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Business Recorder
4 days ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
Confidence among global accountants remains fragile despite Q2 rise: GECS
KARACHI: The ACCA and IMA Global Economic Conditions Survey (GECS) showed improving global confidence in Q2 2025, with the index reaching its highest since Q3 2024. That said, confidence among accountants is still at a low level by historical standards. The New Orders and Capital Expenditure indices both declined modestly, although the former is at its historical average and the latter not much below and both are at levels broadly similar to other readings since the aftermath of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Meanwhile, the Employment Index improved and is not that far below its historical average. Of the major regions, confidence in North America rose in Q2, amid some improvement in sentiment among U.S.-based accountants, but it remains depressed by historical standards. Western Europe saw another moderate gain in confidence aided by a further improvement in the UK from its record low in Q4 2024. By contrast, confidence fell sharply in Asia Pacific, erasing the gains made in Q1 2025. The deterioration in the backdrop for global trade, amid major changes in U.S. trade policy, was likely the key factor weighing on sentiment. Jonathan Ashworth, Chief Economist, ACCA, said: 'Global growth has generally proved quite resilient in the first half of 2025, despite the large increases in U.S. tariffs and massive rise in uncertainty. While the key GECS indicators are certainly not pointing to a global economy in rude health, with confidence in particular remaining low, neither are they suggesting that a major downswing is imminent.' 'Nevertheless, with higher tariffs likely to push U.S. inflation higher over coming months, and as uncertainty and tariffs weigh on the U.S. and global economies, some slowing in global growth looks likely over the second half of 2025.' Alain Mulder, Senior Director, Europe Operations & Global Special Projects at IMA said: 'Global cost pressures eased according to accountants, although there are divergent regional pressures. The proportion of North American respondents reporting increased operating costs eased slightly, although it remains on the high side historically after the large increase in Q1, raising the risk that firms may attempt to raise prices over coming months.' Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
American Press
15-07-2025
- American Press
Beauregard firefighter dies in crash responding to call
Associated Press Archives Special to the American Press A volunteer firefighter from DeRidder died as the result of crash that happened while he was responding to an emergency call for service. The crash happened early Tuesday morning. Shortly after 4 a.m., Louisiana State Police Troop D began investigating the single-vehicle crash on Scallon Road south of La. 26 in Beauregard Parish. The crash claimed the life of 23-year-old Beauregard Parish volunteer fire fighter Jonathan Ashworth. The preliminary investigation revealed that Ashworth was driving a 2017 Ford F-150 west on Scallon Road while responding to an emergency call. For reasons still under investigation, the Ford traveled off the roadway to the left while in a curve and struck multiple trees. Ashworth sustained fatal injuries and died at the scene. Due to the severity of the damage, restraint use for Ashworth is still being determined. A passenger in the vehicle, who was properly restrained, sustained moderate injuries. A routine toxicology sample was collected and submitted for analysis. This crash remains under investigation.
The Guardian
06-07-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
One year of Labour - Politics Weekly live at Crossed Wires festival
One year on from Keir Starmer's election victory and Labour are well behind Reform in the polls, while the government is already having to bend to the will of its backbenchers. So how can Starmer recover? Kiran Stacey talks to Jonathan Ashworth, the chief executive of Labour Together and former MP for Leicester South, and Marie Tidball, the Labour MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge, about the party's first year in government, live at the Crossed Wires podcast festival in Sheffield
Associated Press
10-04-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Confidence Among Global Accountants Falls Further in Q1 2025 Amid Very Sharp Decline in the U.S.
