Follow the filings and the money

What does a business reporter cover?

A business reporter covers companies, banks, markets, industries and the people who run them, plus the regulators who oversee them. The beat also tracks how business decisions affect workers, customers and local economies.

Build the story on documents the company or regulator filed, not on the press release. Treat company claims as claims until a filing, a data release or an independent source backs them up.

Start here

Banks and financial institutions

Regulator data lets you check a bank's health yourself. Note the reporting quarter for every figure you cite.

• Uniform Bank Performance Report: FFIEC reports that compare a bank over time and against peer institutions of similar size.
• FDIC State Profiles: State summaries of banking trends and broader economic conditions from the FDIC.
• Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago: Research, regional analysis and banking resources from the Chicago Fed. Useful for Midwest business stories.
• Beige Book archive: Past editions of the Fed's summary of economic conditions by district and sector, hosted by the Minneapolis Fed.

Company information and public records

Use these to find a company, its registration and its officers. Confirm what you find in the official record.

• SEC EDGAR full-text search: Search the text of SEC filings from public companies, insiders and funds. Start here for 10-Ks, 8-Ks and proxy statements.
• CorporateInformation.com: Financial information on companies worldwide. Check any figure against the company's own filings.
• SearchSystems.net: Privately run directory that links to official state and county databases, including business and license records.
• Forbes lists: Forbes rankings of the wealthiest people, large companies and more. These are Forbes estimates, so say so when you cite them.
• Wex legal dictionary (LII): Plain-language definitions of legal terms from Cornell, including business, bankruptcy and securities law.

Economic data and analysis

• Monthly Labor Review: Research journal of the Bureau of Labor Statistics on jobs, pay, prices and industries.
• The Economics Daily: Short daily BLS items that explain one chart or data point. A quick way to find the right BLS table.
• U.S. Economic Development Administration: Commerce Department agency that funds economic development projects. Check its news and funding announcements for local awards.
• Cost of Living Calculator (Bankrate): Compares living costs between U.S. cities. Bankrate is a commercial personal finance site, so name it as the source.

Business news

• Forbes: Business media company covering investing, technology, entrepreneurship and leadership. Some pages are paid programs, so check the label.
• CNN Business: Business and markets section of CNN.
• EUbusiness: News on EU business, law, trade and policy. Useful when a European rule affects a U.S. company.

Consumer and advocacy groups

These groups take positions on how companies behave. Quote them as interested parties and check their figures.

• Consumer Reports (Advocacy): Product ratings and consumer advocacy. Parts of the site require a subscription.
• Ceres (Advocacy): Nonprofit that works with companies and investors on climate, water and other sustainability issues.
• consumer.gov: Federal Trade Commission site with plain-language guidance on credit, debt, scams and consumer rights.

For business reporters

• SABEW: Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing. Training, awards, jobs and a First Amendment program.
• New York Financial Writers' Association: Professional group for financial journalists. Membership and events.
• The Color of Money: Full text of Bill Dedman's Pulitzer-winning series on racial discrimination in mortgage lending. A model for data-driven business investigations.

Reporting checks for this beat

• Is the number from a filing, a regulator or a data release, or only from the company's press release?
• What period does the figure cover, and is it audited, preliminary or an estimate?
• Are you comparing revenue with profit, or a quarter with a full year? Label each clearly.
• Did you give the company, and anyone it accuses, a fair chance to respond?
• If a ranking or valuation comes from a publisher, did you say whose estimate it is?
• Does anyone quoted hold a stake in the company or in a competitor?

Links were checked in September 2026 for a live page from the same organization. Advocacy groups, trade groups and party sites are labeled and should be treated as interested parties. Verify ownership, date and context before publication.