Consumer Spending Starts Q4 With Solid Gain

U.S. consumer spending posted another solid gain in October and inflation continued to show signs of firming, buoying hopes of strong economic growth in the fourth quarter.The Commerce Department said personal consumption rose a seasonally adjusted 0.3% last month after a revised 0.7% jump in Sep...

By Matthew Heller • Dec. 1, 2016

Thanksgiving Weekend Spending Drops 3.5%

Consumer spending over the Thanksgiving weekend took a hit from retailers’ early holiday promotions and bargain hunters taking advantage of discounts.In its annual survey of spending over the four-day weekend, the National Retail Federation found that a record 154 million people made purchases, u...

By Matthew Heller • Nov. 29, 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

Durable Goods Orders Surge 4.8% in October

U.S. durable goods orders rebounded strongly in October, surging past expectations amid increased demand for aircraft and other transportation machinery.The Commerce Department said orders for items meant to last three years increased $11 billion, or 4.8%, to $239.4 billion last month, following ...

By Matthew Heller • Nov. 28, 2016

Consumer Prices Post Biggest Gain in 2 Years

Rising energy costs pushed consumer prices in October to the largest gain in two years but so-called core prices rose less than economists expected.The Labor Department said consumer price index increased a seasonally adjusted 0.4% from September, the third straight monthly gain. Higher prices fo...

By Matthew Heller • Nov. 18, 2016

Weekly Initial Jobless Claims Fall to 43-Year Low

The number of Americans making initial claims for state unemployment benefits fell sharply to a 43-year low last week as the labor market continued to strengthen.The Labor Department said Thursday that initial jobless claims, a proxy for layoffs, dropped 19,000 in the week ended Nov. 12 to a seas...

By Matthew Heller • Nov. 17, 2016

Retail Sales Rise Better-Than-Expected 0.8%

U.S. retail sales rose more than expected in October, almost equaling the previous month’s growth amid strong demand for cars and a surge in online shopping.The Commerce Department said retail sales increased 0.8% last month after gaining a revised 1.0% in September. Economists had been expecting...

By Matthew Heller • Nov. 16, 2016

The Impact of the Growing National Debt

It is undeniable that if it’s left unchecked, the rising Federal debt will have a negative impact on corporate America. Just like the situation when you’re dealing with your household finances, you cannot outspend your income indefinitely without it having negative consequences on you personally,...

By Frank Fetsko • Nov. 15, 2016

Is Breaking Up Always Hard?

It’s tempting to analyze the global economy by scanning two separate snapshots: what it looked like before the Brexit vote and how it has performed in the months since the United Kingdom’s shocking decision to leave the European Union. But so far, it’s tough to detect many differences between the...

By Josh Hyatt • Nov. 14, 2016

A Time of Disruption

The U.S. presidential election and all of its attendant ugliness and divisiveness may soon be an unhappy memory, but political developments around the world continue to cloud the risk profiles of global companies.Whether they’re vulnerable to Brexit fallout, terrorism, or the latest rumblings fro...

By Ed Zwirn • Nov. 14, 2016

Companies See Growth Overseas, Despite Post-Election Concerns

The overwhelming majority of small to mid-size U.S. companies say their international sales revenues increased over the past year and are expecting significant growth in international markets, but worry a particularly contentious U.S. presidential election and its outcome could impact future plan...

By Sean Allocca • Nov. 7, 2016

Wage Gains Add to U.S. Labor Market Strength

The last jobs report before the presidential election provided more evidence that the labor market may be at its strongest point since the recession.According to the Labor Department, employers in October added 161,000 jobs, a little below economists’ expectations but still, as the Los Angeles Ti...

By Matthew Heller • Nov. 7, 2016

U.S. Productivity Posts Best Quarter in 2 Years

U.S. worker productivity grew in the third quarter at the fastest rate in two years, but economists are not expecting a sustained surge in output.According to the Labor Department, productivity, which measures hourly output per worker, rose at a 3.1% annual rate for the July-September period, end...

By Matthew Heller • Nov. 4, 2016

Consumer Spending Rises 0.5% in September

U.S. consumer spending beat expectations in September, showing the biggest increase in three months as Americans bought more new cars and other long-lasting goods.The Commerce Department said personal consumption rose a seasonally adjusted 0.5% last month, topping economists’ estimates of a 0.4% ...

By Matthew Heller • Nov. 1, 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

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

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