Dell to Invest $1 Billion in ‘Internet of Things’

After pivoting from personal computers to data center hardware and software, Dell Technologies is now charting a course toward the next state of its evolution — providing “distributed” computing through the Internet of Things.The company said Tuesday it will invest $1 billion in new IoT products,...

By Matthew Heller • Oct. 11, 2017

U.S. Hikes Tariffs on Bombardier Jets to 300%

In another high-stakes trade battle, the U.S. Commerce Department on Friday proposed increasing tariffs on Bombardier CSeries jets to 300% after determining that the Canadian firm sold the aircraft below cost to Delta Air Lines.The department began an antidumping investigation of Bombardier in re...

By Matthew Heller • Oct. 6, 2017

Explore the Trendline➔

Tax policy shifts: What CFOs need to know to stay ahead

Discover how evolving tax policies are creating new opportunities and challenges for CFOs.

By CFO.com staff

Whirlpool Wins Battle in S. Korea Trade War

The U.S. International Trade Commission has ruled domestic washing machine manufacturers are being harmed by rising imports from South Korea, escalating a trade fight that may result in protectionist measures.The ruling was a victory for Whirlpool, which had brought a “global safeguards” petition...

By Matthew Heller • Oct. 5, 2017

Hurricane Harvey Slows Consumer Spending

U.S. consumer spending rose only slightly in August, providing further evidence of Hurricane Harvey’s effects on the economy, while inflation remained stubbornly low.The Commerce Department said Friday that consumer spending increased just 0.1% last month, following a much larger 0.3% advance in ...

By Matthew Heller • Sept. 29, 2017

Durable Goods Orders Climb 1.7% in August

The volatile aircraft sector boosted U.S. durable goods orders in August while another gain in business investment indicated the recovery in manufacturing is picking up steam.The Commerce Department on Wednesday said orders for long-lasting goods manufactured by U.S. companies rose 1.7% last mont...

By Matthew Heller • Sept. 27, 2017

AI Will Fuel a Smarter Future for Business

For some, the thought of using artificial intelligence in business brings with it nightmares of HAL from “2001: A Space Odyssey” where the 9000 Series computer takes over the spacecraft on its voyage to Jupiter and kills off the entire crew.In reality, the impact will not be as dramatic — at leas...

By Craig Sullivan • Sept. 27, 2017

Fed Holds Steady on Rate Hike Timetable

The U.S. Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged at its latest policy meeting, but indicated it was still on course to raise rates again by the end of the year despite an unexpected slowdown in inflation.The members of the Fed’s open market committee voted unanimously to keep the federal fu...

By Matthew Heller • Sept. 21, 2017

Hurricane Harvey Buffets Builder Confidence

The recent hurricanes in Texas and Florida appear to have shaken the confidence of home builders.The National Association of Home Builders on Monday reported that its housing market index (HMI) fell 3 points to 64 in September amid concerns that the hurricanes will make it difficult for builders ...

By Matthew Heller • Sept. 18, 2017

August Retail Sales Suggest Hurricane Impact

In an early indication of the economic effects of Hurricane Harvey, U.S. retail sales fell unexpectedly in August, with auto sales particularly hard hit.The Commerce Department said retail sales dropped 0.2% last month following a revised 0.3% increase in July. Economists polled by Reuters had fo...

By Matthew Heller • Sept. 18, 2017

US Consumer Prices Jump 0.4% in August

U.S. consumer prices rose in August at the fastest rate in seven months, with increases in the cost of gas and housing accounting for almost all the gain.The Labor Department reported that the consumer price index, or cost of living, increased 0.4% last month, while the rate of inflation over the...

By Matthew Heller • Sept. 15, 2017

U.S. Producer Prices Increase 0.2% in August

U.S. producer prices rose in August at the fastest pace in four months but the increase was less than econcomists expected and driven in large part by a surge in the cost gas.The Labor Department said its producer price index for final demand increased 0.2 % last month after slipping 0.1% in July...

By Matthew Heller • Sept. 14, 2017

Ex-Deutsche Trader Accused of RMBS Fraud

The former head of subprime trading at Deutsche Bank has been charged with misrepresenting the quality of loans underlying residential mortgage-backed securities, resulting in hundreds of millions of dollars in investor losses.The U.S. Department of Justice said Paul Mangione should be liable for...

