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Industry Research

Guide to industry research

Financial Services

Below are some of the top resources for finding market and industry research:

Note: The Financial Services industry comprises multiple sectors, the core sectors being:

  • Depository institutions (banks, savings & loan associations, credit unions): SIC 6011-6099 / NAICS 521110-522220

  • Non-depository institutions (credit cards): SIC 6111-6163 / NAICS 522298-522310

  • Security dealers/investment management: SIC 6211, 6712 / NAICS 523120, 551111

Some sectors will be indexed under multiple codes.

Listed below are links to trade publications and relevant industry news:

Note: A trade publication (often a magazine) is an information source that is intended for a very specific audience and will have content that appeals to that audience. The content may come directly from people within the industry, or it may come from freelance or staff writers that have vast experiences writing for that particular trade.

Professionals often subscribe to trade magazines in order to gather valuable information that will help them achieve something within their industry or field. Trade publications are a Marketer's secret weapon and can be helpful for tracking recent industry developments, identifying competitors or uncovering market opportunities. 

Banking and Financial

Hedge Funds

Below are links to key industry associations:

Note: If your industry is not represented here, search Google with your industry name + "association".  Not all content on these websites is free; you may need to be a member to access exclusive reports and data.

In some industries, associations might be referred to as;

  • Guild OR federation OR society
  • Foundation OR council
  • Bureau OR forum

Find key government data, including reports and statistics using the following resources:

Here is a list of several important regulatory agencies:

Books and Reference Sources

For more, search USC Libraries Catalog for books and periodicals using the following words and phrases: 

  • banks or banking
  • banking industry
  • credit unions
  • financial institutions
  • financial services
  • investment services
  • securities
  • hedge funds
  • mutual funds

Full-text books online can also be found in ProQuest E-Book Central (USC network connection required).