Read the release, then the revision

What does an economics reporter cover?

An economics reporter covers jobs, wages, prices, growth, interest rates, government budgets and the agencies that measure and manage them. The beat explains what the numbers mean for households, businesses and regions.

Cite the agency release and the exact series you used. Economic data gets revised, so note the release date and whether the figure is seasonally adjusted.

Start here

Federal statistics

Record the series name, the release date and whether the data are seasonally adjusted.

• Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment, unemployment, wages, productivity and price indexes from the Labor Department.
• Social Security Office of Policy: Research, statistical reports and public-use data on Social Security and SSI beneficiaries.
• FDIC State Profiles: State summaries of banking and economic conditions from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
• Uniform Bank Performance Report: FFIEC data that compare a bank over time and against peer institutions. Useful for local lending stories.
• U.S. Economic Development Administration: Commerce Department agency that funds regional economic development. Track grants and awards in your area.

Federal Reserve

• Beige Book archive: Past editions of the Fed's district by district report on current conditions, hosted by the Minneapolis Fed. The reports are anecdotal, so pair them with data.
• Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago: Research on macroeconomics, financial markets and the regional economy from the Chicago Fed.

Research and policy analysis

Working papers are not peer reviewed. Policy groups interpret data through their own goals, so name them and check their math.

• National Bureau of Economic Research: Nonprofit that publishes economists' working papers and maintains U.S. business cycle dates.
• Urban Institute: Nonprofit research on social and economic policy, including taxes, housing, work and financial well-being.
• Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: Research on federal and state budget and tax policy. States that its goal is to reduce poverty and inequality.

Reporting checks for this beat

• Which agency produced the figure, which series is it, and when was it released?
• Is the number seasonally adjusted, and is it a monthly change or a year-over-year change?
• Has the figure been revised since the first release?
• Are you reporting nominal or inflation-adjusted dollars?
• Is the research a peer-reviewed paper, a working paper or a policy brief, and who funded it?
• Does a single month's move fit the longer trend, or is it within the normal margin of error?

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.