Listing of AFP News Articleshttp://www.afponline.org/ArticleRss.ashxThu, 20 Jun 2013 02:04:23 -0400Thu, 20 Jun 2013 02:04:23 -0400Following the U.S. equity market indexes peaking on May 22, the investor community has been trying to figure out how the next chapter of the recovery story will play out. As the U.S. economy improves, the need for stimulus will decrease, and the market has been trying to contemplate going back to a more “normal” environment.http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/This_Week_in_Corporate_Finance__Back_to_Normal_.htmlMon, 17 Jun 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/This_Week_in_Corporate_Finance__Back_to_Normal_.html Jeanine Arnett, AFP's Director of Government Relations and Public Policy, explains the impact of proposed money-market fund regulations on corporate treasury and discusses AFP's advocacy efforts to lower corporate taxes.http://www.afponline.org/pub/res/news/VIDEO__MMF,_Corporate_Tax_Reform.htmlWed, 12 Jun 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/pub/res/news/VIDEO__MMF,_Corporate_Tax_Reform.htmlStagnant personal income and wages during April led to only a modest increase in consumer spending during the month.http://www.afponline.org/pub/res/news/AFP_EconWatch__June_3,_2013.htmlMon, 03 Jun 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/pub/res/news/AFP_EconWatch__June_3,_2013.htmlManaging the financing of Gilead Sciences' $11-billion acquisition of Pharmasset Inc. offered unique insights on the whole financing process. Gilead was able to secure the bridge financing and set up the permanent financing just 11 days after announcing the acquisition.http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/Case_Study__Securing_Financing_in_Record_Time.htmlTue, 28 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/Case_Study__Securing_Financing_in_Record_Time.htmlFor years China has enjoyed a virtual monopoly on rare earth elements, but that could change in the next 10 years. China’s 97.3 percent share of the REE market could shrink significantly as Canadian companies prepare to extract REEs from mines in Quebec to Alberta to the Northwest Territories. Treasurers will play a significant role in this 21st century gold rush.http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/Rare_Opportunities_for_Canadian_Treasurers.htmlTue, 28 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/Rare_Opportunities_for_Canadian_Treasurers.htmlHome sales remain strong this spring even as growing demand and tight supplies have led to double-digit year-to-year price increases.http://www.afponline.org/pub/res/news/AFP_EconWatch_-_May_28,_2013.htmlTue, 28 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/pub/res/news/AFP_EconWatch_-_May_28,_2013.htmlThe Dow hit a new all-time high of 15,542.40, the S&P 500 reached its new all-time high of 1,687.18, and the NASDAQ touched another 12½-year high of 3,532.04. Even with the sell-off since Wednesday, the indexes are all up over 21 percent over the past 12 months.http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/This_Week_in_Corporate_Finance__Dow,_S_P_Hit_All-Time_Highs.htmlMon, 27 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/This_Week_in_Corporate_Finance__Dow,_S_P_Hit_All-Time_Highs.htmlThe world—at least here in the USA—has been up, up, and away since the release of the employment report back on May 3. Every day seems to bring new highs to the stock market, and the news in both the housing and employment worlds seems to be getting stronger with each data release.http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/This_Week_in_Corporate_Finance__A_Bright_Future_.htmlMon, 13 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/This_Week_in_Corporate_Finance__A_Bright_Future_.htmlYou are most marketable as a passive job candidate. Here are three recommendations for using LinkedIn Recruiter, a stealth hiring tool that specifically targets passive candidates.http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/CFO_Coach__How_Companies_Are_Finding_Passive_Job_Candidates.htmlFri, 10 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/CFO_Coach__How_Companies_Are_Finding_Passive_Job_Candidates.htmlBuyers everywhere face pressure to deliver cost savings for their organizations. The problem is that too many eyes become focused on stated vendor cost rather than Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/FP_A__Calculating_the_Total_Cost_of_Ownership.htmlFri, 10 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/FP_A__Calculating_the_Total_Cost_of_Ownership.htmlMany FP&A professionals spend the majority of their day manually grinding through spreadsheets, wasting time on data manipulation instead