Strategy & Operations

Tips for rooting out fraudulent federal funds use

There are a number of red flags that auditors should look out for when working with non-profits or government entities that get federal grants, experts say.

By Danielle McLean • Nov. 11, 2026

Inflation rises faster than expected, boosting odds of Fed rate hike

“I am particularly concerned about the breadth of price increases,” Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller said, calling for higher borrowing costs.

By Jim Tyson • Nov. 10, 2026

Explore the Trendline➔

FP&A's evolution into CFOs' essential strategic asset

When FP&A works best, you get things like Amazon Prime. The trick is eliminating the friction in your planning function.  

By CFO Dive staff

The hidden financial trade-offs in fleet ownership

The lowest financing cost isn't always the lowest fleet cost. Are you evaluating the full picture?

Nov. 9, 2026

Unemployment rate dips to 4.1% as surge in hiring shatters expectations

“The strong October jobs report should keep the Fed focused on inflation and on track to hike again in December,” Bank of America Securities analysts said.

By Jim Tyson • Nov. 6, 2026

Stanley Black & Decker raises EPS outlook after tariff refund boost

The toolmaker is using tariff refunds to accelerate $70 million to $80 million in growth investments originally slated for 2027.

By Alexei Alexis • Nov. 4, 2026

Services sector growth slows, impeded by tariffs, rising fuel costs: ISM

The services industry has faced a one-two punch from inflation, first from import taxes imposed in April 2025 and then from a surge in fuel prices since the start of the Iran war.

By Jim Tyson • Nov. 4, 2026

Manufacturing grows for 10 straight months; erratic prices dim sentiment

“The AI-capex boom probably will continue to support output in tech-related sectors, but a broader manufacturing boom looks unlikely,” a Pantheon Macroeconomics economist said.

By Jim Tyson • Nov. 2, 2026

Grant Thornton Advisors closes $5B CBIZ deal

The combination creates the fifth-largest U.S. provider of professional services, tax and advisory offerings, Grant Thornton Advisors said.

By Alexei Alexis • Nov. 2, 2026

5 ways CFOs can maximize their organization’s human capital

Executives everywhere are trying to balance protecting margins and funding growth. Maximizing their organization’s human capital may be the key to achieving both goals.

Nov. 2, 2026

Trump sparked growth but widened trade deficit, slowed hiring: IW

President Donald Trump has fallen short on a pledge to curb inflation and improve other measures of economic well-being, the German Economic Institute said in a report.

By Jim Tyson • Oct. 30, 2026

Economy in Q3 grew 3.4%, exceeding forecasts amid persistent inflation

On the eve of the midterm elections, half of Americans view the economy as “extremely important” and 37% consider the issue “very important,” Gallup said.

By Jim Tyson • Oct. 29, 2026

Fed holds main interest rate steady despite accelerating inflation

Two policymakers on the Federal Open Market Committee dissented in favor of raising the federal funds rate by 0.25 percentage point.

By Jim Tyson • Updated Oct. 28, 2026

Consumer confidence edges up on decline in gas prices: Conference Board

“The mood among consumers remains pretty bleak,” Pantheon Macroeconomics Chief U.S. Economist Samuel Tombs said.

By Jim Tyson • Oct. 27, 2026

Audit deficiency rate plunges due to training, oversight upgrades: PCAOB

Efforts in quality control, stricter accountability and use of technology have reduced the incidence of Part I.A audit deficiencies, the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board said.

By Jim Tyson • Oct. 26, 2026

Agentic AI on financial data, wherever it lives

Agentic AI can transform close, audit and risk work, if it can reach your data where it lives.

By Joe Fuchs, Global Industry GTM Lead, Financial Services & Insurance • Oct. 26, 2026

Consumer sentiment dips on worries about affordability: UMichigan survey

“Consumers broadly expect inflation to accelerate,” a University of Michigan economist said, citing survey results.

By Jim Tyson • Oct. 23, 2026

Economy holds steady despite grim consumer expectations: Conference Board

For several months persistent inflation — fueled largely by the rising cost of energy — has eroded real household incomes and soured the mood of consumers. 

By Jim Tyson • Oct. 22, 2026

What the fintech cool kids are wearing

A business casual vibe informed the unspoken dress code at the Money20/20 conference in Las Vegas this week. The standouts chose suits.

By Maura Webber Sadovi • Oct. 22, 2026

SEC enforcement actions sink 57% below 8-year average: Brattle Group

Staff reductions at the Securities and Exchange Commission and the record-long government shutdown slowed enforcement last year, the Brattle Group said.

By Jim Tyson • Oct. 21, 2026

M&A soaring close to record level, fueled by rush into AI: Apollo’s Sløk

The fixation on AI has spurred dealmaking well beyond technology into companies involved in sectors essential for the AI build-out.

By Jim Tyson • Oct. 20, 2026

Big Four firms call on SEC to soften PCAOB quality control standards

The PCAOB revisions may receive a warm response from the SEC, which under Chair Paul Atkins has pursued several efforts to ease compliance burdens.

By Jim Tyson • Oct. 19, 2026

Payouts, talent and trust: What CFOs need to get right

See what 450 independent earners expect from payouts—and what those expectations mean for CFOs.

Oct. 19, 2026

Warsh says rise of AI will prove ‘very bumpy,’ trigger demand shock

“Earnings disappointments by AI developers could undermine expectations of future profitability, dealing a hit to equity prices,” IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said.

By Jim Tyson • Oct. 16, 2026

Producer prices surge at fastest pace since 2022, adding pressure on Fed

Soaring energy costs accounted for much of the leap in producer prices, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

By Jim Tyson • Oct. 15, 2026

CEOs eye C-suite shake-ups as pressures mount: BCG

Finance chiefs topped the list of senior leaders at risk of being replaced over coming months, the study found.

By Alexei Alexis • Oct. 14, 2026