Business English Articles for English Learners: 15 Useful Websites and News Resources

Read business English articles regularly, and you’ll improve your English reading skills while getting well-informed. We will show you 17 resources for business English articles—including websites for those interested in business and even native English speakers.

These will also get you up-to-date on economics (study of the use of resources), industry trends and other business headlines.

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Business English Websites for ESL Learners

VOA Learning English 

This is an excellent news outlet for ESL readers. Each article is accompanied by an audio recording, which helps you listen to the article as you read along.

That way, you can learn the proper pronunciation of new words as you read. At the end of each article, there are key vocabulary words with easy-to-understand definitions.

If your English is at an advanced level, you can go to VOA’s main website. There, you can find all the latest news on business and the economy. Most importantly, you can practice reading material aimed at native speakers. 

News in Levels 

News in Levels provides world news for students of English. The website has pages and pages of news articles. You can type “business” in the search box for articles specifically focused on business.

One of the great features of this site (as its name indicates) is that each article has three levels. Beginner readers can read the “Level 1” version of the articles. Meanwhile, advanced learners should try the “Level 3” versions.

BusinessEnglishSite

As you can guess from the name, this site has business English articles on topics from iPhones to oil producers.

These articles are specifically designed to test your knowledge of business English. Each article is accompanied by reading comprehension questions. You can also try out the vocabulary training and grammar quizzes to augment (add to) your English studies. 

Business English Site is the business section of LearnEnglishFeelGood.com. 

Lingua

Lingua has articles divided into several business categories such as customer service, communications and finance. Each article is very general but informative.

The articles are accompanied by exercises, so you can practice what you learn.

If you want to maximize (make full use of) what the site has to offer, you have to sign up for the premium version. 

Breaking News English

Do not let the outdated (old) design of the site fool you. The articles (called “lessons” on this site) are published regularly and cover news from countries all over the world.

Their articles are considered breaking news (very current/recent). Each article is written specifically for ESL learners. They have key vocabulary words with definitions and various types of reading comprehension exercises.

If you’re looking for business English news specifically, go here.

Authentic Business English Websites

If you are confident in your English reading skills or want to challenge yourself, check out some of these famous business English news outlets. Remember to keep your dictionary close for easy access to translations and definitions!

MoreBusiness

This website focuses on how to start and run a business. They have articles on topics like business planning, human resources and business law. 

Those who are interested in SEO (search engine optimization) can find a ton of information here as well. 

If you want to improve your business English vocabulary with articles written for native English speakers, this is an ideal place to start.

The Wall Street Journal

The Wall Street Journal business section is one of the best places to go for current business news. You can find breaking news business articles from a wide range of categories such as careers and technology.

If you are a more advanced learner, you can check out their features and opinion articles for in-depth (more detailed) analyses of the latest trends in the business world.

You have to purchase a subscription to read most articles, though.

Forbes

The Forbes website provides articles on all the latest news in the business world. Topics include innovation, money, industry and leadership.

They are most notable (famous) for providing lists of the richest people in the world. You can read about who these people are, their net worth, what businesses they are in and how they got to be where they are. 

You can access articles on the Forbes website for free.

Bloomberg

Bloomberg is another famous business news resource. It provides articles on various markets and covers economics as well as politics related to business.

On Bloomberg’s website, you can read one article for free without a subscription. To read more than that, you can sign up for their newsletter and unlock one more article or buy a subscription. 

If you decide to sign up for the subscription, however, you will discover a ton of in-depth features and news articles. 

To brush up on your economics vocabulary, you can visit this article.

Yahoo Finance

Their email service may not be as widely used as before, but Yahoo’s online news outlets are still very much alive. For example, their business and finance arm (branch or division), Yahoo Finance, reports on a myriad (variety) of topics such as stocks, buyouts (to buy majority or whole ownership of a company) and property dealings.

One of the nice things about Yahoo Finance is you do not need to buy a subscription to access their content. They also syndicate (publish the same content at the same time) from well-known publications like the AFP (Agence-France Presse) and AP (The Associated Press). That means you can rest assured their news is both high-quality and updated. 

