Retail sales rise despite persistent inflation, soft labor market

After robust buying in July, consumer sentiment faltered in August for the first time in four months, according to a University of Michigan survey.

By Jim Tyson • Aug. 15, 2025

Producer prices rise as high tariff costs trickle through supply chains

“It’s going to take another two to three quarters for tariffs to play through” the inflation data, St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank President Alberto Musalem said.

By Jim Tyson • Updated Aug. 15, 2025

Explore the Trendline➔

CFO best practices in the evolving generative AI era

As the initial frenzy around the launch of generative artificial intelligence subsides, a new GenAI era appears to be taking shape.

By CFO Dive staff

New cloud-based digital tax rules are here. They warrant CFO attention.

With remote work driving cloud spending to new heights and states competing aggressively for the related tax revenue, CFOs face mounting pressure to comply with a growing patchwork of tax obligations.

By Winston Post • Aug. 14, 2025

AI cuts monthly financial close time by 7.5 days: MIT/Stanford study

Accounting firms that adopt artificial intelligence can yield “remarkable improvements in productivity, task allocation and reporting quality,” researchers said.

By Jim Tyson • Aug. 13, 2025

Why CFOs must stop treating compensation as a cost

Today’s economic uncertainty presents an opportunity for CFOs to get ahead of competitors struggling with the whiplash of boom-and-bust pay tactics, Payscale’s Philip Watson writes.

By Philip Watson • Aug. 13, 2025

Core inflation heats up to 3.1%, fueled by resurgence in services prices

Despite higher-than-forecast price pressure data, traders in interest rate futures held to their bet that the Federal Reserve will trim the main interest rate next month.

By Jim Tyson • Aug. 12, 2025

Why the EU AI Act could be a wake-up call for US CFOs

Staggered effective dates and uncertainty about which companies must comply could yield fresh financial pressures for CFOs, according to an attorney who specializes in cybersecurity.

By Suman Bhattacharyya • Aug. 12, 2025

Fed to cut rates next month as tariffs give prices one-time spur: survey

A handful of Fed officials have voiced optimism since July that the highest U.S. tariffs since the 1930s will stoke just short-term price pressures.

By Jim Tyson • Aug. 11, 2025

How Salesforce’s finance chief is leveraging AI

With artificial intelligence tools, the time it takes to prepare for earnings calls has “been reduced to hours instead of days,” the executive said.

By Alexei Alexis • Aug. 11, 2025

How CFOs can win the finance talent war with AI-assisted planning

Talent is scarce. Time is short. AI-assisted planning gives CFOs the edge.

By Grant Halloran, Planful CEO • Aug. 11, 2025

CEO pessimism eases as tariff-induced worries decline: survey

Risks from import duties have ebbed somewhat since April but still cloud the outlook for price pressures, the job market and economic growth, according to economists.

By Jim Tyson • Aug. 8, 2025

Recurring jobless claims surge to highest level since 2021

The labor market is cooling as inflation heats up, posing a challenge for Federal Reserve policymakers mandated by Congress to ensure full employment and price stability.

By Jim Tyson • Aug. 7, 2025

Voter confidence in U.S. fiscal outlook falls to 13-month low: survey

The Peterson Foundation poll suggests that the White House has not persuaded most voters that a massive tax-and-spending bill enacted last month will eventually reduce the federal debt.

By Jim Tyson • Aug. 6, 2025

‘Big bang’ tech deployments fade amid optimization focus

“Instead of 24- or 36-month projects, we’re talking six- to eight-week cycles,” Grant Thornton’s Tony Dinola said.

By Alexei Alexis • Aug. 6, 2025

Service sector slows, employment falls as tariffs take hold: ISM survey

Consumer spending on both services and goods has fallen this year compared with last year, growing just 1.4% during the second quarter.

By Jim Tyson • Aug. 5, 2025

Cybersecurity budgets tighten as economic anxiety rises

Uncertain tariff policies and fluctuating inflation and interest rates are leading to stagnant or reduced budgets, according to an IANS Research report.

By Alexei Alexis • Aug. 5, 2025

Labor market outlook dims, with jobs harder to get: Conference Board

The Trump administration’s back-and-forth approach to tariff negotiations has prompted companies to forgo hiring, economists said.

By Jim Tyson • Aug. 4, 2025

First-ever Finzly CFO seeks to create culture of ‘connectivity’

As the first CFO for the payments infrastructure provider, software alum Adam Carson aims to upgrade the finance role from a "backseat function."

By Grace Noto • Aug. 4, 2025

US to install country-specific tariffs Aug. 7

President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday officially codifying rates for over 60 trading partners while pushing back implementation by seven days.

By Phil Neuffer • Aug. 1, 2025

Inflation rises, affirming Fed decision to hold benchmark rate steady

President Donald Trump lashed out at Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell for not cutting the federal funds rate on Wednesday.

By Jim Tyson • July 31, 2025

Fed holds main rate steady, overriding two dissenting votes

The mix of a cooling labor market and stubborn, above-target inflation has posed a dilemma for the central bank while breaking unanimity among policymakers.

By Jim Tyson • Updated July 30, 2025

Construction pros react to interest rate decision

The Federal Reserve held rates steady Wednesday afternoon, dashing hopes for a summer cut, but builders are adjusting their strategies to stay on the job.

By Sebastian Obando • July 30, 2025

CFOs should eye ‘opportunistic’ approach to M&A: Wiss

When it comes to M&A, CFOs today need to allow themselves space to “lose a little money in the short-term,” knowing it will put them on better footing for the long-term, Wiss’s Bill Haemmerle said.

By Grace Noto • July 29, 2025

Consumer confidence inches up despite signs of weakening labor market

Indications of a cooling job market recently prompted Federal Reserve officials to voice openness toward cutting borrowing costs at a monetary policy meeting that ends Wednesday.

By Jim Tyson • July 29, 2025

Microsoft says H-1B visas, layoffs ‘in no way’ related

Scrutiny of the tech giant’s use of the visa program comes at the end of a month in which the company announced deep job cuts. 

By Maura Webber Sadovi • July 28, 2025