VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ FINANCIAL TOOLS & SERVICES DIRECTORY ★
PRICE: 5 CENTS
Saturday, September 27, 2025
Investors comparing CME FedWatch Tool and Federal Reserve Board (FRB.gov) will find that Both CME FedWatch Tool and Federal Reserve Board (FRB.gov) concentrate on Central Bank Watcher, Interest Rates, and Data APIs workflows, making them natural alternatives for similar investment research jobs. CME FedWatch Tool leans into APIs & SDKs, and Data Visualizations, which can be decisive for teams that need depth over breadth. Federal Reserve Board (FRB.gov) stands out with News, and Yield Curves that the competition lacks. Use the feature-by-feature table to inspect unique capabilities and confirm which roadmap best maps to your process.
Head-to-head
CME FedWatch Tool vs Federal Reserve Board (FRB.gov)
Compare pricing, supported platforms, categories, and standout capabilities to decide which tool fits your workflow.
Quick takeaways
- CME FedWatch Tool adds APIs & SDKs, and Data Visualizations coverage that Federal Reserve Board (FRB.gov) skips.
- Federal Reserve Board (FRB.gov) includes News, and Yield Curves categories that CME FedWatch Tool omits.
- CME FedWatch Tool highlights: Meeting‑by‑meeting probabilities of FOMC target‑rate outcomes implied by Fed Funds futures., Compare view (current vs 1‑day/1‑week/1‑month ago) and Historical panel., and Fed ‘Dot Plot’ chart plus table view..
- Federal Reserve Board (FRB.gov) is known for: Data Download Program (DDP) with custom or preformatted packages, available in Excel, CSV, or XML., H.15 Selected Interest Rates, including daily Treasury constant-maturity yields., and H.4.1 Factors Affecting Reserve Balances (the Fed balance sheet), updated weekly every Thursday at 4:30 p.m..
CME FedWatch Tool
cmegroup.com
Official CME probabilities for upcoming FOMC decisions, derived from 30‑Day Fed Funds (ZQ) futures. Web tool provides meeting‑by‑meeting probability matrices, comparisons over time, a historical download, and a Dot Plot view. A paid REST API is available for programmatic access. CME documents the probability‑tree methodology clearly; API snapshots update on business days at ~01:45 UTC. Media usage asks attribution to “CME FedWatch.”
Platforms
Pricing
Quick highlights
- Meeting‑by‑meeting probabilities of FOMC target‑rate outcomes implied by Fed Funds futures.
- Compare view (current vs 1‑day/1‑week/1‑month ago) and Historical panel.
- Fed ‘Dot Plot’ chart plus table view.
- One‑click PDF generation of the current page and Excel downloads for historical probabilities.
- Transparent methodology: unconditional probabilities via a binary probability tree built from implied EFFR, assuming 25 bp step sizes.
Federal Reserve Board (FRB.gov)
federalreserve.gov
The official website of the U.S. central bank. Through its Data Download Program (DDP), the Fed offers public access to many of its most important statistical releases in Excel, CSV, or XML formats. Key datasets include interest rates, the Fed balance sheet, commercial bank assets, foreign exchange rates, industrial production, and financial accounts. The site also hosts FOMC calendars, meeting minutes, press releases, speeches, and other policy materials.
Platforms
Pricing
Quick highlights
- Data Download Program (DDP) with custom or preformatted packages, available in Excel, CSV, or XML.
- H.15 Selected Interest Rates, including daily Treasury constant-maturity yields.
- H.4.1 Factors Affecting Reserve Balances (the Fed balance sheet), updated weekly every Thursday at 4:30 p.m.
- H.8 Assets & Liabilities of Commercial Banks, with detailed weekly data and customizable downloads.
- Foreign exchange reference rates (H.10 weekly and G.5 monthly), with scheduled update times and public downloads.
Shared focus areas
Both platforms align on these research themes, so you can stay within one workflow when your use case involves them.
Where they differ
CME FedWatch Tool
Distinct strengths include:
- Meeting‑by‑meeting probabilities of FOMC target‑rate outcomes implied by Fed Funds futures.
- Compare view (current vs 1‑day/1‑week/1‑month ago) and Historical panel.
- Fed ‘Dot Plot’ chart plus table view.
- One‑click PDF generation of the current page and Excel downloads for historical probabilities.
Federal Reserve Board (FRB.gov)
Distinct strengths include:
- Data Download Program (DDP) with custom or preformatted packages, available in Excel, CSV, or XML.
- H.15 Selected Interest Rates, including daily Treasury constant-maturity yields.
- H.4.1 Factors Affecting Reserve Balances (the Fed balance sheet), updated weekly every Thursday at 4:30 p.m.
- H.8 Assets & Liabilities of Commercial Banks, with detailed weekly data and customizable downloads.
Feature-by-feature breakdown
| Attribute | CME FedWatch Tool | Federal Reserve Board (FRB.gov) |
|---|---|---|
Categories Which research workflows each platform targets | Shared: Central Bank Watcher, Interest Rates, Data APIs, Calendar Unique: APIs & SDKs, Data Visualizations | Shared: Central Bank Watcher, Interest Rates, Data APIs, Calendar Unique: News, Yield Curves |
Asset types Supported asset classes and universes | Futures | Bonds, Currencies, Other |
Experience levels Who each product is built for | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced |
Platforms Where you can access the product | Web, API | Web, API |
Pricing High-level pricing models | Free, Subscription | Free |
Key features Core capabilities called out by each vendor | Unique
| Unique
|
Tested Verified by hands-on testing inside Find My Moat | Not yet | Yes |
Editor pick Featured inside curated shortlists | Standard listing | Standard listing |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which workflows do CME FedWatch Tool and Federal Reserve Board (FRB.gov) both support?
Both platforms cover Central Bank Watcher, Interest Rates, Data APIs, and Calendar workflows, so you can research those use cases in either tool before digging into the feature differences below.
Do CME FedWatch Tool and Federal Reserve Board (FRB.gov) require subscriptions?
Both CME FedWatch Tool and Federal Reserve Board (FRB.gov) keep freemium access with optional paid upgrades, so you can trial each platform before committing.
How can you access CME FedWatch Tool and Federal Reserve Board (FRB.gov)?
Both CME FedWatch Tool and Federal Reserve Board (FRB.gov) prioritize web or desktop access. Investors wanting a mobile-first workflow may need to rely on responsive web views.
What unique strengths set the two platforms apart?
CME FedWatch Tool differentiates itself with Meeting‑by‑meeting probabilities of FOMC target‑rate outcomes implied by Fed Funds futures., Compare view (current vs 1‑day/1‑week/1‑month ago) and Historical panel., and Fed ‘Dot Plot’ chart plus table view., whereas Federal Reserve Board (FRB.gov) stands out for Data Download Program (DDP) with custom or preformatted packages, available in Excel, CSV, or XML., H.15 Selected Interest Rates, including daily Treasury constant-maturity yields., and H.4.1 Factors Affecting Reserve Balances (the Fed balance sheet), updated weekly every Thursday at 4:30 p.m..
Curation & Accuracy
This directory blends AI‑assisted discovery with human curation. Entries are reviewed, edited, and organized with the goal of expanding coverage and sharpening quality over time. Your feedback helps steer improvements (because no single human can capture everything all at once).
Details change. Pricing, features, and availability may be incomplete or out of date. Treat listings as a starting point and verify on the provider’s site before making decisions. If you spot an error or a gap, send a quick note and I’ll adjust.