The Financial Accounting Standards Board has beefed up its standards for multiple-employer pension plans, requiring employers to provide more information about their pension plan obligations, particularly for unionized employees.

The Securities and Exchange Commission unanimously voted Tuesday to require large trading firms to identify themselves, so their market activities can be tracked.

Michael Andrew, chairman-elect of KPMG International, announced the firm's new leadership team today, including a new deputy chairman and new global heads of tax and advisory, as well as a new regional leader in Asia-Pacific.

A federal judge is allowing a shareholder lawsuit to proceed against a group of auditing firms that signed off on audits of China Expert Technology, a company they have accused of committing accounting fraud.

IMGCAP(1)]On May 25, 2011, the Securities and Exchange Commission issued its final rules implementing the new whistleblower program of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.

The London-based International Valuation Standards Council has published a set of new International Valuation Standards covering a wide range of assets.

There used to be this great TV spot for a large commercial bank that spoofed its competitors' overlong waiting periods before depositors could get approved for a loan.

Six community banks have received a total of $123 million as part of the first wave of capital provided by the Small Business Lending Fund, according to the Treasury Department.

The Governmental Accounting Standards Board issued two new standards Wednesday that aim to improve government financial reporting in two timely areas: providing taxpayers and others with information about how past transactions will continue to affect a government’s financial statements in the future, and clarifying the circumstances in which hedge accounting continues to be applied when a swap counterparty, or related credit support provider, is replaced.

The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board has issued for public comment a set of proposed audit and attestation standards for audit engagements of broker-dealers.

The Financial Accounting Standards Board has begun developing a “differential framework” that would help provide a short-term solution for creating distinct standards or exceptions for private companies.

The Governmental Accounting Standards Board issued a “preliminary views” document Monday on the recognition and measurement of elements of financial statements.

The Governmental Accounting Standards Board is proposing some far-reaching changes in the field of pension accounting that should affect public employees and state and local governments across the country.

The Governmental Accounting Standards Board has issued two exposure drafts proposing improvements to financial reporting of pensions by state and local governments.

The International Accounting Education Standards Board has proposed a set of clarified standards and revisions governing the practical experience requirements for aspiring professional accountants.

JULY

The Securities and Exchange Commission held a roundtable discussion Thursday on International Financial Reporting Standards and how they ultimately might be incorporated into the U.S. financial reporting system.

IMGCAP(1)]Why aren’t businesses hiring?

Check out the digital edition of the July 2011 issue of Accounting Today.

Officials from the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board are heading to China later this month to meet with officials there to try to resolve the growing problems with audits of U.S.-listed Chinese companies.