Sustainability Disclosure: A Matter of Public Trust

Public confidence depends on transparency and trust. And lack of transparency provides the opportunity for obfuscation, deception, and corruption that erodes and ultimately destroys public trust.Alan Beller Unsubstantiated claims and false statements have become an all-too common feature of our p...

By Alan Beller and Jean Rogers • Oct. 31, 2016

U.S. Economy Picks Up Steam in Third Quarter

The U.S. economy surged in the third quarter, growing at the fastest rate in two years and easing concerns that it was at risk of stalling.Gross domestic product increased at a 2.9% annual rate after rising just 1.4 percent in the second quarter, the Commerce Department said. Economists had expec...

By Matthew Heller • Oct. 31, 2016

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

Weekly Initial Jobless Claims Rise Unexpectedly

The number of Americans making initial claims for state unemployment benefits rose more than expected last week, but the gain may not indicate any weakness in the labor market.The Labor Department said Thursday that initial jobless claims, a proxy for layoffs, rose by 13,000 to a seasonally adjus...

By Matthew Heller • Oct. 20, 2016

Industrial Production Rises 0.1% in September

U.S. industrial production rose slightly last month, improving on August’s unexpected decline but still showing the effects of low energy prices and the strong dollar.Output increased 0.1% in September after falling a downwardly revised 0.5% the previous month, the Federal Reserve said Wednesday....

By Matthew Heller • Oct. 18, 2016

U.S. Producer Prices Rise 0.3% in September

Prices paid by U.S. businesses for goods and services increased more than expected in September amid other signs that inflationary pressures may be increasing.The Labor Department said its producer price index was up 0.3% on a seasonally adjusted basis compared with August. Economists surveyed by...

By Matthew Heller • Oct. 17, 2016

Deutsche Bank Faulted Over Research Policies

In another case that highlights the potential conflicts between research and investment banking, Deutsche Bank has agreed to pay $9.5 million to settle charges it failed to prevent analysts from communicating confidential information to traders and customers.The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commi...

By Matthew Heller • Oct. 13, 2016

Election Drags Down Small Business Optimism

Small-business owners’ optimism about the economy declined for a second straight month in September, reflecting uncertainty ahead of the presidential election, according to the National Federation of Independent Business.In its latest monthly report on small business economic trends, the NFIB sai...

By Matthew Heller • Oct. 12, 2016

U.S. Adds 156,000 Jobs to Keep Growth Steady

The pace of U.S. job creation remained steady last month and participation in the labor force edged up as the labor market continued to move toward full employment.The Labor Department said employers added 156,000 new jobs in September, down from an upwardly revised 167,000 in August and below an...

By Matthew Heller • Oct. 10, 2016

Five Employment Law Traps for CFOs

Overseeing human resources, a hat that many CFOs wear, may mean having to make crucial decisions about hiring and policy, performance management and discipline, and employee terminations. Such decisions may affect HR expenses and employee morale alike, and also may expose the company to the risk ...

By Scott J. Connolly • Oct. 6, 2016

CFOs: Financial Future Hangs on Upcoming Election

The tumultuous presidential election and fallout from the Brexit vote are serious concerns for U.S. CFOs in the next 12 months, even as revenue growth and capital spending expectations rose slightly from the second quarter, according to a recent survey by Deloitte.The third-quarter CFO Signals su...

By Sean Allocca • Oct. 4, 2016

U.S. Growth Revised Upward to 1.4% for Q2

The U.S. economy grew at a faster rate in the second quarter than previously estimated, reflecting in part improvement in net exports and business investment.In its final estimate of second-quarter growth, the Commerce Department on Thursday said GDP rose to 1.4%, up from last month’s 1.1% estima...

By Matthew Heller • Sept. 30, 2016

OECD Says Anti-Globalization Hurting Growth

A backlash against globalization is helping to keep the world economy in a “low-growth trap” that will persist at least through next year, according to the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development.In its latest Interim Economic Outlook, the OECD noted that over the past few years, t...

By Matthew Heller • Sept. 22, 2016

Beware Merger Targets’ Cybersecurity Risks

Several months ago in Brussels, the European Commission finished hammering out its sweeping General Data Protection legislation, slated to go into full effect starting in May of 2018. The legislation is designed to provide strong and uniform data privacy protections for individuals within the Eur...

