https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w172zrs7fmvz1m8
Tony Nash joins BBC Business Matters to discuss the demnimis exemption for US imports; US GDP, the Fed and Lisa Cook; Korean shipyard investment in the US, etc.
Author: tn@completeintel.com
New MIT Paper: Cut Finance Oversight Time by 40%: From Compliance to Budgeting
Financial leaders today face a difficult balance. On one side is the familiar world of compliance with annual audits, quarterly reports, and reconciliations. On the other is a fast-moving reality of complex supply chains, volatile markets, and rapid capital flows. A recent academic paper highlights the growing tension between these two worlds. Traditional audit and planning processes are no longer enough to keep up.
The Core Challenge: Oversight Is Falling Behind
The paper highlights three major risks for finance teams:
Information Overload. The volume of financial and operational data overwhelms review processes. Risks are buried until it is too late.
Lagging Oversight. Audits and compliance checks remain backward-looking. Anomalies often appear only after they have distorted results.
Systemic Fragility. Complex reporting systems create space for both errors and manipulation. These issues are often uncovered slowly.
For Controllers and FP&A teams, these risks are not academic. They are daily challenges that undermine trust with executives, investors, and regulators. Markets punish uncertainty, and delays in oversight can quickly damage valuation.
Why This Matters for Controllers and FP&A
Controllers must ensure accuracy and compliance. FP&A must guide strategy with forecasts and plans. Both functions face the same obstacle: delayed insight.
Deloitte found that 70% of finance leaders rank manual reconciliations as their top time drain.
Gartner estimates that finance teams spend up to 40% of their time collecting and validating data instead of analyzing it.
Hackett Group benchmarks show that inaccurate or stale forecasts cost companies 6–8% of annual revenue.
Controllers often uncover irregularities after the fact. FP&A teams frequently base forecasts on incomplete data. Together, this widens the gap between compliance and foresight.
A Shift Toward Continuous Oversight
The paper calls for a new model of oversight. Finance must adopt what can be called dynamic assurance. Instead of static point-in-time reviews, oversight must be continuous.
Proactive Anomaly Detection. Reduce the time to uncover irregularities from weeks or months to hours or days.
Continuous AI-driven Forecasting. Stress-test assumptions quickly. Accenture reports this can cut planning cycles by 30 to 50 percent.
Integrated Intelligence. Connect oversight with operational data in real time. McKinsey finds this can increase forecast accuracy by 20 to 25 percent.
This evolution does not replace audits or compliance. It strengthens them with always-on intelligence and gives finance leaders more time to analyze and guide strategy.
Technology’s Role in Closing the Gap
Technology now delivers measurable improvements.
For Controllers, machine learning tools can reduce false positives in anomaly detection by up to 60 percent. This frees staff to focus on critical issues.
For FP&A, predictive analytics and rolling forecasts can shrink planning cycles from six weeks to two. At the same time, accuracy improves in volatile markets.
The payoff is clear. Faster detection means fewer surprises. More accurate forecasts mean better allocation of resources. Finance teams that move to continuous oversight earn credibility with executives, boards, and investors.
AuditFlow helps Controllers surface anomalies faster and with higher accuracy, turning weeks of review into hours of detection.
BudgetFlow gives FP&A leaders AI-powered forecasting and scenario analysis, cutting planning cycles and improving accuracy. Both tools support the shift the paper calls for. Finance can move beyond compliance and into foresight.
Investors Climbing The Wall of Worry?
https://www.bfm.my/content/podcast/investors-climbing-the-wall-of-worryURL
Markets continue to inch up even though investors were slightly disappointed with Nvidia’s guidance. We speak to Tony Nash, CEO from Complete Intelligence as to whether this rally is sustainable. We also ask if markets in Hong Kong and China still have upside and what those catalysts are.
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Weekly Outlook: August 25, 2025
Weekly Outlook: August 25, 2025
A surprisingly dovish tone from the Federal Reserve at its Jackson Hole symposium has completely reset the market’s narrative for the weeks ahead. Fears of a “higher for longer” interest rate policy have been replaced by a wave of optimism, unleashing a powerful “risk on” rally. This week, we examine how this new sentiment is lifting the broad market, reigniting growth stocks, and reviving the outlook for the global economy.
