U.S. Employers Add 209,000 Jobs in July

The U.S. economy posted higher-than-expected strong job growth in July, continuing a summer surge, though wage increases remained sluggish.The Labor Department said employers added 209,000 jobs last month while the unemployment rate fell to 4.3% from 4.4% in June, matching May’s 16-year low.Econo...

By Matthew Heller • Aug. 7, 2017

Economy Rebounds From Slow Start to 2017

The U.S. economy in the second quarter shrugged off its weak start to the year, reflecting a major boost from consumer spending.In its advance estimate of growth, the Commerce Department said gross domestic product increased at an annual rate of 2.6% in the second quarter, compared to a revised r...

By Matthew Heller • July 31, 2017

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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

Durable Goods Hit Three-Year High in June

Orders for durable goods manufactured by U.S. companies soared to a three-year high in June after two straight monthly drops but a closely watched proxy for business spending plans dropped for the first time since December.The Commerce Department said orders for long-lasting goods rose 6.5%, easi...

By Matthew Heller • July 28, 2017

IMF Isn’t Buying Trump’s 3% Growth Target

The International Monetary Fund has cut its forecast for U.S. economic growth over the next two years, citing the Trump administration’s lack of progress in implementing tax cuts and infrastructure improvements.President Trump has targeted 3% growth, a rate that has not been seen since the Clinto...

By Matthew Heller • July 24, 2017

Dodd-Frank Will Benefit CFOs in the Long Run

On the seventh anniversary of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, we are re-publishing this column.When upheaval struck the financial markets starting in 2007, chief financial officers absorbed much of the impact, whether they worked on Wall Street or Main Street. Dodd-...

By George W. Madison and William A. Shirley • July 21, 2017

Trump’s SEC Pick Jibes with Deregulatory Agenda

President Trump’s nomination yesterday of Hester Maria Peirce to fill one of two current vacancies on the Securities and Exchange Commission would add a commissioner likely to fit in well with SEC Chairman Jay Clayton’s deregulatory agenda.On at least two key issues, Peirce, whose previous nomina...

By David Katz • July 19, 2017

Inflation Flat in June As Slowdown Continues

Inflation continued to soften in June after hitting a five-year-high just five months ago, possibly undermining the belief of some Federal Reserve officials that the slowdown is just temporary.The Labor Department reported Friday that the consumer price index, or cost of living, was unchanged las...

By Matthew Heller • July 14, 2017

Yellen Skeptical About Trump’s Growth Target

Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen appears skeptical that the Trump administration can reach its target for economic growth, citing the sluggishness of worker productivity.Speaking before a Senate panel on Thursday, Yellen said the 3% GDP target ”is something that would be wonderful if you could ...

By Matthew Heller • July 14, 2017

Wholesale Prices Suggest Inflation Slowdown

In another indication that inflation may be stalling, U.S. wholesale prices increased only slightly in June, with most of the increase coming from rising prices for services.The Labor Department said the producer-price index edged up 0.1% last month after being flat in May. Economists surveyed by...

By Matthew Heller • July 14, 2017

RBS Settles Suit Over Toxic RMBS for $5.5B

Taking another step to resolve claims arising from its sales of toxic mortgage-backed securities, Royal Bank of Scotland has agreed to pay the U.S. Federal Housing Finance Agency $5.5 billion.The settlement resolves a lawsuit that the FHFA filed in 2011 alleging violations of federal and state se...

By Matthew Heller • July 12, 2017

Yellen Says Financial Crisis Unlikely in Her Lifetime

The Chair of the U.S. Federal Reserve, Janet Yellen, said she did not believe there would be another financial crisis in her lifetime, citing the strength of reforms instituted in the wake of the 2007-2009 global crash.Fed Chair Janet Yellen Official portrait of Vice Chair Janet L. Yellen. Dr. Ye...

By William Sprouse • June 28, 2017

Email Security Firm ‘Matches Wits with Bad Guys’

The story of VMware is well known: an under-the-radar company brought to reality what had been considered a far-fetched idea — full virtualization of the omnipresent x86 computer architecture — that took off quickly and experienced massive growth. It was a classic case of a disruptive technology,...