Among North America-based accountants, confidence falls to its lowest level recorded by the quarterly Global Economic Conditions Survey (GECS) from ACCA and IMA WASHINGTON and MONTVALE, N.J., April 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Confidence among global accountants declined for the third quarter in a row in early 2025, remaining at its lowest since 2020, according to the Q1 2025 Global Economic Conditions Survey (GECS). Highlights and the full report are available at The quarterly survey from ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) and IMA® (Institute of Management Accountants) indicates that confidence fell markedly in North America amid a huge fall in the U.S., with confidence among U.S.-based accountants at its second lowest level recorded since GECS launched in 2011, and confidence among North America-based accountants at its lowest. The survey of accountants took place between late February and mid-March, and so was completed in the build up to last week's major announcement by the U.S. on import tariffs, which significantly increased the downside risks to the global economy. Commentary from survey respondents suggests that U.S. trade policy has been the key factor weighing on sentiment, as well as cuts in government spending. Expectations for increases in the latter have fallen sharply in recent quarters. Moreover, the U.S. Capital Expenditure and Employment indices both declined and are at very low levels historically. More encouragingly, the U.S. New Orders Index rose again and is not too far below its average. Elsewhere, there were decent gains in confidence in Asia Pacific and Western Europe, after sharp falls in previous quarters, despite the growing risk from U.S. import tariffs. Meanwhile, cost pressures increased globally, remaining very elevated in Western Europe and rising quite materially in North America. 'Global growth has generally proved quite resilient over recent quarters. Nonetheless, the longer that confidence remains depressed, the greater the risk that a self-reinforcing negative cycle could potentially develop, with firms pulling back on orders, capital expenditure and hiring,' said Jonathan Ashworth, Chief Economist, ACCA. 'Unfortunately, with global trade tensions stepping up markedly since the survey was completed, the downside risks to the global economy have increased significantly.' 'New U.S. policies on trade and government spending, and the uncertainty surrounding them, appear to have had a large negative impact on confidence, while declines in the stock market and signs of slowing in the U.S. economy were likely factors too,' said Alain Mulder, Senior Director Europe Operations & Global Special Projects at IMA. The highest overall risk identified by accountants in Q1 was the economy, but responses varied across sectors. Cybersecurity was the highest risk for financial services, tied in first with talent scarcity for the public and not-for-profit sector. The corporate sector ranked economic woes first and geopolitical instability a tight second. Geopolitical risks came in second overall – the first time GECS recorded it above third – with respondents in the U.S. especially, commenting on the implications of new policy changes and tariffs. Read the full survey here: About ACCA We are ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants), a globally recognized professional accountancy body providing qualifications and advancing standards in accountancy worldwide. Founded in 1904 to widen access to the accountancy profession, we've long championed inclusion and today proudly support a diverse community of over 252,500 members and 526,000 future members in 180 countries. Our forward-looking qualifications, continuous learning and insights are respected and valued by employers in every sector. They equip individuals with the business and finance expertise and ethical judgment to create, protect, and report the sustainable value delivered by organisations and economies. Guided by our purpose and values, our ambition is to lead the accountancy profession for a changed world. Partnering with policymakers, standard setters, the donor community, educators and other accountancy bodies, we're strengthening and building a profession that drives a sustainable future for all. Find out more at: About IMA® (Institute of Management Accountants) IMA® is one of the largest and most respected associations focused exclusively on advancing the management accounting profession. Globally, IMA supports the profession through research, the CMA® (Certified Management Accountant), CSCA® (Certified in Strategy and Competitive Analysis), and FMAA™ (Financial and Managerial Accounting Associate) certification programs, continuing education, networking, and advocacy of the highest ethical business practices. Twice named Professional Body of the Year by The Accountant/International Accounting Bulletin, IMA has a global network of about 140,000 members in 150 countries and 200+ professional and student chapters. Headquartered in Montvale, N.J., USA, IMA provides localized services through its six global regions: The Americas, China, Europe, Middle East/North Africa, India, and Asia Pacific. For more information about IMA, please visit About GECS The Global Economic Conditions Survey (GECS), carried out jointly by ACCA and IMA, is the largest regular economic survey of accountants around the world, in both the number of respondents and the range of economic variables it monitors. The GECS has been conducted every quarter since 2011. Its main indices are good lead indicators of economic activity and provide a valuable insight into the views of finance professionals on key variables, such as investment, employment and costs. Fieldwork for the 2025 Q1 survey took place between 25th Feb – 13th March 2025, gathering 516 responses.
