Latest news with #TheAccountant
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Integra launches AI receptionist for accounting firms
Integra Global Solutions has introduced a new round-the-clock AI-powered receptionist solution built specifically for the accounting industry. The new solution, dubbed AI Receptionist, is designed to address the communication hurdles that contemporary accounting firms encounter. It functions 24/7, guaranteeing that no call is missed, no potential client is overlooked, and no customer feels disregarded. Integra noted that its AI Receptionist, which now available to firms across the US and UK, offers a solution that operates tirelessly and effectively without the need for oversight. Unlike standard call centre bots, Integra's AI Receptionist is built upon insights gathered from more than 20 years of collaboration with accounting firms. This customised approach ensures that the service caters to the specific demands of the sector. Each aspect of the AI Reception Service is designed to align with the workflows of firms and the expectations of clients. The service also considers the cyclical nature of the accounting industry, as highlighted by the company. Integra Global Solutions CEO Ganesh Ranganathan said: 'This launch is a response to what we see every day; accounting firms overwhelmed by administrative tasks and missing critical calls. 'Our AI Answering Services bring intelligent automation to the front desk so firms can stay responsive without increasing headcount or costs. The best part is we handle all the setup and deployment and the accounting firm does not need to learn anything about the AI.' Founded in 2004, Integra Global Solutions offers a range of outsourcing solutions such as accounting, bookkeeping, payroll, tax preparation, virtual staffing and AI bookkeeping bots. "Integra launches AI receptionist for accounting firms" was originally created and published by The Accountant, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Business executives' confidence in US economy wanes
A new survey has revealed that confidence among business leaders regarding the US economy has significantly diminished due to various factors. According to the second-quarter AICPA and CIMA Economic Outlook Survey, fears of a potential recession and the effects of tariffs have played a significant role in this drop in optimism. The survey targets chief executive officers, chief financial officers, controllers, and other senior management accountants, showing that merely 27% of executives currently hold a positive view of the economy. This represents a sharp decline from 47% in the previous quarter and 67% at the conclusion of 2024. Ongoing inflation and the erratic application of tariffs have intensified worries about an economic downturn, according to the survey report. One in five executives believe the US is already undergoing a contraction in the business cycle, while 34% expect one to occur by the end of the year. Among those anticipating a recession, 75% foresee it being moderate to severe. Additionally, two-thirds of executives report considerable uncertainty in business planning due to fluctuating tariff schedules, an increase from 49% last quarter. In light of these challenges, 32% of executives are increasing prices, while 31% are investigating alternative supply chain options. Furthermore, 26% are seeking to cut operating costs as a precautionary measure. The AICPA survey acts as a forward-looking indicator of hiring and business expectations for the forthcoming year. In contrast, the US Department of Labor's employment report examines past hiring patterns. Key findings suggest a tightening in recruitment, with only 14% of executives actively looking to hire new staff, down from 20% last quarter. Additionally, 12% indicated they have an excess of employees, an increase from 8% previously. Projected revenue growth for the next year stands at a mere 1%, the lowest level since the third quarter of 2020. Profit expectations have also turned negative, falling to -0.3% from +1.7% in the previous quarter. Only 37% of executives express a positive outlook regarding their own organisation's prospects for the coming year, a decrease from 50% in the last quarter. The proportion of those anticipating business expansion has also dropped from 57% to 43%. This quarter, "domestic economic conditions" has emerged as the foremost concern for executives, overtaking inflation, which was previously the primary issue. The survey gathered 328 qualified responses from CPAs and CGMAs in leadership positions. "Business executives' confidence in US economy wanes" was originally created and published by The Accountant, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Business executives' confidence in US economy wanes
A new survey has revealed that confidence among business leaders regarding the US economy has significantly diminished due to various factors. According to the second-quarter AICPA and CIMA Economic Outlook Survey, fears of a potential recession and the effects of tariffs have played a significant role in this drop in optimism. The survey targets chief executive officers, chief financial officers, controllers, and other senior management accountants, showing that merely 27% of executives currently hold a positive view of the economy. This represents a sharp decline from 47% in the previous quarter and 67% at the conclusion of 2024. Ongoing inflation and the erratic application of tariffs have intensified worries about an economic downturn, according to the survey report. One in five executives believe the US is already undergoing a contraction in the business cycle, while 34% expect one to occur by the end of the year. Among those anticipating a recession, 75% foresee it being moderate to severe. Additionally, two-thirds of executives report considerable uncertainty in business planning due to fluctuating tariff schedules, an increase from 49% last quarter. In light of these challenges, 32% of executives are increasing prices, while 31% are investigating alternative supply chain options. Furthermore, 26% are seeking to cut operating costs as a precautionary measure. The AICPA survey acts as a forward-looking indicator of hiring and business expectations for the forthcoming year. In contrast, the US Department of Labor's employment report examines past hiring patterns. Key findings suggest a tightening in recruitment, with only 14% of executives actively looking to hire new staff, down from 20% last quarter. Additionally, 12% indicated they have an excess of employees, an increase from 8% previously. Projected revenue growth for the next year stands at a mere 1%, the lowest level since the third quarter of 2020. Profit expectations have also turned negative, falling to -0.3% from +1.7% in the previous quarter. Only 37% of executives express a positive outlook regarding their own organisation's prospects for the coming year, a decrease from 50% in the last quarter. The proportion of those anticipating business expansion has also dropped from 57% to 43%. This quarter, "domestic economic conditions" has emerged as the foremost concern for executives, overtaking inflation, which was previously the primary issue. The survey gathered 328 qualified responses from CPAs and CGMAs in leadership positions. "Business executives' confidence in US economy wanes" was originally created and published by The Accountant, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