Harvard Business Review

The Harvard Business Review (HBR) is another popular resource for people in the business world. It publishes articles related to human resource management, self-management and work-life balance, among other things. 

If you look through their archive, you will notice that articles are grouped under two-month periods (for example, March-April 2024). You can use that to easily jump to articles from a particular time. 

Like Bloomberg, HBR gives you one free article. Then, you will have to purchase a subscription to read all of their other articles. 

CNBC

CNBC is the website for you if you work or want to work in the finance or investment sectors. It is also a good resource if you need to keep tabs on (track) the rise and fall of the stock market.

For example, the website has an “Entrepreneurs” section. It is full of tips, advice and interesting or inspirational trivia (information). 

The CNBC website also has a “Pro” version you can sign up for to access additional resources. These include special talks and news analyses. Consider this option for practicing your English critical reading and thinking skills further.

Business Insider

This is one of the best websites to stay updated on the latest news and current worldwide trends. Despite their name, their news is not strictly about business. You can also find articles on politics, technology and first-person accounts. 

If you are looking for business English news that is understandable to the average reader, this is one of the best sites to visit aside from Yahoo Finance. 

You can read many of the articles for free, but some may require you to pay for a subscription. 

Market Watch

If you need to stay updated on stock market fluctuations and similar investment industry news, Market Watch is the website for you. Most of the news and articles are very finance-focused. They also express complex technical jargon (terms or vocabulary) in an easy-to-understand manner.

For example, if you want to read about how Warren Buffet’s salary compares to the average employee from Berkshire, this site does a fantastic job of explaining it to the lay-reader (ordinary or average reader). If your job involves making a lot of charts and graphs or analyzing statistical data, check out this website for ideas.

Like many other entries on this list, you can create an account for free or sign up for a subscription to access their articles. 

Entrepreneur

Whether you already run your own business or are planning to leave your job to start a business, this website is perfect for your needs. The site is filled with valuable tips, inspirational advice and incredible success stories to motivate you to build a successful company.

Many of their articles are short and written in a conversational but professional tone. This makes them more accessible to the average reader. At the same time, they retain (keep) an air of authority when it comes to all things entrepreneurship. 

Luckily, the articles are all free to access. 

Sample Business English News Headlines

To read a newspaper, you have to understand business English. You also need to know idioms, slang, more slang and pop culture.

This section is about just that—decoding (understanding) business English news to improve your reading comprehension. 

Below are business English article titles from the business/finance and economy sections of English websites—explained.

Business/Finance

“Shares Fall at Chipotle Although Sales Rise”

(by Stephanie Strom, published by The New York Times)

Chipotle

Chipotle is a very popular restaurant in the U.S. that offers delicious Tex-Mex (Texas-Mexico) food. I highly recommend it!

Shares Fall

“The Wolf of Wall Street” taught us what “shares” are. They are financial products that represent ownership of a company. They are also known as “stocks.”

When you buy Chitpotle shares, you own a portion of Chipotle. When the value of Chipotle shares increases, you earn money. On the other hand, when the value of shares decreases, you lose money. Unfortunately, Chipotle shares fell in value, meaning shareholders lost value and their invested money.

For a refresher (review) on describing movement, such as “fall” and “rise,” refer to this post on movements in graphs.

Although

The author is showing her confusion. “Although” is a great word to use when something does not match your expectations. Other phrases you can use are “despite,” “in spite of” and “even though.” In this case, shares fell unexpectedly, despite the fact that sales rose.

Shares Fall at Chipotle Although Sales Rise

Usually, when sales rise, a company’s value increases and the prices of shares also increase. But this was not the case for Chipotle. Even if the reader does not understand finance, the words used in the article title let them know that this is an unusual and unexpected event.

Economy

Arti“Brain Drain: Which UK Regions Hold On To Their Graduates?”

(by Katie Allen, published by The Guardian)

Brain Drain

This refers to the loss of educated individuals due to emigration (leaving their native country to move abroad).

