Powell affirms ‘wait-and-see’ rate policy, bucking Trump’s call for cuts

Since the Federal Reserve met last week, two policymakers have said they may favor a quarter-point reduction in the main interest rate at a July 29-30 meeting.

By Jim Tyson • June 24, 2025

White House redoubles pressure on Powell to cut Fed’s main interest rate

Republican lawmakers on Tuesday may chime in with criticism if Fed Chair Jerome Powell affirms a “wait-and-see” monetary policy approach in testimony to a House committee.

By Jim Tyson • June 23, 2025

Economy heading toward ‘significant slowdown,’ Conference Board says

“Maybe we should start thinking about cutting the policy rate at the next meeting, because we don’t want to wait until the job market tanks,” a Federal Reserve official said.

By Jim Tyson • June 20, 2025

Senate pitches permanent TCJA tax breaks

The Senate proposal would make the trio of tax-relief provisions from the 2017 Tax Cut and Jobs Act permanent. In contrast, the House bill would only extend them through 2029.

By Maura Webber Sadovi • June 20, 2025

Fed holds main interest rate steady, expects two cuts later in 2025

Policymakers have left borrowing costs unchanged this year while balancing signs of a softening labor market against concerns that U.S. tariffs will stoke inflation.

By Jim Tyson • Updated June 18, 2025

7 CFO tips for thriving despite ‘perma-crisis’ turmoil

“Foundational rules for risk management have been fundamentally altered forever," the former CEO of the Institute of Internal Auditors said.

By Jim Tyson • June 17, 2025

Economy to slow, inflation to persist above Fed 2% goal: NABE survey

A rise in oil prices from war between Iran and Israel threatens to weaken economic growth and increase price pressures.

By Jim Tyson • June 16, 2025

Consumer sentiment rises in June, buoyed by lull in tariff war

Still, survey results show “consumers remain guarded and concerned about the trajectory of the economy,” a University of Michigan economist said.

By Jim Tyson • June 13, 2025

Costco controller passes the torch after near-decade tenure

The decision to pick its new controller from its ranks aligns with the warehouse club retailer’s history of developing and keeping its financial bench talent.

By Maura Webber Sadovi • June 12, 2025

Inflation cools more than predicted as companies draw down inventories

Falling price pressures and signs of labor market stability reinforce the wait-and-see policy stance of the Federal Reserve, economists said.

By Jim Tyson • June 11, 2025

Small business optimism rises on forecasts for higher sales growth: NFIB

Improved prospects for sales was the biggest factor pushing up the NFIB’s Optimism Index beyond its 51-year average.

By Jim Tyson • June 10, 2025

Consumer inflation expectations ease, job pessimism ebbs: New York Fed

Federal Reserve Bank of New York survey results are more upbeat than others that highlight consumer anxiety that tariffs will push up price pressures.

By Jim Tyson • June 9, 2025

Tariff tips, tales from the CFO Leadership conference

Tariff engineering, exercising “reasonable care,” and checking invoices for erroneous duty charges are some tactics CFOs can use to mitigate the impact of import duties. 

By Maura Webber Sadovi • June 5, 2025

Audit partner pessimism surges amid risk of recession: CAQ survey

U.S. gross domestic product will likely expand during the second quarter at a 3.8% annual rate, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta.

By Jim Tyson • June 5, 2025

US hiring slows, service industry falters amid trade war turbulence

“After a strong start to the year, hiring is losing momentum,” according to an economist at ADP Research.

By Jim Tyson • June 4, 2025

Tariffs to spur inflation, slow US GDP growth to 1.6% this year: OECD

Several economists in recent months have said import levies imposed by the Trump administration will probably spur inflation in 2025.

By Jim Tyson • June 3, 2025

Everyone feels tariffs. It’s up to CFOs to manage the impact.

Understanding price elasticity at both the category and product level is now essential to effective pricing, an author and consultant who specializes on pricing writes.

By Hermann Simon • June 3, 2025

Regulatory clarity ‘foundational’ for crypto: Gemini CFO

Newly-minted Gemini CFO Dan Chen emphasized the importance of clear regulatory frameworks as the Trump administration continues to woo the crypto industry.

By Grace Noto • May 29, 2025

Consumer pessimism eases amid cooling in U.S.-China tariff war

The share of consumers expecting a recession over the next 12 months fell in May, the Conference Board said.

By Jim Tyson • Updated May 28, 2025

U.S. output grows following tariff détente with China: S&P Global survey

Any recovery in U.S. output this month may prove short lived given that 10% baseline tariffs still stand, according to economists.

By Jim Tyson • May 22, 2025

Invoice rejection spike suggests tactic’s use as tariff buffer, study says

The sharp rise suggests firms seek to delay payments as they did in the pandemic, according to an analysis from Basware, a financial automation company.  

By Maura Webber Sadovi • May 19, 2025

Surging federal debt to raise borrowing costs, erode investment: Peterson

Interest rates initially rose Monday, the first day of bond trading after Moody’s Ratings late Friday cited the gloomy fiscal outlook and downgraded U.S. debt.

By Jim Tyson • May 19, 2025

Inflation expected to surge to 7.3% in a year, fueled by tariff worry

Consumer sentiment has slumped this year even as recent “hard data” reveal stable prices and robust hiring.

By Jim Tyson • May 16, 2025

FASB clarifies rules for warrants, share-based payments

The GAAP update will affect how companies account for share-based financial instruments such as warrants that they grant to customers as a kind of rebate to incentivize purchases. 

By Maura Webber Sadovi • May 16, 2025

Why spreadsheets aren’t going away anytime soon

Spreadsheets are not just a tool of the past; they will be a vital component of the future of finance, Gartner’s Mike Helsel writes.

By Mike Helsel • May 16, 2025