Economy

Wholesale prices surged in September as energy costs spiked, posting the largest monthly increase in more than four years, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. The Producer Price Index for final demand rose a seasonally adjusted 1.3% in September, following increases of 0.5% in August and 0.2% in July. It was the biggest monthly gain …

U.S. consumer prices increased at a faster pace in September as a sharp rise in gasoline costs pushed annual inflation to 3.7%, up from 3.4% in August, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The Consumer Price Index rose a seasonally adjusted 0.6% for the month, following a 0.4% increase in August. Gasoline prices jumped …

The Securities and Exchange Commission has proposed a package of rule changes aimed at widening individual investors’ access to private-market strategies through regulated investment vehicles.  The proposals are part of the SEC’s effort to promote what Chairman Paul Atkins called the “responsible retailization” of private markets. The agency said demand for private market investments is …

Securities and Exchange Commission staff urged fund managers, boards and auditors to apply greater rigor to the valuation and disclosure of private assets, with particular attention to private credit as registered funds expand their exposure to illiquid loans. SEC chief accountant Kurt Hohl and Brian Daly, director of the division of investment management, said private …

Regarding the current uncertainty within the economy, various CFOs across the country are quickly changing their approach to strategies to protect their businesses, according to a newly released survey from Grant Thornton, a provider of audit and assurance, tax, and advisory services.  About 46% of CFOs are feeling “pessimistic” about the U.S. economy, and the …

The U.S. Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) has suspended the potential date of the final rule for its anti-money laundering rule, targeted at investment advisors, until January 1, 2028.  FinCEN’s decision to delay the implementation, which was formally introduced under the Biden Administration, comes as the division plans to “revisit the scope” of …

The Federal Reserve finalized changes intended to make its annual bank stress tests more transparent, publicly accountable and less likely to produce sharp year-to-year swings in capital requirements. The changes, largely consistent with proposals issued in 2025, affect the supervisory tests the Fed uses to assess whether large banks can maintain adequate capital and continue …

U.S. finance chiefs remain broadly optimistic about the economy, but the outlook is diverging by company size as smaller firms face greater difficulty covering costs and financing growth, according to a survey released Wednesday. The third-quarter CFO Survey, conducted by Duke University and the Federal Reserve Banks of Richmond and Atlanta, collected responses from 517 …