How To Integrate Fxmacrodata With Dagster

Dagster is a Python-native data orchestration platform built around the concept of software-defined assets: data artefacts that know their own lineage, can be materialised on demand or on a schedule, and expose rich metadata and observability out of the box. For macro data workflows — pulling indicator series, detecting release events, storing snapshots, and alerting on anomalies — Dagster is an excellent fit. This guide walks through building a pipeline that ingests FXMacroData indicators into a local SQLite store, surfaces upcoming release calendar events, and runs automatically on a daily schedule.

Step 1 — Install Dagster and project dependencies

Create a fresh virtual environment and install Dagster alongside the small set of libraries this pipeline uses. Pinning dagster and dagster-webserver to the same version avoids the most common installation pitfall.

python -m venv .venv
source .venv/bin/activate            # Windows: .venv\Scripts\activate

pip install "dagster==1.9.*" "dagster-webserver==1.9.*" \
            requests pandas sqlalchemy

Initialise a minimal project layout. Dagster's scaffold command creates the directory structure and a pyproject.toml that lets the local UI discover your definitions automatically.

dagster project scaffold --name fxmacro_pipeline
cd fxmacro_pipeline

Store your API key as an environment variable. Never hard-code credentials in source files.

export FXMACRO_API_KEY="YOUR_API_KEY"

On production hosts, inject the key via your scheduler's secret management (GitHub Actions secrets, Kubernetes secrets, Dagster Cloud environment variables). The pipeline reads it from the environment at runtime — no changes needed to the code.

Step 2 — Define a reusable FXMacroData resource

A Dagster resource is a shared, injectable dependency — analogous to a database connection or an HTTP session. Wrapping the FXMacroData REST API in a resource means every asset can call it without duplicating authentication logic or timeout handling.

Create fxmacro_pipeline/resources.py:

import os
from typing import Any

import requests
from dagster import ConfigurableResource, get_dagster_logger

_BASE_URL = "https://fxmacrodata.com/api/v1"


class FXMacroDataResource(ConfigurableResource):
    """Thin wrapper around the FXMacroData REST API."""

    api_key: str = ""           # overridden at run-time from env
    timeout: int = 15

    def _get(self, path: str, **params: Any) -> dict:
        logger = get_dagster_logger()
        key = self.api_key or os.environ.get("FXMACRO_API_KEY", "")
        resp = requests.get(
            f"{_BASE_URL}{path}",
            params={"api_key": key, **params},
            timeout=self.timeout,
        )
        resp.raise_for_status()
        data = resp.json()
        logger.debug("GET %s → %d records", path, len(data.get("data", [])))
        return data

    def get_announcements(
        self,
        currency: str,
        indicator: str,
        start: str = "2020-01-01",
    ) -> list[dict]:
        """Return time-series records for a macro indicator."""
        result = self._get(
            f"/announcements/{currency.lower()}/{indicator}",
            start=start,
        )
        return result.get("data", [])

    def get_forex(self, base: str, quote: str, start: str = "2023-01-01") -> list[dict]:
        """Return daily FX spot-rate records."""
        result = self._get(f"/forex/{base.lower()}/{quote.lower()}", start=start)
        return result.get("data", [])

    def get_calendar(self, currency: str) -> list[dict]:
        """Return the upcoming release calendar for a currency."""
        result = self._get(f"/calendar/{currency.lower()}")
        return result.get("data", [])

Step 3 — Define macro data assets

Each Dagster asset represents one logical data product. Materialising an asset fetches the latest data from FXMacroData and persists it locally. We define four assets: the Fed policy rate, the US CPI, the ECB policy rate, and the EUR/USD spot series. A fifth asset then reads the release calendar so the pipeline knows when the next high-impact announcements are due.

