Two new databases available

Two databases will soon be added to the alphabetical list of databases.

Here are the details:

Zephyr, from Bureau van Dijk, offers details on mergers & acquisitions, initial public offerings (IPOs), joint ventures and private equity deals, completed, announced or rumored, worldwide. No minimum deal value permits detailed analysis of all deals. Includes about 80,000 new deals per year; historic coverage extends back to some pre-2000 deals. Has 5 years of global coverage; includes deals involving European or American companies. All information translated into English. Trial through Dec. 31, 2008.

Zephyr is available through a special arrangement with the vendor and the accounting department. Until it is listed separately on the list of databases, you may access it through clicking on another Bureau van Dijk database, Bankscope, and then click change database.

RiskMetrics is the new name for IRRC, which was available through WRDS.

RiskMetrics (through ISS Governance Services) provides corporate governance data. RiskMetrics changed its name in 2008 when it became publicly-traded. It was formerly known as Investor Responsibility Research Center (IRRC). Through WRDS two datasets are available: RiskMetrics Group Historical Governance (1990-2006) and Historical Directors data (1996-2006).