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

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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

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

Inflation Shows Biggest Drop Since Jan. 2015

U.S. consumer spending was unchanged in March for a second straight month while a measure of inflation fell for the first time in more than a year, but some economists see the weakness as only temporary.The government revised February spending to show no gain from the earlier 0.1% increase. Econo...

By Matthew Heller • May 2, 2017

U.S. Economic Growth Slows to 0.7% in Q1

Dashing hopes for a “Trump bump,” the U.S. economy grew at its slowest pace in three years during the first quarter amid a sharp dropoff in consumer spending.In its first of three estimates, the Labor Department said gross domestic product increased at an annualized rate of 0.7%, missing expectat...

By Matthew Heller • May 1, 2017

Durable Goods Orders Increase 0.7% in March

Orders for durable goods manufactured by U.S. companies rose for a third straight month in March but the gain was lower than economists expected and a category that reflects business investment plans remained weak.The Commerce Department said orders rose 0.7% last month, the weakest showing since...

By Matthew Heller • April 28, 2017

CFOs Must Lead Adoption of The Cloud

I read a quote from Warren Buffett the other day: “Chains of habit are too light to be felt until they are too heavy to be broken.”Mana Mojadadr Mana Mojadadr, The CloudIt struck a chord in me, and not just because he’s one of the world’s most successful people, with great financial instinct. It’...

By Mana Mojadadr • April 27, 2017

Bebe Stores to Shut Down All of Its Locations

Bebe Stores announced Friday it will close all of its stores, becoming another apparel retailer to have succumbed to online competition and shifting fashion tastes.The women’s clothing chain said in a regulatory filing that it had hired liquidator Tiger Capital Group to sell all of its remaining ...

By Matthew Heller • April 21, 2017

GM Halts Venezuela Production as Plant Seized

Venezuela’s political and economic crisis has engulfed General Motors, which announced Thursday it had ceased operations in the country after authorities seized its only plant there.The automaker said authorities conducted an “illegal judicial seizure” of the plant in Valencia, with other assets,...

By Matthew Heller • April 20, 2017

IMF Boosts Growth Forecast for 2017 to 3.5%

The International Monetary Fund has raised its outlook for world economic growth while denouncing protectionist policies as a threat to global economic integration and cooperation.In its latest World Economic Outlook, the IMF forecast a growth rate of 3.5% for 2017 and 3.6% in 2018, compared with...

By Matthew Heller • April 20, 2017

China’s Economy Grows 6.9% in First Quarter

China’s economy appears to be maintaining the momentum of the second half of last year, driven by the government’s traditional formula of state-led infrastructure spending and real estate investment.The world’s second-largest economy grew 6.9% in the first quarter, topping economists’ estimates o...

By Matthew Heller • April 18, 2017

Retail Sales Drop 0.2% in 2nd Straight Decline

U.S. retail sales fell for a second straight month in March, another sign that consumer spending has weakened early in 2017 despite a healthy labor market.The Commerce Department said retail sales declined 0.2% last month, exceeding economists’ estimates of a 0.1% drop. Coming on the heels of Feb...

By Matthew Heller • April 17, 2017

Producer Prices Show First Drop Since August

Prices paid by U.S. businesses for goods and services fell in March for the first time in seven months but the annual trend continues to indicate that inflationary pressures are increasing.The Labor Department said its producer price index fell 0.1% on a seasonally adjusted basis last month compa...

By Matthew Heller • April 14, 2017

WTO Forecasts 2.4% Growth in Trade This Year

After another year of weak growth in 2016, trade should rebound this year but protectionist policies could undermine the recovery, according to the World Trade Organization.The WTO forecast that the volume of world merchandise trade will expand by 2.4% in 2017, up from just 1.3% last year. But ci...

By Matthew Heller • April 13, 2017

U.S. Employers Add Only 98,000 Jobs in March

After two months of stellar growth, the March jobs report delivered something of a shock as U.S. employers added only 98,000 jobs, the fewest since last May.The sharp drop in job growth followed gains of more than 200,000 in January and February. Economists had forecast payrolls increasing 180,00...

By Matthew Heller • April 10, 2017

No Trump Travel Ban Effect Yet on Air Travel

Global demand for air travel is continuing to grow at a “robust rate” despite the Trump administration’s attempted U.S. travel ban, the International Air Transport Association reported.Total revenue passenger kilometers rose 4.8% in February, compared to the same month last year. Adjusting for th...

By Matthew Heller • April 7, 2017

Why You Should Spend Dollars on Patent, Trademark Protection

Companies pay people to think. Inventing and branding are two primary areas where this occurs regularly. But many companies fail to adequately protect the thoughts they pay for, leading to unnecessary complications and losses. This, in turn, means loss of company value and a narrowing of opportun...

By Sean D. Detweiler • April 5, 2017

U.S. Trade Gap Narrows to $43.6B in February

The U.S. trade deficit pulled back last month from January’s near two-year high as exports increased to their highest level in more than two years.The Commerce Department said the trade gap dropped 9.6% in February to $43.6 billion after reaching $48.2 billion the previous month. Economists had f...

By Matthew Heller • April 5, 2017