Big business

Confidence in the U.S. economy among business leaders has climbed sharply in the wake of the presidential election, according to a new survey from PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Only 23 percent of family companies have a robust succession plan in place, according to a new report from PricewaterhouseCoopers, with 46 percent saying they are reluctant to pass the business to the next generation.

RSM US chief economist Joe Brusuelas gives his predictions in this video for the 2017 U.S. economy and middle-market businesses.

The Accountants Confidence Index started off the year with a dip, in both short-term and the mid-term expectations.

The Accountants Confidence Index drifted up slightly for January, with both the short-term and the mid-term figures above 50.

The Accountants Confidence Index straddled the line that separates growth and contraction this month, with the mid-term showing growth and the short-term forecasting a very slight contraction.

The Accountants Confidence Index continued to rise again this month, in both the mid-term and the short-term, perhaps reflecting the respondents' move from the summer doldrums to the busier fall season.

After a few months of ups and downs, the Accountants Confidence Index rose again this month, in both the mid-term and the short-term.

After a steep drop last month, the Accountants Confidence Index levelled off this month, with both the short-term and mid-term measurements drooping slightly.