News
Five reasons many jobs lost in the recession may never come back
Technology and globalisation have changed the nature of work in advanced economies, and the result is that labour markets there are not likely to return to pre-recession levels of employment in the years to come.Economic uncertainty triggers more caution among mid-size companies
Midsize U.S. companies, which generate about 40% of U.S. GDP, have become less optimistic about the economy. This sentiment is reflected in their hiring and expansion plans and their plans to invest in technology.Economists: China’s economy needs an overhaul
China’s economy seems to have avoided a “hard landing,” but the slowing of the economic boom reveals problems that China must battle to build a modern, high-income society.Investors at CAQ workshop have eyes on non-GAAP disclosures
Investors in a group of about 35 stakeholders taking part in a Center for Audit Quality (CAQ) workshop on the evolving role of the auditor said they are placing a significant focus on non-GAAP disclosures when evaluating their investment decisions.Cutting costs in supply-chain management
The finance department has a key role to play in areas such as capturing good financial data and setting up strong relations with partners in the supply chain.The Look Ahead: UK Industrial data, China and US consumer data could tell of a shifting economic landscape
British economic indicators will take on new scrutiny in the weeks ahead, following recent news that the UK fell back into recession during the first three months of this year—the first double dip there since the 1970s.Five things you must learn about the new M&A landscape
Accountants and other finance professionals are increasingly taking on more strategic and risk-management responsibilities, particularly when it comes to mergers and acquisitions. Find out what skills you should learn for the new M&A landscape.Small businesses in US, Canada aren’t using accountants’ complete skills, survey shows
Efforts to get accountants more fully engaged with clients have found limited success with small businesses in the United States and Canada, a new survey shows.COSO postpones release of internal control framework until 1Q 2013
The first quarter of 2013 is the new expected release date for the updated internal control framework of the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO). The framework originally was scheduled for release in fall 2012, but extensive, detailed comments from stakeholders have left COSO’s board with many ideas to consider.Survey highlights most common mistakes managers make with employees
Failure to communicate between staff and management was cited by 41% of CFOs surveyed as the mistake companies make most in managing employees, according to a new report. Twenty-eight percent of CFOs said lack of recognition and praise is the most frequent mistake, according to a survey by staffing service Accountemps.Panel: Global economy is in a growth phase rather than recovery
A sense of guarded optimism about the global economy in the first quarter points to a growth phase rather than a widespread recovery, suggests a panel commenting on the CGMA Global Economic Index.The look ahead: US, European employment reports; Australian interest rates
The US labour market has been warming up in recent months. Will the trend continue in April? Several jobs reports due out in the coming week will provide insight into the US employment situation.Letter from… Robert Cole: M&A must prove it can make companies better, not just bigger
With cash piling up on some corporate balance sheets, it’s only a matter of time before the M&A market comes back. But dealmakers may struggle unless they can convincingly point to a long-term, recurring growth story.Emerging markets acquisitions decline, reflecting global pattern, report says
The volume of corporate acquisitions involving emerging markets dropped in the last six months of 2011. The fall in activity reflects a global trend in the M&A arena. Africa emerged, though, as a more significant target market for acquisitions.Ripe time for M&A, but appetite is missing
The economic and financial ingredients for an M&A boom are all there. But large corporations aren’t taking the plunge – and many are backing away from combination plans. New research explains why.FATCA adds layer of complexity, penalty exposure to offshore asset reporting
The acronym for the US Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act—FATCA—is easy to remember if one thinks of “fat cat.” Unfortunately, this may be the only thing about FATCA that is easy. This item highlights the provisions of FATCA that are most likely to affect US tax practitioners and their clients, the taxpayer reporting provisions of new Section 6038D of the Internal Revenue Code.Tweedie: US decision is key to future of international standards
The SEC’s pending decision on whether to adopt IFRS for U.S. public issuers and what effect that decision could have on whether other major economies adopt them as well was a key topic of discussion with prominent panelists Sir David Tweedie, Bob Herz, and Paul Cherry in New York City.Tweedie, Herz, Cherry to discuss financial reporting
Last spring, when he was chairman of the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB), Sir David Tweedie made a case for principles-based accounting standards.Investors warm up to climate-change concerns, research shows
Surveys show investors are putting pressure on companies to disclose more about workplace safety, human and labour rights, and environmental practices. But businesses struggle with how to track the impact of sustainability activities.
Read the latest FM digital edition, exclusively for CIMA members and AICPA members who hold the CGMA designation.