Create fxmacro_pipeline/assets.py:

import os
import sqlite3
from datetime import date, timedelta

import pandas as pd
from dagster import (
    AssetExecutionContext,
    MaterializeResult,
    MetadataValue,
    asset,
)

from .resources import FXMacroDataResource

_DB_PATH = os.environ.get("FXMACRO_DB", "fxmacro_data.db")


def _ensure_table(conn: sqlite3.Connection, table: str) -> None:
    conn.execute(
        f"""
        CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS {table} (
            date TEXT PRIMARY KEY,
            val  REAL,
            announcement_datetime TEXT
        )
        """
    )
    conn.commit()


def _upsert(conn: sqlite3.Connection, table: str, records: list[dict]) -> int:
    rows = [
        (r["date"], r.get("val"), r.get("announcement_datetime"))
        for r in records
        if r.get("date") and r.get("val") is not None
    ]
    conn.executemany(
        f"INSERT OR REPLACE INTO {table} (date, val, announcement_datetime) VALUES (?,?,?)",
        rows,
    )
    conn.commit()
    return len(rows)


@asset(group_name="macro_indicators", compute_kind="api")
def usd_policy_rate(
    context: AssetExecutionContext,
    fxmacrodata: FXMacroDataResource,
) -> MaterializeResult:
    """Latest Fed funds rate series from the FXMacroData announcements endpoint."""
    records = fxmacrodata.get_announcements("usd", "policy_rate", start="2015-01-01")
    with sqlite3.connect(_DB_PATH) as conn:
        _ensure_table(conn, "usd_policy_rate")
        n = _upsert(conn, "usd_policy_rate", records)
    latest = records[0] if records else {}
    context.log.info("Fed rate: %s%% (as of %s)", latest.get("val"), latest.get("date"))
    return MaterializeResult(
        metadata={
            "row_count": MetadataValue.int(n),
            "latest_date": MetadataValue.text(latest.get("date", "n/a")),
            "latest_val": MetadataValue.float(latest.get("val") or 0.0),
        }
    )


@asset(group_name="macro_indicators", compute_kind="api")
def usd_cpi(
    context: AssetExecutionContext,
    fxmacrodata: FXMacroDataResource,
) -> MaterializeResult:
    """US CPI (year-on-year) series. Tracks whether inflation is rising or falling."""
    records = fxmacrodata.get_announcements("usd", "inflation", start="2015-01-01")
    with sqlite3.connect(_DB_PATH) as conn:
        _ensure_table(conn, "usd_cpi")
        n = _upsert(conn, "usd_cpi", records)
    latest = records[0] if records else {}
    context.log.info("US CPI: %s%% (as of %s)", latest.get("val"), latest.get("date"))
    return MaterializeResult(
        metadata={
            "row_count": MetadataValue.int(n),
            "latest_date": MetadataValue.text(latest.get("date", "n/a")),
            "latest_val": MetadataValue.float(latest.get("val") or 0.0),
        }
    )


@asset(group_name="macro_indicators", compute_kind="api")
def eur_policy_rate(
    context: AssetExecutionContext,
    fxmacrodata: FXMacroDataResource,
) -> MaterializeResult:
    """ECB main refinancing rate series."""
    records = fxmacrodata.get_announcements("eur", "policy_rate", start="2015-01-01")
    with sqlite3.connect(_DB_PATH) as conn:
        _ensure_table(conn, "eur_policy_rate")
        n = _upsert(conn, "eur_policy_rate", records)
    latest = records[0] if records else {}
    context.log.info("ECB rate: %s%% (as of %s)", latest.get("val"), latest.get("date"))
    return MaterializeResult(
        metadata={
            "row_count": MetadataValue.int(n),
            "latest_date": MetadataValue.text(latest.get("date", "n/a")),
            "latest_val": MetadataValue.float(latest.get("val") or 0.0),
        }
    )