By Information Security Forum and Steve Durbin • Sept. 21, 2016

Food, Gas Keep Producer Prices Unchanged

Prices paid by U.S. businesses for goods and services were unchanged in August as food and gas prices continue to keep inflation on the low side.The unchanged reading in the Labor Department’s producer price index was up from July’s decline of 0.2%. Economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal ...

By Matthew Heller • Sept. 16, 2016

Median Income Growth Hits Record in 2015

U.S. households experienced a record increase in income last year, according to a better-than-expected Census Bureau report that indicated the recovery from the Great Recession has gained traction.Median household income rose to $56,500 in 2015 last year, up 5.2%, or $2,800, from 2014, while the ...

By Matthew Heller • Sept. 14, 2016

IEA Walks Back Forecast of End to Oil Glut

The International Energy Agency on Tuesday indicated its predictions that the world’s oil glut would disappear may have been premature, citing “wobbling” Asian oil demand and falling oil consumption in Europe.The IEA’s Oil Market Report for September marked a shift from last month, when it predic...

By Matthew Heller • Sept. 13, 2016

Hiring Lags Well Behind Job Openings in July

A job market metric that is closely watched by the U.S. Federal Reserve shows plenty of job openings but a relative lack of hiring, possibly indicating employers are having trouble finding qualified workers.In its latest monthly Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS), the Labor Department...

By Matthew Heller • Sept. 8, 2016

Mondelez Unveils New Plan for U.S. Growth

A week after scrapping its bid to acquire Hershey, Mondelez International is now planning to generate U.S. growth through its own products, including an Oreo branded chocolate bar.The world’s second-largest confectionery company said Wednesday it would launch Oreo bars made with its Milka chocola...

By Matthew Heller • Sept. 7, 2016

U.S. Job Growth Falls to 151,000 in August

U.S. employment growth cooled off in August after two straight months of strong gains, dimming the prospects that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates this month.The Labor Department said hiring rose by 151,000 jobs last month, sharply down from an upwardly revised 275,000 increase in Ju...

By Matthew Heller • Sept. 6, 2016

62% of Execs See Business Growth in Next Year

Nearly two-thirds of business executives forecast their companies will expand in the next 12 months while optimism about the U.S. economy has stabilized since the beginning of the year, according to the third-quarter AICPA Economic Outlook Survey.Profit expectations, employment, and training and ...

By Matthew Heller • Sept. 2, 2016

Consumer Spending Up for 4th Straight Month

U.S. consumer spending maintained its momentum in July, fueling expectations that economic growth will pick up in the third quarter.The Commerce Department said personal consumption rose a seasonally adjusted 0.3% in July from a month earlier, marking the fourth straight monthly increase. Incomes...

By Matthew Heller • Aug. 30, 2016

GDP Growth Revised Down to 1.1% for Q2

U.S. economic growth in the second quarter was slightly lower than originally estimated, but one measure of corporate profits rose for a second straight quarter.The Commerce Department said gross domestic product increased at a 1.1% annual rate in the spring, compared to its earlier estimate of 1...

By Matthew Heller • Aug. 29, 2016

Durable Goods Orders Rebound With 4.4% Gain

A surge in U.S. durable goods orders in July was enough to fuel hopes that business investment is picking up, but some economists cautioned against reading too much into the increase in demand.The Commerce Department said orders for items meant to last three years rose 4.4% to $228.9 billion last...

By Matthew Heller • Aug. 26, 2016

Investment Advisers Fined Over F-Squared Ads

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has fined 13 investment advisory firms a total of $2.2 million for spreading the false performance claims made by the now-defunct F-Squared Investments about its flagship product.F-Squared was one of the largest marketers of investment products using ex...

By Matthew Heller • Aug. 26, 2016

U.S. Firms Profitable in China Despite Headwinds

Most U.S. businesses operating in China remain profitable despite the country’s economic slowdown but business confidence continues to soften, according to the US-China Business Council.In its annual survey of China’s business environment, the council found that 65% of businesses increased revenu...

By Matthew Heller • Aug. 25, 2016