Three Currency Predictions for 2016

The biggest currency story in 2016 will be the Chinese yuan becoming more closely tied to world currencies other than the U.S. dollar, and the very significant business risk that represents for multinational companies. But there will be other significant stories as well.Wolfgang Koester We are no...

By Wolfgang Koester • Dec. 21, 2015

‘Cryptoshares’ Coming to the Bitcoin Blockchain

In another boost for alternative securities trading systems, online retailer Overstock.com has won regulatory approval to issue company shares on the Bitcoin blockchain.Overstock’s tø platform has been working on bringing equity trades and settlement to the blockchain since it was first announced...

By Matthew Heller • Dec. 17, 2015

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

Fed Ends Seven Years of Zero Interest Rates

As expected, the U.S. Federal Reserve on Wednesday finally ended its zero-rate era, voting to raise interest rates by 0.25% but stressing that further tightening of monetary policy will be “gradual.”The interest rate hike is the first since 2006, concluding what Fed Chair Janet Yellen called “an ...

By Matthew Heller • Dec. 16, 2015

Housing Starts Pick up 10.5% in November

Construction is picking up not just in apartments but in single-family homes, too, a sign that the economy is, indeed, steadily improving. U.S. housing starts in November were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,173,000 — 10.5% above the revised October estimate of 1,062,000 and 16.5% above...

By Katie Kuehner-Hebert • Dec. 16, 2015

Wholesale Inventories Fall 0.1% in October

New data from the U.S. Commerce Department suggest inventories will be a more severe drag than expected on economic growth in the fourth quarter.Wholesale inventories slipped 0.1% in October as businesses stepped up efforts to reduce stockpiles of unsold durable and nondurable goods. September in...

By Matthew Heller • Dec. 9, 2015

In Search of Certainty

The business environment, infused with uncertainty, has muted the growth of business confidence, according to the results of the Duke University/CFO Magazine Global Business Outlook survey for the fourth quarter of 2015. “Economic uncertainty” was the top business concern cited by executives arou...

By David W. Owens • Dec. 9, 2015

Executives Down on Growth Prospects for 2016

Business executives are pessimistic about the growth prospects next year for both their own companies and the overall U.S. economy, according to the fourth-quarter AICPA Economic Outlook Survey.The overall expectation for revenue growth next year was 2.9%, down from 3.3% last quarter and 4.7% a y...

By Katie Kuehner-Hebert • Dec. 4, 2015

Strong Jobs Report Makes Rate Hike Likely

A positive jobs report for November “all but guarantees” the Federal Reserve will raise U.S. interest rates later this month, experts say.Total non-farm payroll employment increased by 211,000 in November, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 5%, the Labor Department said Friday. While the ...

By Katie Kuehner-Hebert • Dec. 4, 2015

Job Growth Shows Biggest Jump in 5 Months

Private sector employers added 217,000 jobs last month, the largest increase in five months, according to payroll processor ADP.In its November employment report, ADP said Wednesday that small business accounted for 37% of the growth, adding 81,000 jobs. October employment growth was revised upwa...

By Katie Kuehner-Hebert • Dec. 2, 2015

Cyber Monday Heading for Record $3B in Sales

Online shoppers were on pace to spend a record $3 billion on Cyber Monday, reflecting a boom in shopping on mobile devices and continuing a historic weekend for the retail industry.IBM projected that Cyber Monday online sales would grow by more than 18% compared to 2014, while Adobe Systems said ...

By Katie Kuehner-Hebert • Nov. 30, 2015

Goldman Employee Accused of Insider Trading

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has charged a former employee of Goldman Sachs with trading on inside information that he obtained through his work monitoring other employees for potential misconduct.Yue Han, 34, was assigned to the surveillance analytics group within Goldman’s compli...

By Matthew Heller • Nov. 30, 2015

Fed Officials Boost Rate Hike Expectations

U.S. Federal Reserve officials have backed investors’ expectations of an interest rate hike next month, expressing confidence that the U.S. economy is now ready for a modest tightening of monetary policy.Atlanta Fed President Dennis Lockhart said global financial markets have settled since the Au...

By Matthew Heller • Nov. 19, 2015

Housing Starts Fall in October, Permits Surge

Housing data for October was mixed, but overall signs of a sustained housing recovery remain solid.U.S. housing starts fell 11% to a seasonally adjusted annual pace of 1.06 million units, the lowest level since March, the Commerce Department said Wednesday. Economists polled by Reuters had foreca...