@asset(group_name="fx_rates", compute_kind="api")
def eurusd_spot(
    context: AssetExecutionContext,
    fxmacrodata: FXMacroDataResource,
) -> MaterializeResult:
    """Daily EUR/USD closing spot rate."""
    records = fxmacrodata.get_forex("eur", "usd", start="2023-01-01")
    with sqlite3.connect(_DB_PATH) as conn:
        _ensure_table(conn, "eurusd_spot")
        n = _upsert(conn, "eurusd_spot", records)
    latest = records[0] if records else {}
    context.log.info("EUR/USD: %s (as of %s)", latest.get("val"), latest.get("date"))
    return MaterializeResult(
        metadata={
            "row_count": MetadataValue.int(n),
            "latest_date": MetadataValue.text(latest.get("date", "n/a")),
            "latest_val": MetadataValue.float(latest.get("val") or 0.0),
        }
    )


@asset(group_name="calendar", compute_kind="api")
def usd_release_calendar(
    context: AssetExecutionContext,
    fxmacrodata: FXMacroDataResource,
) -> MaterializeResult:
    """Upcoming USD macro release dates and times."""
    events = fxmacrodata.get_calendar("usd")
    df = pd.DataFrame(events) if events else pd.DataFrame()
    context.log.info("Found %d upcoming USD events", len(df))
    # Surface a preview in the Dagster UI asset metadata pane
    preview = df.head(5).to_markdown(index=False) if not df.empty else "No events found"
    return MaterializeResult(
        metadata={
            "event_count": MetadataValue.int(len(df)),
            "preview": MetadataValue.md(preview),
        }
    )

Step 4 — Create a job and a daily schedule

A Dagster job selects which assets to materialise in one run. A schedule drives that job on a cron expression. We want fresh macro readings every weekday morning at 06:30 UTC — before the Frankfurt open — so any indicator released overnight is captured before European trading begins.

Create fxmacro_pipeline/jobs.py:

from dagster import (
    AssetSelection,
    ScheduleDefinition,
    define_asset_job,
)

# ── Jobs ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

macro_refresh_job = define_asset_job(
    name="macro_refresh",
    description="Refresh all FXMacroData indicator and FX rate assets.",
    selection=AssetSelection.groups("macro_indicators", "fx_rates"),
)

calendar_refresh_job = define_asset_job(
    name="calendar_refresh",
    description="Pull the latest USD release calendar.",
    selection=AssetSelection.groups("calendar"),
)

# ── Schedules ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

# Weekdays at 06:30 UTC — 30 min before Frankfurt opens
macro_daily_schedule = ScheduleDefinition(
    name="macro_daily_at_0630_utc",
    job=macro_refresh_job,
    cron_schedule="30 6 * * 1-5",
    execution_timezone="UTC",
)

# Refresh the release calendar every Sunday evening so the week's
# upcoming events are loaded before Monday's first run.
calendar_weekly_schedule = ScheduleDefinition(
    name="calendar_weekly_on_sunday",
    job=calendar_refresh_job,
    cron_schedule="0 18 * * 0",
    execution_timezone="UTC",
)

Two separate jobs — one for indicator series, one for the release calendar — let you observe and re-run them independently. If the release calendar fetch fails (for example during a public holiday when the endpoint returns an empty payload), the indicator refresh job is not affected.

Step 5 — Wire everything into a Definitions object

Dagster's Definitions object is the single entry point that ties assets, resources, jobs, and schedules together. Edit the generated fxmacro_pipeline/__init__.py:

import os

from dagster import Definitions

from .assets import (
    eur_policy_rate,
    eurusd_spot,
    usd_cpi,
    usd_policy_rate,
    usd_release_calendar,
)
from .jobs import (
    calendar_refresh_job,
    calendar_weekly_schedule,
    macro_daily_schedule,
    macro_refresh_job,
)
from .resources import FXMacroDataResource

defs = Definitions(
    assets=[
        usd_policy_rate,
        usd_cpi,
        eur_policy_rate,
        eurusd_spot,
        usd_release_calendar,
    ],
    resources={
        "fxmacrodata": FXMacroDataResource(
            # Falls back to the FXMACRO_API_KEY env var inside the resource
            api_key=os.environ.get("FXMACRO_API_KEY", ""),
        ),
    },
    jobs=[macro_refresh_job, calendar_refresh_job],
    schedules=[macro_daily_schedule, calendar_weekly_schedule],
)

Step 6 — Add a sensor to alert on surprising inflation prints

Sensors in Dagster poll for external conditions and trigger runs or alert channels when something changes. The following sensor runs after every usd_cpi materialisation: if the latest CPI reading is more than 0.4 percentage points above the prior reading, it fires a webhook alert so your strategy or risk system can react immediately.

