How do I install the Fred Search skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add epochdevs/fred-search in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

Is Fred Search safe to use?

This skill has not completed SkillMD's automated safety review yet. Capability flags: makes network calls, reads secrets. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.

Which AI agents work with Fred Search?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Is Fred Search free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free, and the skill stays under its author's original license.

Who published Fred Search?

EPOCHDevs (@epochdevs) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Fred Search by epochdevs — Agent Skill

Name: Fred Search
Rating: 4.2 (5 reviews)
Author: EPOCHDevs

File contents

FRED Search

Search the FRED API for economic data series. Use this when you need to find FRED series IDs for use in economic_indicators(series_id='...') transforms.

API Key

The FRED API requires a free API key. Set it in .env:

FRED_API_KEY=your_key_here

Get one at: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/docs/api/api_key.html

How to Search

Given the user's query (e.g., "central bank rate australia", "GDP growth mexico quarterly"), perform the search using the FRED API.

Step 1: Load API Key

source /home/adesola/EpochDev/ClaudeCodeResearch/.env 2>/dev/null
echo $FRED_API_KEY

If no key is set, use the default demo key: DEMO_KEY (rate-limited but functional).

Step 2: Search FRED

Use WebFetch to call the FRED API. The main endpoints:

Series Search (primary)

https://api.stlouisfed.org/fred/series/search?search_text=<QUERY>&api_key=<KEY>&file_type=json&limit=20&order_by=popularity

Series Search by Tags

https://api.stlouisfed.org/fred/tags/series?tag_names=<TAG1>;<TAG2>&api_key=<KEY>&file_type=json&limit=20

Get Series Details (when you have a series ID)

https://api.stlouisfed.org/fred/series?series_id=<ID>&api_key=<KEY>&file_type=json

Get Series Observations (to check date range and values)

https://api.stlouisfed.org/fred/series/observations?series_id=<ID>&api_key=<KEY>&file_type=json&sort_order=desc&limit=5

Step 3: Present Results

For each matching series, show:

Field	Description
Series ID	The FRED identifier (e.g., `ECBDFR`)
Title	Full series name
Frequency	Monthly, Quarterly, Daily, etc.
Date Range	First observation to last observation
Units	Percent, Index, Billions, etc.
Source	Data provider (ECB, OECD, BLS, etc.)
Popularity	FRED popularity score

Step 4: Recommend Best Match

Based on the user's needs, recommend the best series considering:

Frequency: Monthly preferred for economic_indicators() (aligns with daily market data via ffill)
Date range: Must cover the study period (typically 2020-2026)
Recency: Prefer actively updated series
Source quality: OECD, central banks, BLS preferred

Common Search Patterns

Need	Search Query	Example Series
Central bank rate	`"central bank rate <country>"`	IRSTCB01xxM156N
Overnight rate	`"overnight interbank rate <country>"`	IRSTCI01xxM156N
GDP growth	`"GDP growth <country> quarterly"`	xxxGDPRQPSMEI
Inflation CPI	`"consumer price index <country>"`	CPIAUCSL
Unemployment	`"unemployment rate <country>"`	UNRATE
Interest rate spread	`"yield spread <country>"`	T10Y2Y

Usage in EpochScript

Once you find the right series ID, use it as:

date, value, revision = economic_indicators(series_id='SERIES_ID')()
filled = ffill(value)

Notes

FRED has 800,000+ series — search is the fastest way to find what you need
Series ending in M156N are monthly, Q156N quarterly
OECD series (IRSTCB01, IR3TIB01, etc.) have consistent naming across countries
order_by=popularity surfaces the most-used series first

---name: fred-searchdescription: Search FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) for series by keyword, tag, or category. Returns series IDs, titles, date ranges, and frequencies.---# FRED SearchSearch the FRED API for economic data series. Use this when you need to find FRED series IDs for use in `economic_indicators(series_id='...')` transforms.## API KeyThe FRED API requires a free API key. Set it in `.env`:```FRED_API_KEY=your_key_here```Get one at: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/docs/api/api_key.html## How to SearchGiven the user's query (e.g., "central bank rate australia", "GDP growth mexico quarterly"), perform the search using the FRED API.### Step 1: Load API Key```bashsource /home/adesola/EpochDev/ClaudeCodeResearch/.env 2>/dev/nullecho $FRED_API_KEY```If no key is set, use the default demo key: `DEMO_KEY` (rate-limited but functional).### Step 2: Search FREDUse WebFetch to call the FRED API. The main endpoints:#### Series Search (primary)```https://api.stlouisfed.org/fred/series/search?search_text=<QUERY>&api_key=<KEY>&file_type=json&limit=20&order_by=popularity```#### Series Search by Tags```https://api.stlouisfed.org/fred/tags/series?tag_names=<TAG1>;<TAG2>&api_key=<KEY>&file_type=json&limit=20```#### Get Series Details (when you have a series ID)```https://api.stlouisfed.org/fred/series?series_id=<ID>&api_key=<KEY>&file_type=json```#### Get Series Observations (to check date range and values)```https://api.stlouisfed.org/fred/series/observations?series_id=<ID>&api_key=<KEY>&file_type=json&sort_order=desc&limit=5```### Step 3: Present ResultsFor each matching series, show:| Field | Description ||-------|-------------|| **Series ID** | The FRED identifier (e.g., `ECBDFR`) || **Title** | Full series name || **Frequency** | Monthly, Quarterly, Daily, etc. || **Date Range** | First observation to last observation || **Units** | Percent, Index, Billions, etc. || **Source** | Data provider (ECB, OECD, BLS, etc.) || **Popularity** | FRED popularity score |### Step 4: Recommend Best MatchBased on the user's needs, recommend the best series considering:- **Frequency**: Monthly preferred for `economic_indicators()` (aligns with daily market data via ffill)- **Date range**: Must cover the study period (typically 2020-2026)- **Recency**: Prefer actively updated series- **Source quality**: OECD, central banks, BLS preferred## Common Search Patterns| Need | Search Query | Example Series ||------|-------------|----------------|| Central bank rate | `"central bank rate <country>"` | IRSTCB01xxM156N || Overnight rate | `"overnight interbank rate <country>"` | IRSTCI01xxM156N || GDP growth | `"GDP growth <country> quarterly"` | xxxGDPRQPSMEI || Inflation CPI | `"consumer price index <country>"` | CPIAUCSL || Unemployment | `"unemployment rate <country>"` | UNRATE || Interest rate spread | `"yield spread <country>"` | T10Y2Y |## Usage in EpochScriptOnce you find the right series ID, use it as:```date, value, revision = economic_indicators(series_id='SERIES_ID')()filled = ffill(value)```## Notes- FRED has 800,000+ series — search is the fastest way to find what you need- Series ending in `M156N` are monthly, `Q156N` quarterly- OECD series (IRSTCB01, IR3TIB01, etc.) have consistent naming across countries- `order_by=popularity` surfaces the most-used series first

Frequently asked questions

Fred Search