By Katie Kuehner-Hebert • Nov. 18, 2015

Producer Prices Dip for 2nd Straight Month

U.S. producer prices declined for the second straight month in October, a sign of weak inflation that could complicate the Federal Reserve’s decision next month to raise interest rates.The Labor Department reported Friday that the producer-price index, which measures the prices companies receive ...

By Matthew Heller • Nov. 13, 2015

Strong U.S. Job Gains Boost Case for Rate Hike

U.S. employers added 271,000 jobs in October, the largest gain this year and a sign of economic growth that may position the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates next month.The unemployment rate dipped to a seven-year low of 5% and wages rose at the fastest pace since 2009, the Labor Departmen...

By Katie Kuehner-Hebert • Nov. 6, 2015

Service Industries Offset Manufacturing Slump

While manufacturers remain bogged down by sluggish overseas demand, service industries expanded in October at the second-fastest pace in a decade.The Institute for Supply Management’s non-manufacturing index advanced to 59.1 from 56.9 the prior month, the Tempe, Arizona-based group said Wednesday...

By Katie Kuehner-Hebert • Nov. 4, 2015

Construction Spending Rises to 7-Year High

U.S. construction spending rose 0.6% in September to $1.09 trillion, its highest level since March 2008, fueled by a surge in apartment building.Construction of apartments and condominiums jumped 4.9% in September from August, while construction of single-family homes rose 1.3%, the Commerce Depa...

By Matthew Heller • Nov. 2, 2015

Consumer Spending up Only 1% in September

Weak U.S. economic data released Friday may have reduced the possibility of an interest-rate hike next month.According to the Commerce Department, consumer spending rose just 0.1% in September, the slowest pace since January. The median forecast of 75 economists in a Bloomberg survey called for a...

By Katie Kuehner-Hebert • Oct. 30, 2015

New Home Sales Fall 11.5% in September

Part of the housing sector hit a speed bump in September, with sales of new single-family homes falling sharply to a near one-year low.The Commerce Department reported Monday that sales of newly built homes dropped to a seasonally adjusted rate of 468,000 last month, down 11.5% from August’s down...

By Katie Kuehner-Hebert • Oct. 26, 2015

A Turn for the Worse

U.S. finance executives continue to be frustrated by government actions affecting their costs, leery of the ups and downs in equities markets, and nervous about economic conditions overseas, especially in China. This combination appears finally to be taking its toll on business confidence, accord...

By David W. Owens • Oct. 23, 2015

Kabbage to Offer Online Loans With Dutch Bank

Online lending platform Kabbage is teaming up with Dutch bank ING Groep NV to offer automated loans to small businesses throughout Spain and possibly elsewhere in Europe.ING is the first global bank to partner with Kabbage, which provides loans of as much as $150,000 to pay for inventory, hire st...

By Matthew Heller • Oct. 22, 2015

Consumer Sentiment Rebounds in October

A closely watched measure of consumer sentiment rose more than expected in early October, suggesting volatility in financial markets has done little to dampen optimism about the U.S. economy.The University of Michigan’s preliminary consumer sentiment index for this month rose to 92.1, the first a...

By Matthew Heller • Oct. 19, 2015

China’s Growth Rate Slows to 6.9% in Q3

China’s economic growth is continuing to slow, increasing pressure on the government to further cut interest rates and enact even more stimulus measures.The National Bureau of Statistics of China said Monday that the country’s economy grew 6.9% percent between July and September from a year ago, ...

By Katie Kuehner-Hebert • Oct. 19, 2015

U.S. Budget Deficit at Lowest Level Since 2009

The federal budget deficit has fallen to its lowest level since 2009 on increased tax receipts due to a strengthening economy.The deficit was $439 billion in the 2015 fiscal year, $44 billion less than last year, the Treasury Department and the Office of Management and Budget said Friday. The sho...

By Katie Kuehner-Hebert • Oct. 16, 2015

Retail, Food Sales up Only 0.1% Last Month

Consumers may have saved on lower fuel costs in September, but they pocketed the money instead of spending it.U.S. retail and food services sales for September rose just 0.1% from the previous month, the Commerce Department said Wednesday. The median forecast of 82 economists surveyed by Bloomber...

By Katie Kuehner-Hebert • Oct. 14, 2015