Add fxmacro_pipeline/sensors.py:

import os
import sqlite3

import requests as http
from dagster import (
    RunStatusSensorContext,
    asset_sensor,
    AssetKey,
    EventLogEntry,
    SensorResult,
    SkipReason,
)

_DB_PATH = os.environ.get("FXMACRO_DB", "fxmacro_data.db")
_ALERT_WEBHOOK = os.environ.get("ALERT_WEBHOOK_URL", "")
_SURPRISE_THRESHOLD = 0.4  # percentage points


@asset_sensor(asset_key=AssetKey("usd_cpi"), job_name="macro_refresh")
def cpi_surprise_alert_sensor(
    context: RunStatusSensorContext,
    asset_event: EventLogEntry,
) -> SensorResult | SkipReason:
    """Alert when the latest US CPI print is significantly above the prior reading."""
    try:
        conn = sqlite3.connect(_DB_PATH)
        rows = conn.execute(
            "SELECT date, val FROM usd_cpi ORDER BY date DESC LIMIT 2"
        ).fetchall()
        conn.close()
    except Exception as exc:
        return SkipReason(f"DB read failed: {exc}")

    if len(rows) < 2:
        return SkipReason("Not enough CPI history yet.")

    latest_date, latest_val = rows[0]
    prior_date, prior_val = rows[1]
    surprise = (latest_val or 0) - (prior_val or 0)

    context.log.info(
        "CPI %s: %.2f%% (prior %s: %.2f%%, surprise: %+.2f pp)",
        latest_date, latest_val, prior_date, prior_val, surprise,
    )

    if surprise >= _SURPRISE_THRESHOLD and _ALERT_WEBHOOK:
        payload = {
            "text": (
                f":fire: *USD CPI Surprise* — latest {latest_date}: *{latest_val:.1f}%* "
                f"vs prior {prior_date}: {prior_val:.1f}% "
                f"(surprise: *{surprise:+.2f} pp*)"
            )
        }
        http.post(_ALERT_WEBHOOK, json=payload, timeout=8)
        context.log.warning("CPI surprise alert fired: %+.2f pp", surprise)

    return SensorResult(cursor=str(latest_date))

Register the sensor in __init__.py by importing it and adding it to the Definitions sensors list:

from .sensors import cpi_surprise_alert_sensor

defs = Definitions(
    # ... existing fields ...
    sensors=[cpi_surprise_alert_sensor],
)

Step 7 — Launch the Dagster UI and run your first materialisation

Start the local development server. Dagster will discover your Definitions through the pyproject.toml entry point:

dagster dev

Navigate to http://localhost:3000. You will see the Asset Graph showing all five assets grouped into their logical groups (macro_indicators, fx_rates, calendar). Click Materialise All to run the first ingestion pass — within seconds, the asset pane will show row counts, latest dates, and latest values pulled directly from the FXMacroData API.

sqlite3 fxmacro_data.db
sqlite> SELECT date, val FROM usd_policy_rate ORDER BY date DESC LIMIT 5;
sqlite> SELECT date, val FROM usd_cpi ORDER BY date DESC LIMIT 5;
sqlite> SELECT date, val FROM eurusd_spot ORDER BY date DESC LIMIT 3;

To activate the schedule, navigate to Overview → Schedules in the Dagster UI and toggle macro_daily_at_0630_utc to Running. Dagster's daemon process will now wake up every weekday at 06:30 UTC and materialise the macro indicator assets automatically.

