Ken Witt, CPA, CGMA, AICPA & CIMA associate director – Management Accounting Research and Development, discusses in this JofA podcast episode the reasons that finance executives in a quarterly AICPA & CIMA survey continue to lower their optimism about the U.S. economy.

He also reveals what CPA decision-makers now view as their organization’s top challenge. For the first time in a long time, it’s not inflation.

On the episode that detailed the previous quarter’s survey, Witt noted that inflation “seems to be settling out a little bit.” This quarter’s survey data shows that was an accurate assessment, as inflation concerns are diminishing somewhat.

What you’ll learn from this episode:

·         Details about Witt’s assessment of this quarter’s results as “interesting.”

·         The surprising parts of the third-quarter data.

·         Updated projections for revenue and profits in the coming 12 months.

·         How election-year uncertainty is affecting CPA decision-makers’ business forecasting efforts.

·         The percentage of finance executives who say that a potential lowering of the federal funds rate would have a favorable impact on their business.