of focusing on analysis. Certain advanced spreadsheet functions can help reduce time spent collecting and managing data and redirect that time to more productive ends.http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/Advanced_Spreadsheet_Functions_for_FP_A_Professionals.htmlWed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/Advanced_Spreadsheet_Functions_for_FP_A_Professionals.htmlThe pace of economic expansion picked up during the first three months of 2013, but the growth rate in the gross domestic product (GDP) was slower than anticipated.http://www.afponline.org/pub/res/news/AFP_EconWatch__GDP_Growth_Slow_in_Q1_2013.htmlMon, 29 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/pub/res/news/AFP_EconWatch__GDP_Growth_Slow_in_Q1_2013.htmlI think it is safe to say that we just completed a strange week. Events in Boston were the focus for many of us here in the U.S., and the developments on the economic and financial fronts ended up being background noise, though they were significant.http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/This_Week_in_Corporate_Finance.htmlMon, 22 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/This_Week_in_Corporate_Finance.htmlFerdinand Jahnel, Vice President and Treasurer at Henry Schein Inc. and AFP Board Member, discusses the challenges and opportunities he has faced throughout his career. A member of AFP since 2005, Jahnel has been a speaker at various AFP events.  http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/AFP_Board_Member_Profile__Ferdinand_Jahnel.htmlWed, 17 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/AFP_Board_Member_Profile__Ferdinand_Jahnel.htmlThis was another week where the equity markets touched new or multi-year highs, the bond market sold off a bit, and the economic outlook is lukewarm at best. Time will tell if we have finally moved to a period of determining how fast the U.S. economy is growing, rather than asking: is the U.S. economy growing?http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/This_Week_in_Corporate_Finance__Lukewarm_Outlook_.htmlMon, 15 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/This_Week_in_Corporate_Finance__Lukewarm_Outlook_.html A sharp drop in the price of energy goods led to the first decline in producer prices in three months during March.http://www.afponline.org/pub/res/news/AFP_EconWatch__Producer_Prices_Decline.htmlMon, 15 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/pub/res/news/AFP_EconWatch__Producer_Prices_Decline.htmlThe U.S. economy created fewer jobs in March than it had in any previous month since last summer. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that non-farm payrolls expanded by a seasonally adjusted 88,000 workers last month, the first time the economy failed to create at least 100,000 jobs since it added 87,000 workers last June.http://www.afponline.org/pub/res/news/AFP_EconWatch__U_S__Economy_Stumbles.htmlMon, 08 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/pub/res/news/AFP_EconWatch__U_S__Economy_Stumbles.htmlThe see-saw which is the U.S. economy continued again last week as a weaker-than-expected payrolls report put a bit of a damper on the recent positive narrative we had been witnessing. Concerns about the economy not being as robust as previously thought caused money to move in a classic “risk-off” trade and U.S. Treasury securities were the beneficiaries at the expense of the equity market.http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/This_Week_in_Corporate_Finance__U_S__Payrolls_Weaker_than_Expected.htmlMon, 08 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/This_Week_in_Corporate_Finance__U_S__Payrolls_Weaker_than_Expected.htmlIn a stark contrast to previous quarters, Canadian CFOs’ optimism in first quarter 2013 was fairly modest compared to that of their U.S. counterparts. According to a new survey, Canadian CFOs’ net optimism recovered only slightly, going from -6 in Q4 2012 to +7 in Q1 2013, while U.S. CFOs' optimism went from -11 to +32.http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/Survey__Canadian_CFOs_Less_Optimistic_than_American_Peers.htmlThu, 04 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/Survey__Canadian_CFOs_Less_Optimistic_than_American_Peers.htmlConsumers appear to have brushed off concerns about federal budget spending cuts, at least for now, if their spending behavior is any indication.  