By Matthew Heller • Sept. 12, 2017

Auto Industry CFOs Buckle Up for Disruption

The auto industry is coming off a record run of auto sales and heading straight into headwinds of disruptive technology and a confusing global trade environment. Both threaten to undermine the formula that made it so successful for so long. What should CFOS do now to prepare?While many of the fac...

By Brian Peccarelli • Sept. 8, 2017

US Trade Gap Edges up to $43.7B in July

The U.S. trade deficit grew less than expected in July but is still running almost 10% higher through the seven months of the year as rising consumer spending and business investment draw in more imports.The Commerce Department said Wednesday the trade deficit rose 0.3% to $43.7 billion in July. ...

By Matthew Heller • Sept. 7, 2017

U.S. Job Growth Slows to 156,000 in August

U.S. job growth slowed in August but manufacturing perked up and economists saw the report as more likely a sign of temporary weakness in the labor market than a long-term trend.The Labor Department on Friday said employers added 156,000 jobs last month while the unemployment rate rose to 4.4% fr...

By Matthew Heller • Sept. 4, 2017

GDP Growth Revised Upward to 3% for Q2

U.S. economic growth in the second quarter was stronger than originally reported, reaching President Donald Trump’s target amid robust consumer spending and business investment.In its second of three estimates, the Commerce Department said Wednesday that gross domestic product rose at a 3% annual...

By Matthew Heller • Aug. 30, 2017

Consumer Confidence Shows Surprise Gain

A measure of consumer confidence rose to its second-highest level of the year in a survey that also found consumers are becoming more upbeat about business conditions.The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index increased to 122.9 in August from 120.0 in July, despite economists’ expectations...

By Matthew Heller • Aug. 30, 2017

The Roots of Organic Growth

Growth is a tonic for most companies. It attracts talent and creates strategic options while generating financial resources to fund new moves — provided the growth is profitable. It’s also been harder to come by over the past decade, as a sluggish macroeconomic environment and accelerating, techn...

By Kabir Ahuja, Jesko Perrey, and Liz Hilton Segel • Aug. 28, 2017

Durable Goods Orders Fall to Three-Year Low

Orders for durable goods manufactured by U.S. companies fell by the largest amount in three years in July but the report also showed another gain in business spending.The Commerce Department on Friday said orders for long-lasting goods declined 6.8% after a 6.4% gain in June. It was the biggest d...

By Matthew Heller • Aug. 25, 2017

U.S. Tightens Economic Vise on Venezuela

The Trump administration on Friday imposed new sanctions on Venezuela, barring U.S. banks and investors from buying new bonds from the government or the state-run oil company in a move that could intensify the country’s financial crisis.President Donald Trump signed an executive order authorizing...

By Matthew Heller • Aug. 25, 2017

Facing Competition, FinancialForce Taps Seasoned CFO

FinancialForce, an enterprise resource planning vendor that operates on Salesforce’s cloud-based platform, today named seasoned Silicon Valley senior finance executive Gordon Brooks as its finance chief, replacing John Bonney. Gordon Brooks Although FinancialForce had nothing to say about any int...

By David Katz • Aug. 24, 2017

Seven Accused in $5M Insider Trading Scheme

Seven people have been charged with making more than $5 million in illicit profits through insider-trading rings that centered around a former Bank of America technology consultant.The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission said that the consultant, Daniel Rivas, misused his access to a BofA com...

By Matthew Heller • Aug. 17, 2017

Retail Sales Post Biggest Gain in Seven Months

Economists have been expecting the U.S. economy to pick up steam in the second half of the year and that view got some support from the latest retail sales report — with a bit of help from Amazon.The Commerce Department said retail sales jumped 0.6% in July, the largest gain since December 2016 a...

By Matthew Heller • Aug. 16, 2017

July Inflation Gain Not Enough to Please Fed

U.S. consumer prices rose in July for the first time in three months but the increase was less than expected as inflation remains soft.The Labor Department reported that the consumer price index, or cost of living, increased 0.1% last month, while the rate of inflation over the past 12 months ros...

By Matthew Heller • Aug. 14, 2017

Sustainability Is a Key to Future Competitiveness

Traditional measurements of company value like total shareholder return (TSR) and market capitalization may help identify what companies are presently the healthiest. But, according to a new study by Accenture, they don’t have much to say about prospects for future competitiveness.The reason, Acc...

By David McCann • Aug. 9, 2017