Risk Management
AuditBoard: CFOs Should Proactively Assume Responsibility for Corporate Culture Risk Management
A recent report from audit and compliance platform AuditBoard indicates that corporate culture risks are becoming increasingly complex, and CFOs, leveraging their unique position overseeing risk control, internal audit, and other functions, should proactively take on the responsibility of managing cultural risks to prevent financial and reputational losses caused by cultural misconduct.
Tariff costs transmit along the supply chain, U.S. producer price index records largest increase in three years
The U.S. producer price index (PPI) rose 0.9% month-over-month and 3.3% year-over-year in July, marking the fastest pace in three years. The Bureau of Labor Statistics stated that tariff costs, at their highest levels since the 1930s, are transmitting along the supply chain. St. Louis Fed President Musalem said tariff impacts could last two to three quarters, while Atlanta Fed President Bostic argued that the strong labor market provides room for policy adjustments.
CFOs Must Shift Their Mindset: Compensation Is Not a Cost, but a Strategic Investment
Many companies lack a comprehensive compensation strategy, leaving them reactive amid macroeconomic fluctuations. Payscale CFO Philip Watson points out that viewing compensation as a cost rather than an investment is a common misconception. The article analyzes lessons from the labor market bubble of the early 2020s, emphasizing the importance of precisely rewarding top talent, leveraging market uncertainty to attract talent, and using data to boost confidence in compensation decisions. Ultimately, companies should build flexible and resilient compensation strategies to maintain a competitive edge.
Service price rebound pushes core inflation to 3.1%
The U.S. core CPI rose 3.1% year-on-year in July, up from 2.9% in June, mainly due to a rebound in service costs. Despite inflation pressure exceeding expectations, interest rate futures traders still bet on a 25-basis-point rate cut by the Federal Reserve in September, with the probability rising to 94%.
Survey Shows Fed May Cut Rates Next Month, Tariffs Only Cause One-Time Price Shock
According to a Wolters Kluwer survey released Monday, 60% of business economists predict the Fed will cut interest rates by 25 basis points next month, due to a softening labor market and tariffs having only a one-time impact on inflation. 64% of respondents expect core PCE inflation to rise to 3.6% in the third quarter, fall to 3.4% in the fourth quarter, and decline to 2.3% by the end of next year. Fed officials have recently expressed divergent views, with some supporting rate cuts and others believing the persistence of inflation needs to be observed.
CEO pessimism eases: tariff concerns decline, survey shows
A survey by The Conference Board and the Business Council shows that CEO pessimism eased in the third quarter, with tariff risk ranking dropping to third and recession concerns falling from 83% to 36%.
US Continuing Jobless Claims Rise to Highest Since November 2021
US continuing jobless claims rose to the highest since November 2021, indicating greater difficulties for job seekers. Meanwhile, inflation expectations have risen, leaving the Federal Reserve facing a policy dilemma.
US voter confidence in fiscal outlook falls to 13-month low: survey
The latest Peterson Foundation survey shows that US voter confidence in the fiscal outlook fell to a 13-month low in July, with 59% believing the country is on a high-risk fiscal path and 61% expecting the debt burden to increase. Following the passage of the Trump administration's large-scale tax and spending bill, the Congressional Budget Office projects that the national debt will increase by $4.1 trillion by the end of 2034.
ISM Survey: US Services Sector Growth Slows Under Tariff Impact, Employment Index Falls for Third Time in Four Months
Data released by ISM on Tuesday showed the US services PMI fell to 50.1 in July, close to the breakeven line, with the employment index contracting for a fourth straight month and the price index reaching its highest level since October 2022. Tariff impacts have become a widespread concern among businesses, and economists expect consumer recovery to remain weak in the short term.
Economic uncertainty intensifies, cybersecurity budget growth slows
A report jointly released by IANS Research and Artico Search indicates that, due to economic uncertainty, cybersecurity budget growth slowed in 2025 and its share of IT budgets declined. Although cyber risk is considered one of the top five enterprise risks, most CISOs have not secured budget increases commensurate with the expansion of their security scope.