http://www.afponline.org/pub/res/news/EconWatch__Consumer_Spending_Increases.htmlMon, 01 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/pub/res/news/EconWatch__Consumer_Spending_Increases.htmlWelcome to the end of the first quarter and a hopeful beginning of a healthy and prosperous second quarter. While we continue to experience some headwinds coming out of Europe, the mood here is one of guarded optimism.http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/This_Week_in_Corporate_Finance__Guarded_Optimism_as_Q2_Begins.htmlMon, 01 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/This_Week_in_Corporate_Finance__Guarded_Optimism_as_Q2_Begins.htmlDeveloping and retaining talent is a challenge for any treasury department. Even though the U.S. job market is still struggling, an individual with the right combination of education and experience can be a hot commodity. Microsoft’s treasury department has a unique approach.http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/How_Microsoft_Develops,_Retains_Treasury_Talent.htmlWed, 27 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/How_Microsoft_Develops,_Retains_Treasury_Talent.htmlAgathe Côté, Deputy Governor of the Bank of Canada, spoke at Association for Financial Professionals of Canada-Montreal on Tuesday. She discussed the critical role of the Canadian financial market infrastructure, and the steps that the central bank, regulators and the industry are taking to strengthen that system.http://www.afponline.org/pub/res/news/Cote_Discusses_Financial_Market_Infrastructure_at_AFPC_Montreal.htmlTue, 26 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/pub/res/news/Cote_Discusses_Financial_Market_Infrastructure_at_AFPC_Montreal.htmlWe spent most of the week going back-and-forth as to whether Cyprus could be another Greece. The debt and equity markets rallied and fell depending on the latest news out of Nicosia. The general feeling at week’s end was that while this was probably not going to be a major disruption to the world financial markets.http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/This_Week_in_Corporate_Finance__Cyprus_Shake-Up.htmlMon, 25 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/This_Week_in_Corporate_Finance__Cyprus_Shake-Up.htmlThe Federal Open Market Committee voted last week to stay the course with its aggressive accommodative policies even though it acknowledged a rebound in economic activity.http://www.afponline.org/pub/res/news/EconWatch__FOMC_Votes_to_Stay_the_Course.htmlMon, 25 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/pub/res/news/EconWatch__FOMC_Votes_to_Stay_the_Course.htmlAt nonprofits, personal fit is every bit as important as professional pedigree. Still, nonprofits may have different philosophical missions than corporations, but operations are no less dependent on sound fiscal policy.http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/Treasury,_Finance_Executives_Find_Success_at_Nonprofits.htmlFri, 22 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/Treasury,_Finance_Executives_Find_Success_at_Nonprofits.htmlCurrent annual budgeting, in most companies, is a time-consuming task that lasts anywhere from six to nine months (or even more), and the budget is usually not accurate by the time the budgeted year begins. Forecasting is an ongoing core management process, not an annual event.http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/Best_Practices__Driver-Based_Forecasting.htmlTue, 19 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/Best_Practices__Driver-Based_Forecasting.htmlAmong the risks that have the biggest impact on the ability of financial professionals to forecast corporate earnings, the AFP 2013 Risk Management Survey identified consumer behavior/satisfaction as being right near the top. The message is clear: even subtle changes in consumer preferences, fickle clients and changing tastes can dramatically affect your business. http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/Bottom_Line__Understanding_Today_s_Consumer.htmlTue, 19 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/Bottom_Line__Understanding_Today_s_Consumer.htmlIn this week's edition: manufacturing picked up some steam in February as output grew for the third time over the past four months.http://www.afponline.org/pub/res/news/AFP_EconWatch__March_18,_2013.htmlMon, 18 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/pub/res/news/AFP_EconWatch__March_18,_2013.htmlLike many organizations, the Doe Run Company recently installed software as a service (SaaS) to replace its spreadsheet-based planning and forecasting process. Most mid-sized business shy away from high-end enterprise planning solutions, but Doe Run reached a point where it had to switch to something else.http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/Case_Study__FP_A_Group_Switches_to_SaaS.htmlFri, 15 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0400http://www.afponline.org/mbr/reg/res/reg_news/Case_Study__FP_A_Group_Switches_to_SaaS.html