Business Executives Express Strong

Business Executives Express Strong Optimism in U.S. Economy in AICPA Post-Election Survey

According to the American Institute of CPA's (AICPA) Quarterly Economic Outlook Survey, which surveys CEOs, CFOs, regulators and other certified companies, business leaders have reported an increase in optimism about The prospects of the United States economy. Public accountants in US companies that occupy positions of senior managers and executives. The investigation is in the plant the day after the day of the elections.

 Optimism about the outlook for the US economy over the next 12 months rose from 38 percent last quarter to 62 percent, the highest since the beginning of 2015. It had been as low as 28 percent starting in 2016.

The optimism of entrepreneurs to the prospects of their own organizations also reached its highest level (61 percent, 8 percentage points more than last quarter) since early 2015, as well as for-profit expectations and income in the next year. Three out of four respondents said the outcome of the presidential election would impact their planning, budgets and forecasts for next year, with 15% saying it would have a significant impact. But most have said that the election would have no impact on their hiring and capital expenditures, or that they just continue to treat these classes at their current rate for now.

Optimistic about the US economy that have specifically cited election results in the comments said they were encouraged by the possibility of reduced regulation, reduced income taxes and repeal of the Affordable Care Act.

 "We are seeing renewed confidence in the US economy, from the encouraging signs on the prospects for revenue, earnings and business growth in the third quarter," said Arleen R. Thomas, CPA, CGMA, AICPA global bids. "Eliminating the uncertainty that the cycle of presidential elections represented seems to be an important factor in this significant increase in optimism."

The AICPA survey is an indicator for the future after hiring and business-related expectations over the next 12 months. By comparison, the November report of the US Department of Labor, released last week, tracks the recruitment trends of the previous month.

The Outlook CPA index - a complete confidence executive measure within the AICPA survey - rose five points in the fourth quarter to 74, mainly due to higher economic category optimism in the United States. The index consists of nine measures of research also established weighted on a scale of 0 to 100, with 50 considered neutral, that is, the most positive feeling.

 The overall index is at its highest level since the first quarter of 2015 but remains below a peak of the subsequent recession of 78 September in the fourth quarter of 2014. All components of the index increased in a quarter and Were stable or increasing from year to year.

Other key findings of the survey:

1 Expectations for revenue growth over the next 12 months rose 2.9 percent last quarter to 3.6 percent. Earnings expectations increased from 2.3% to 3.1%. Both categories recorded a strong recovery after the first quarter of this year.
2 Approximately 62% of business executives said their companies anticipate they will grow over the next year, as the last quarter.
3 There has been a slight improvement in the plans for the addition of the labor force in the next 12 months, from an expected increase of 1.3% from the previous quarter to 1.6%. One in five business executives said they planned to hire new employees immediately, slightly less than 21 percent in the last quarter. But 55 percent said they currently had just the right amount of employees.
4 Approximately 28% of employers said that inflation was a concern, the highest level since 2014.
5 Regulatory requirements and changes continued to be the main challenge faced by researchers. Costs of benefits were second, a jump of two places compared to the previous quarter. The national economic conditions have completed the first three.


methodology

The fourth quarter of the AICPA Survey of Industry Economics Prospects was conducted Nov. 9-30, 2016, and included 600 qualified child protection responses that have post