Worksheet – Case #1 – Using Slice to compare one series at different periods in time

Finding Data

In this case, you will have to use the S&P 500 index.

Using the data tree, you can locate the data here:

Country & Region > United States > Equity Market > Equity Indices > S&P > 500 > Composite > Price return

Add:

  • Index (highlighted with an exclamation mark)

You can also directly type its short code as Expression in Series List: spx

 

Analysis

Slice

To create the chart, you have to compare the performance of the S&P across different time periods. The Slice analysis will help you doing so.

  • Select “Series List” in the tree
  • Click on “Add” and choose Slice

Now, you need to slice the data into 3 series, each starting at the dates of major financial crises:

  • In the drop-down menu, pick Custom points in time
  • In our example the “Points in time” are:
    • 1929-09-01
    • 1987-09-01
    • 2008-08-15

Next, you need to specify the length of these 3 series:

  • Set “observations” to 3000

Finally, to make them comparable, you should rebase all of them to 100 at their respective start date:

  • Check the tick-box “rebase with base value: 100”

 

Charting

Category chart

You cannot add a “Time Chart” after the “Slice” analysis as the sliced series do not contain a notion of time. Instead the X-axis corresponds to numbers of observations. So:

  • Select “Slice” in the tree
  • Click on “Add” and choose Category chart

Legend labels

To add the labels next to the graph lines:

  • Click on the background of the chart
  • Look up for the Presentation Properties tab
  • In the “Elements” category, check the tick-box Legend labels

Axis title

To add an axis title

  • Click on the x-axis
  • Look up for the Presentation Properties tab
  • In “Axis title” click on Edit and type “number of days”

Other changes

  • The legend has been removed
  • Title: United States: S&P 500 performance after the main financial crises
  • To display the same axis on both sides: Axis synchronization: Value

 

Exporting to Excel

Exporting your chart to Excel is simple:

  • Right-click on the chart
  • Choose "Copy"
  • Paste the chart into Excel

Should you instead want to export the underlying data from the Slice analysis to Excel:

  • Right-click on "Slice" in the analysis tree
  • Choose "Copy as Excel Data set"
  • Paste into Excel

In Excel, you will get the data resulted from the slice analysis. The data is stored in the red dataset button. By right-clicking on it and selecting “Macrobond Excel data set object”, you will access various settings allowing you to edit the format of the dataset. There, “Edit Document” will open the underlying Macrobond file, if you want to edit the calculations.

This dataset can also be refreshed:

  • Go to the Macrobond add-in tab
  • Click on “Refresh”

The data and its calculations will be updated instantly.