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I'm always uncertain what form the following words should be used. In normal situations, they seem always in plural form but when singular forms can be used (or never be used)?

Corporate earnings

Company financials, financials sectors

savings account versus checking account (why not checkings account?)

Maybe someone can point out a list of these words mostly in their plural form and rules of using them?

Thanks

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    There are 2-3 different reasons here: 1. Earnings and savings are words that don't have a singular form, at least not in the sense used here. 2. "Financial" is short for "financial statistics"...also, it's a savings account because it contains savings, but a checking account because it allows you to draw on it via checks, not because it contains checkings (no such thing, except in hockey) or checks...they are formed differently. – JeffSahol Aug 1 '13 at 19:44
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The examples you give are plural nouns, but they have the characteristics of mass nouns in that they cannot take a numerical indicator (you don't say I have three savings).

The commonality is that these are nouns are formed from either verbs (participles) or adjectives by adding an "s". While nouns, they are often also used as adjectives, as in your example savings account.

I am not aware of a distinct name for these terms or a definitive list.

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