The Accountants Confidence Index started off the year with a dip, in both short-term and the mid-term expectations.
The ACI, published in partnership with ADP, is a monthly economic indicator that leverages the insights of accountants into the strength and prospects of businesses in the U.S. The 3-Month ACI came in at 49.75, down from the previous month's 50.11, and just below the 50-mark that separates expectations of growth from expectations of contraction. The 6-Month ACI, meanwhile, came in at 52.31, down just slightly from last month's 53.62.
The biggest moves among the index components were in panelists' expectations for growth at their large-business clients, which were down two points in the short term and three in the mid-term.
The ACI is created from a monthly poll of the Accounting Today Executive Research Council, an online community of more than 1,500 tax and accounting professionals.