Journalists need to understand the big picture in order to report on any topic. When it comes to business journalism, the big picture is macroeconomics. Macroeconomics – or the study of large-scale or general economic factors – looks at how broad factors interact with each other and with local elements. In our interdependent global economy, macroeconomic news significantly influences international markets, businesses, and everyday lives.

In a media world transformed by digital disruption, economic volatility and the never-ending news cycle, high-quality business journalism has never been more essential for citizens around the world — or more challenged by a convergence of economic and political forces. Amid social media misinformation, corporate spin, government pressure and declining trust in institutions, the mission of business news has evolved to serve a public increasingly hungry for clarity, accountabil

Since 2018, tariff policy has returned to the center stage of global affairs, catalyzed by U.S. efforts to rebalance trade relationships under Presidents Donald Trump and Joe Biden. As governments rethink the rules of globalization, reporters who previously had not been trade experts are being asked to cover this highly specialized area of business journalism. Those covering trade must understand not only how tariffs work, but also how they ripple across economies.

The good news is that there is a wealth of economic data that is credible, easy to access, and often free. You don’t need to be a data scientist or pay for premium databases to find reliable datasets. Governments, global institutions, and even tech companies are publishing economic data sets more openly than ever before. But where should you begin? Here are some of the top reliable data sources that journalists should bookmark.