By David McCann • June 20, 2017

Uncertainty Could Dampen Spending (Video)

The second-quarter Duke University/CFO Global Business Outlook survey found that uncertainty about U.S. regulatory and trade policies is putting some business expansion on hold.More than one-third of U.S. survey respondents (36%) report that the level of uncertainty their companies face is curren...

By CFO Editorial Staff • June 15, 2017

Productivity Growth Revised Upward to Zero

Revised government figures show U.S. productivity in the first quarter wasn’t as weak as originally reported but still turned in the worst performance since the second quarter of last year.The Labor Department said Monday that nonfarm productivity, which measures hourly output per worker, was unc...

By Matthew Heller • June 5, 2017

Modest Jobs Gain Not Seen Deterring Rate Hike

U.S. job growth was well below expectations in May but the unemployment rate fell to its lowest level in 16 years and economists are still predicting an interest rate hike this month.The Labor Department reported that employers added 138,000 net new jobs last month, compared to economists’ estima...

By Matthew Heller • June 5, 2017

Consumer Spending Rebounds With 0.4% Gain

Consumer spending rose in April at the fastest pace since the end of 2016, suggesting economic growth is picking up after a slow start to the year.The Commerce Department on Tuesday said consumer spending — the largest contributor to the economy — increased 0.4% last month as lower inflation that...

By Matthew Heller • May 31, 2017

U.S. Economic Growth Revised Upward to 1.2%

The U.S. economy wasn’t quite as sluggish as originally reported in the first quarter but growth still fell well short of President Trump’s goal and hopes of a sharp rebound in the second quarter may be fading.The Commerce Department said gross domestic product grew at a rate of 1.2% in the Janua...

By Matthew Heller • May 30, 2017

CEOs Urge Restraint in NAFTA Renegotiation

As the Trump administration prepares to begin renegotiating NAFTA as early as August, executives of companies with global trade ties are lobbying the president to modernize rather than overhaul the agreement.In a letter to the White House, the CEOs of Cargill, Union Pacific, VF Corp., Chubb and o...

By Matthew Heller • May 29, 2017

New Home Sales Post Sharpest Drop in 2 Years

Sales of newly constructed homes fell more than expected in April, posting the largest drop in more than two years, though some economists see the decline as a temporary correction.The Commerce Department said Tuesday that new home sales skidded 11.4% last month to a seasonally adjusted annual ra...

By Matthew Heller • May 23, 2017

Industrial Output Rises for 3rd Straight Month

U.S. industrial production grew at the highest rate in more than three years in April, with all three major industry groups showing gains.The Federal Reserve said the combined output of factories, mines and utilities jumped 1.0% from a month earlier, easily beating economists’ estimates of a 0.4%...

By Matthew Heller • May 17, 2017

Unusual Retailer Thrives Despite Industry Doldrums

Amid the retail industry’s doldrums, one particular retail business not only is thriving, but its business model promotes steady performance regardless of swings in the economy.Scott Rosenberg Purchasing Power is a 16-year-old company through which employers can provide their workers the opportun...

By David McCann • May 16, 2017

Consumer Prices Rise 0.2% After March Drop

After the first decline in more than a year, U.S. consumer prices rebounded in April, reflecting higher cost of gasoline, food and housing costs.The Labor Department said the Consumer Price Index jumped 0.2% last month, matching economists’ expectations for a rebound after the 0.3% drop in March....

By Matthew Heller • May 15, 2017

Import Prices Post 5th Straight Monthly Gain

Prices of U.S. imports rose more than expected in April, a fifth straight monthly increase that suggests continuing inflationary pressures.The Labor Department said import prices jumped 0.5% last month after gaining 0.1% in March. Economists had forecast a 0.2% advance.The rise in prices in April...

By Matthew Heller • May 11, 2017

CFOs Embrace Next Wave of Data Analytics

A big and as-yet-untapped opportunity to harness the power of this data may sit with the office of the CFO. Upcoming challenges included the selection and rollout of collaboration tools and processes, new technology, training, and staffing. Here are five articles to feed your data-driven initiati...

By CFO Editorial Staff • May 6, 2017

Job Market Bounces Back With 211,000 Gain

The U.S. labor market “returned to form” in April as hiring rebounded from a tough March and unemployment dropped to its lowest level in nearly a decade.The Labor Department reported Friday that employers added 211,000 jobs last month, recovering from a meager, downwardly revised gain of 79,000 i...

By Matthew Heller • May 5, 2017