
acronym CSI has been used to identify our business since 1984.
- Where is CSI located?
Although our physical location is 200 W. Palmetto Park Road,
Boca Raton, FL 33432, you can find us anytime on the Internet at
http://csidata.com
- How long has CSI been serving investors
around the world?
CSI customers benefit from nearly three decades of data banking
experience. CSI was originally founded in New York State as a market
research firm in 1970 that required market data for synthesis and
testing. After manually compiling substantial historical data resources
from secondary market reports, commercial interests began using CSI's
data products as their premiere source of market statistics. Individual
investors have been dialing CSI for market data products ever since.
Now obsolete 110 baud teletype terminals were initially used by CSI to
assist data base operations. CSI later introduced retrieval software
housed on customer equipment such as TRS-80 and Apple II home computers
to gather data to drive third party market analysis products.
Recognized for their accuracy and reliability, CSI then emerged as the
pioneer for delivering market information by modem to individual users
around the world.
- May I redistribute the data I receive
from CSI?
No. It is protected by the same copyright laws as those used to
prohibit copying software.
- What are the hardware requirements
for using your data products?
Unfair Advantage, in its current form for commodities and
futures requires a 386DX/33 or higher processor, 40 megabytes of free
disk space, a 9600 baud or faster modem, Windows 3.1 or later, Windows
95, Windows 3.51 or later, 8 megabytes of memory (16 MB if running on
Windows NT), a CD-ROM drive, a Microsoft Mouse or equivalent, and a VGA
or higher reslution monitor.
- Is CSI a publicly traded company?
No. CSI is privately held by a small group of investors.
- How can I find out more about CSI
and their products?
Please contact CSI's marketing department at (561) 392-8663 or
(800) 274-4727. Our Fax number is (561) 392-7761 and our email address
is: marketing@csidata.com.
Our Web address is: http://www.csidata.com.