The Hindu
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
‘The Accountant 2' movie review: Adds up to a fairly good time
An assassin, Anaïs (Daniella Pineda), walks into a bar to meet Raymond King (J.K. Simmons), a former Treasury agent. He tells her he needs help finding a missing Salvadoran family and is then killed in the ensuing shootout. Treasury agent and King's protégée, Marybeth Medina (Cynthia Addai-Robinson), finds King's body with 'Find the Accountant' scrawled on his arm. Meanwhile, Christian Wolff (Ben Affleck), aka the Accountant, has gamed the dating app system and finds himself at a singles night, baring his teeth in what he imagines to be a pleasant smile. Though skeptical, Medina contacts Wolff, who ropes in his brother Braxton (Jon Bernthal) for backup. Braxton is still a lethal assassin, despite being two weeks away from adopting a corgi puppy (aww) and sharing stories about the well-paid terrier from The Wizard of Oz with the lady at his job site. Chris, who is on the spectrum and brilliant with numbers, works as an accountant for dangerous people around the world. He stays one step ahead of the villains with help from Justine (Allison Robertson, Alison Wright, voice), whom he met as a boy at the Harbor Neuroscience Academy. The Accountant 2 (English) Director: Gavin O'Connor Cast: Ben Affleck, Jon Bernthal, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Daniella Pineda, J.K. Simmons Storyline: A family goes missing, and everyone searching for them ends up in deep trouble. Run time: 132 minutes The hunt for the Salvadoran family pits the trio against human traffickers and all-around bad guys, including Burke (Robert Morgan), Cobb (Grant Harvey), and Batu (Andrew Howard). While not as tightly written as 2016's The Accountant, and therefore not quite as fun, The Accountant 2 shines in scenes where Bernthal and Affleck riff off each other. Shifting the focus away from Affleck's autistic accountant makes the sequel feel more like a standard action flick. The sequel also suffers from several inexplicable plot points. Unlike the original, where Medina's methodical tracking of Christian felt detailed and believable, this film skips over key motivations, starting with why King spent his retirement searching for this one family. Christian's back-story and where he got his particular set of skills added layers of authenticity to the character while helping in the world building. Still, Affleck remains watchable as ever, and even busts out some cool dance moves. What is with all these dancing accountants? We just saw Tom Hiddleston burn up the dance floor in The Life of Chuck! Apparently, a third film and a series are in the works. For fans of The Accountant, the sequel may not deliver the same delight, but it is still a fairly engrossing action film with slick fights and high-octane chases. The Accountant 2 is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video
Metro
06-06-2025
- Business
- Metro
'Loopy' action thriller lands on Amazon Prime with viewers cancelling plans
A new action thriller film has already landed on Amazon Prime Video despite its UK cinema release date only coming two months ago. The Accountant 2, starring Ben Affleck, is a sequel to the 2016 action film The Accountant, which also starred Ben in the lead role of Christian Wolff. Following the story of autistic accountant Christian, The Accountant followed Ben's character as he secretly reworked accounts for international criminal organisations. It received a mixed response from critics, and has a 53% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, but has developed a cult following in the nine years since its release. And while it was made on a budget of $44million (£32.5m), the film – directed by Gavin O'Connor – made back $155m (£115m) at the global box office. Starring Anna Kendrick too, The Accountant was popular with viewers, and a sequel was greenlit by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer after years of development. Directed again by Gavin O'Connor, The Accountant 2 saw Ben Affleck reprise his role and starred opposite Jon Bernthal, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, and JK Simmons once more. The sequel sees Christian drawn back into the criminal underworld after a mutual acquaintance is killed, uncovering a deadly conspiracy along the way. Critics were much kinder to it upon release earlier this year, with the film currently boasting a solid 72% critical rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on more than 200 reviews. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Fans are super keen too, with the audience rating sat at 92%, which is a marked improvement upon the 77% audience rating from the first film. On X, user @4P1HT commented: 'The Accountant 2 is a solid action entertainer. It also gets unexpectedly quite intense in some places.' @PlanetReview concurred: 'The film is a fun buddy comedy. It's proof that a movie doesn't have to be deep to have a good time at the movies, and that's perfectly fine! 'The action is fun too. The characters are funny. However, the chemistry between leads Ben Affleck and Jon Bernthal is as charming as it is electric.' Variety film critic Owen Gleiberman referred to The Accountant 2 as 'agreeably loopy' and described it as a 'hyperviolent good time'. @UcheKL said 'Jon Bernthal and Ben Affleck have amazing screen chemistry,' while @HeyKayKay described 'the brother chemistry' as 'top notch'. @HayKayKay also argued: 'Wait. I thought [The Accountant 2] was even better than the first one and so heartfelt. Like, I'm over here crying.' More Trending @MarkOwenH raved: 'The Accountant 2 was not good… it was excellent. Normally the second installment is mailed into the viewer. Not in this case. Well done gentlepeople. Well done indeed.' And @RobertPalacios2 said: 'I enjoyed The Accountant 2 even more on a second viewing. Affleck and Bernthal are a great pairing.' While The Accountant 2 has gone over better with fans and critics, its box office figures didn't quite match up, with the film making back just $101m (£74.5m) against a budget of $80m (£59m). View More » The Accountant 2 is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Amazon Prime fans heartbroken by 'tear-jerking' show – with only days left to binge MORE: I binge-watch TV for a living – here are my recommendations for June MORE: Amazon Prime fans urged to binge 'excellent' sci-fi series before all episodes disappear