Countries invest in their citizens by providing educational opportunities. There are many reasons for this. Generally, high-quality education leads to economic strength and growth.

Brain drain often occurs when there are better professional opportunities (careers) or standards of living elsewhere.

Overall, brain drain is a waste of a country’s efforts to improve its citizens’ intellect and skills. The value of these educated individuals is wasted because they do not work, live or spend money in their home country.

Brain Drain: Which UK Regions Hold On To Their Graduates?

The author of this business English news article is highlighting (putting emphasis on) which regions in the U.K. keep their graduates (the opposite of brain drain). This information could be used to predict (expect) which regions will become stronger in terms of economy. This strength would be due to their retention (holding, keeping) of educated individuals.

How to Maximize These Business Websites

• Make it a habit to stay updated. Check out these websites for a fixed period of time every day. For example, you can allot (make space for) five to 10 minutes at breakfast for the headlines. Then, you can have at least 20 minutes of serious “reading time” before bed or while you are traveling.
• Read the article twice. You want to read every article “actively.” That means you use focused reading techniques to get the most learning potential possible out of every article.

  The first time you read an article, read it for a general understanding. Circle any of the words you don’t know.

  When you get to the end of the article, look up the words you do not know in an English dictionary and write down their meanings in your notebook. Then, read the article again. This time you should be able to understand more.

• Learn important business concepts and discuss them with others. By reading the editorials, you become familiar with a lot of technical words and theories. Apply your new knowledge to real-life scenarios by discussing these concepts with your co-workers or friends.
• Learn key business terms to express yourself professionally. Reading business news articles will help you develop a proper business English vocabulary. Pay close attention to commonly occurring words and phrases in these articles. Then, use them in conversation with others to practice them.
• Master the art of being concise (brief and to the point). These articles will teach you how to summarize important details in a jiffy (quickly). At first, it will be difficult. So take notes while you read and revise them continuously. Regularly practice what you learn as well.
• Get help. If you can, find a friend, colleague or teacher who is willing to read the article too. After you both read the article, discuss it. Was there anything you found really interesting? Did you learn something new or surprising? Was there an idiom or phrase that you saw for the first time? Discussing what you read is a great way to check your understanding of the article and practice speaking English.

Why Read Business English Articles?

Reading business articles regularly keeps you informed on current events in the business world. You can stay up-to-date on economic and market developments, learn about new business endeavors (things done to achieve a goal) and check out your competition.

When you read business articles in English, you get even greater advantages.

Reading articles in English helps you expand your vocabulary. You will encounter new words and see how these words are used in real contexts.

Articles also provide a great opportunity to practice your reading comprehension. The more you read, the better your comprehension will get.

By reading business articles in English, you can become the first person in your office to learn of a new practice, trend or technology in your industry. With the knowledge you gain from these articles, you can impress your boss. You can also feel comfortable striking up a conversation with an English speaker.

You can also pair these articles with more context for optimized (more effective) learning. For example, you can watch authentic videos related to business on FluentU.

FluentU takes real-world videos—like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks—and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.

It uses a natural approach that helps you ease into the English language and culture over time. You’ll learn English as it’s spoken in real life.

FluentU has a variety of engaging content from popular talk shows, nature documentaries and funny commercials, as you can see here:

FluentU makes it really easy to watch English videos. There are captions that are interactive. That means you can tap on any word to see an image, definition and useful examples.

For example, when you tap on the word "searching," you'll see this:

Learn all the vocabulary in any video with quizzes. Swipe left or right to see more examples for the word you’re learning.

The best part is that FluentU keeps track of the vocabulary that you’re learning and gives you extra practice with difficult words. It even reminds you when it’s time to review! Every learner has a truly personalized experience, even if they’re learning with the same video.

Start using the FluentU website on your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes or Google Play store. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)

 

Try FluentU for FREE!

These are some of the best business English article resources available online today. Take advantage of all they have to offer. Increase your business English vocabulary. Stay abreast (updated) on current business events around the world.

Happy reading!

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)