Risk management

‘Inflation may have peaked’ as economy slumps: Fannie Mae

The U.S. economy will likely shrink during this quarter and most of 2023 as the Federal Reserve cools demand and curbs inflation, Fannie Mae said.

By Jim Tyson • Nov. 22, 2022

Holiday clues appear in October retail sales

Consumers will be relying on credit cards, their savings and heavy discounts in what is shaping up to be an uncertain season for retailers.

By Daphne Howland • Nov. 22, 2022

CFO stressors: four cures for inflation fever

CFOs have seized on ways to shield profits against the worst price pressures in nearly 40 years.

By Jim Tyson • Nov. 21, 2022

U.S. will ‘narrowly avoid recession’: Goldman Sachs

The Federal Reserve will slow the pace of tightening next month and early next year but not cut the federal funds rate until Q2 2024, Goldman Sachs predicted.

By Jim Tyson • Nov. 18, 2022

SEC: Big fines make violations more than a cost of doing business

The Securities and Exchange Commission ramped up enforcement and extracted record fines in fiscal year 2022, a signal to companies that it wants to see a change in behavior.

By Robert Freedman • Nov. 17, 2022

Most auditors pessimistic about economy: CAQ

Inflation ranks as the top threat to U.S. companies in the coming months, according to auditors surveyed by the Center for Audit Quality.

By Jim Tyson • Nov. 16, 2022

ESG materiality ranges beyond ‘bottom line’: SEC official

The SEC will not limit scrutiny to a company’s income statement when verifying compliance with a proposed rule requiring climate risk disclosure, an agency official said.

By Jim Tyson • Nov. 15, 2022

Nearly half of CFOs admit to flawed ESG reporting: EY

Companies and institutional investors worldwide “are at odds when it comes to sustainability,” EY said.

By Jim Tyson • Nov. 11, 2022

M&A rebound unlikely in 2023 after 35% slump: S&P Global

Higher borrowing costs this year have choked off deal-making, a trend that will probably persist in 2023.

By Jim Tyson • Nov. 9, 2022

Small businesses foresee ‘dismal’ sales: NFIB

Inflation, a tight labor market and disrupted supply chains have jarred small business confidence in future sales growth.

By Jim Tyson • Nov. 8, 2022

New Tyson CFO arrested on trespassing, public intoxication charges

The arrest of the recently-appointed CFO — son of the company’s chairman — reignites concerns about potential conflicts of interest.

By Grace Noto • Nov. 7, 2022

Fed flags risks from liquidity strains, Russia’s invasion, inflation

Hidden leverage or declining market liquidity may amplify harm from a financial shock, Fed Vice Chair Lael Brainard said.

By Jim Tyson • Nov. 7, 2022

Services sector slows amid inflation, tight labor market

The tight labor market was one of several factors impeding services sector growth in October.

By Grace Noto • Nov. 4, 2022

Fed intensifies inflation fight, may slow tightening next month

The Federal Reserve may raise borrowing costs in smaller increments but a pause in its efforts to reduce price pressures is not in the cards, Fed Chair Jerome Powell said.

By Jim Tyson • Nov. 2, 2022

Talent shortages still among top CFO worries: study

Forty percent of CFOs pointed to talent shortages as a top business risk as financial leaders switch from an offensive to a defensive approach to their balance sheets.

By Grace Noto • Nov. 2, 2022

Fed meets as demand for workers stokes red-hot labor market

Although manufacturing flagged in October, robust demand for workers suggests that the economy has not begun to slow enough to meet the Federal Reserve’s 2% inflation goal.

By Jim Tyson • Nov. 1, 2022

CFO stressors: Agonizing over layoffs

As a growing number of economists forecast a downturn, finance chiefs are wrestling with if or when to make the hard, emotionally-charged call to cut jobs.

By Grace Noto • Oct. 31, 2022

Shareholder say-on-pay support ticks down: WTW

While shareholders are still approving most companies’ compensation policies, there are signs scrutiny is snapping back to pre-pandemic norms. 

By Maura Webber Sadovi • Oct. 31, 2022

Default rate likely to triple by Sept. 2023: Moody’s

Higher borrowing costs and a slowdown in the economy may trigger a rise in credit downgrades and outright defaults in the next 12 months.

By Jim Tyson • Oct. 31, 2022

New Zip file phishing trend threatens cybersecurity

Organizations are at an increased risk of cyber attacks with this new popular phishing technique that does not require a password.

By Elizabeth Flood • Oct. 31, 2022

Rising wages, inflation keep Fed on track for Nov. 2 tightening

CFOs may not realistically expect wage pressures to ease as long as pay increases lag inflation and job openings exceed the number of job seekers.

By Jim Tyson • Oct. 28, 2022

ESG goals versus action gap emerges: survey

One in five financial leaders do not currently consider any ESG information when making decisions and instead rely on traditional financial metrics, the survey found.

By Grace Noto • Oct. 28, 2022

Crypto regulation to win more investors: FTX US advisor

The "decade of free money" is ending, but crypto will bounce back with the overall market, according to Brett Harrison. 

By Gabrielle Saulsbery • Oct. 27, 2022

Ukraine raises fresh fraud concerns, Stripe exec says

The war in Ukraine raised the stakes for fraud detection, as threat actors devise more complex ways of evading oversight.

By Suman Bhattacharyya • Oct. 26, 2022

SEC adopts bonus clawback rules

The new clawback rules come amid a broader push by the SEC for more transparency and disclosures in financial reports.

By Maura Webber Sadovi • Oct. 26, 2022