Step 8 — Write unit tests with a mock resource

One of Dagster's key design benefits is that assets are ordinary Python functions — easy to unit-test without running the full orchestration stack. Swap the live resource for a mock to keep tests fast and offline.

# tests/test_assets.py
import sqlite3
import tempfile
import os

from unittest.mock import MagicMock

import pytest
from dagster import build_asset_context, materialize

from fxmacro_pipeline.assets import usd_policy_rate, usd_cpi
from fxmacro_pipeline.resources import FXMacroDataResource


MOCK_RATE_DATA = [
    {"date": "2025-12-18", "val": 4.5, "announcement_datetime": "2025-12-18T19:00:00Z"},
    {"date": "2025-11-07", "val": 4.75, "announcement_datetime": "2025-11-07T19:00:00Z"},
]

MOCK_CPI_DATA = [
    {"date": "2025-12-11", "val": 2.7, "announcement_datetime": "2025-12-11T13:30:00Z"},
    {"date": "2025-11-13", "val": 2.6, "announcement_datetime": "2025-11-13T13:30:00Z"},
]


class MockFXMacroData(FXMacroDataResource):
    def get_announcements(self, currency, indicator, start="2020-01-01"):
        if indicator == "policy_rate":
            return MOCK_RATE_DATA
        if indicator == "inflation":
            return MOCK_CPI_DATA
        return []

    def get_forex(self, base, quote, start="2023-01-01"):
        return [{"date": "2025-12-31", "val": 1.0482, "announcement_datetime": None}]

    def get_calendar(self, currency):
        return []


@pytest.fixture(autouse=True)
def temp_db(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
    monkeypatch.setenv("FXMACRO_DB", str(tmp_path / "test.db"))


def test_usd_policy_rate_materialises():
    result = materialize(
        [usd_policy_rate],
        resources={"fxmacrodata": MockFXMacroData()},
    )
    assert result.success
    mat = result.asset_materializations_for_node("usd_policy_rate")[0]
    assert mat.metadata["row_count"].value == 2
    assert mat.metadata["latest_val"].value == pytest.approx(4.5)


def test_usd_cpi_materialises():
    result = materialize(
        [usd_cpi],
        resources={"fxmacrodata": MockFXMacroData()},
    )
    assert result.success
    mat = result.asset_materializations_for_node("usd_cpi")[0]
    assert mat.metadata["latest_val"].value == pytest.approx(2.7)

pip install pytest
pytest tests/ -v

Step 9 — Deploy to production with Dagster+

For teams that want a hosted control plane without managing their own daemon, Dagster+ (the managed cloud offering) requires only a single additional configuration step: replace dagster dev with the Dagster Cloud agent, which reads the same Definitions object and executes runs in your infrastructure.

Set your API key as a Dagster+ environment variable (Deployment → Environment Variables) with the name FXMACRO_API_KEY. The resource will pick it up automatically — no code changes required. The same pattern applies to any CI/CD environment that injects secrets as environment variables (GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, CircleCI).

To deploy on a self-hosted Kubernetes cluster, package the pipeline as a Docker image, push it to your registry, and point the Dagster Helm chart at it. The FXMacroData resource connects outbound to fxmacrodata.com — ensure your cluster's egress policy allows HTTPS to that host.

What you built

By following this guide you now have a working Dagster pipeline that:

• Defines a reusable, injectable FXMacroDataResource that handles all API auth and error handling in one place
• Exposes five software-defined assets — Fed rate, US CPI, ECB rate, EUR/USD spot, and the USD release calendar — each persisted to SQLite with full Dagster metadata
• Schedules weekday refreshes at 06:30 UTC via a cron-driven Dagster schedule so you always have up-to-date readings before European markets open
• Fires a webhook alert when a CPI print surprises to the upside, giving downstream systems an event-driven trigger rather than a polling loop
• Includes fast offline unit tests using a mock resource, so the CI pipeline never makes live API calls