The Green Light for Equities
The S&P 500 is set for a strong rally this week as the market celebrates a significant dovish shift from the Federal Reserve. The removal of a key headwind, namely the threat of further rate hikes, has given investors a clear green light to re-engage with equities. Our models show broad based positive momentum, suggesting the bullishness seen on Friday has room to run as investors reposition for a more favorable policy environment.
Growth Stocks Lead the Relief Rally
Nowhere is the relief from the Fed’s dovish pivot felt more acutely than in high growth technology stocks. Our forecast for Snowflake shows particularly strong upward momentum. These long duration assets, whose valuations are highly sensitive to interest rate expectations, were under significant pressure in the run up to Jackson Hole. With that pressure now released, they are positioned to lead the market higher as capital rotates back into the growth trade.
Dr. Copper Signals Renewed Optimism
The bullish sentiment is not confined to equities. The price of copper, a key barometer of global economic health, has also inflected to the upside. A dovish Fed is a powerful catalyst for “Dr. Copper” for two reasons. It lowers the probability of a deep, demand crushing recession, and it typically weakens the U.S. dollar. The forecast for rising copper prices suggests the market is now less concerned about a global slowdown.
Conclusion
The key takeaway this week is the immense power of a Federal Reserve pivot. The shift to a dovish stance has provided a synchronized lift to risk assets across the board. The rally in the broad market, the outperformance of growth stocks, and the renewed strength in industrial commodities all point to a single, powerful conclusion, for the short term, the market’s primary headwind has been removed.
The content presented in this note is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as investment, financial, or trading advice. This analysis is generated from the output of Complete Intelligence’s proprietary artificial intelligence platform and does not constitute a personal recommendation. You should not base any investment decision solely on this material. Please consult with a qualified financial professional before making any investment decisions. Complete Intelligence is not liable for any actions taken based on the information provided herein.
MONEY TALK - Friday 22 August 2025
On Friday’s “Money Talk” podcast, Peter Lewis is joined by Tony Nash, the Founder of Complete Intelligence, and Francis Lun, the CEO of GEO Securities.
Topics: Jerome Powell’s speech Jackson Hole – to cut or not to cut, the US & EU role in Ukraine, and tech stock valuations.
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Forex Analytix Interview
Forex Analytix Interview with Tony Nash
Categories
Weekly Outlook: Jul 21, 2025
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Weekly Outlook: Aug 18, 2025
Weekly Outlook: Aug 18, 2025
The market is currently suffering from a fractured personality. There is no single, unifying trend. Instead, we are witnessing three distinct investor behaviors play out simultaneously, a flight from risk, a rotation into safety, and a speculative hunt for growth. This week, we examine three assets that perfectly capture this complex and indecisive environment.
The Flight from Chinese Equities
The sharp downward forecast for Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index clearly illustrates the “flight from risk” mentality. Investor confidence in Chinese markets is deteriorating rapidly. This pessimism is driven by persistent troubles in China’s property sector and a growing belief that Beijing’s stimulus measures are not enough to restore economic momentum. For global investors, the region is increasingly seen as a source of uncertainty to be avoided.
Investors Seek Shelter in Staples
While investors are selling off international assets, they are not abandoning the market entirely. Instead, many are seeking shelter in defensive sectors, with our models showing stable gains for Consumer Staples. This rotation into companies that sell essential goods like food and household products is a classic defensive move. It shows that investors are prioritizing capital preservation and earnings stability over growth in the face of economic uncertainty.
The Hunt for Growth Tries to Defy the Trend
In stark contrast to the cautious mood, a speculative hunt for growth continues in specific pockets of the market, tech in particular. This is a story driven not by broad economic optimism, but by a powerful narrative centered on artificial intelligence. It shows that a compelling can still attract significant capital, but Tech will continue to face headwinds this week.
Conclusion
The key takeaway this week is that “the market” is not one thing. We are seeing a clear fracture in investor sentiment, leading to a simultaneous retreat from risk, a rotation into safety, and a speculative chase for growth. This lack of a unified direction suggests a period of heightened volatility and underscores the need for a highly selective approach, as broad market trends offer little guidance.
The content presented in this note is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as investment, financial, or trading advice. This analysis is generated from the output of Complete Intelligence’s proprietary artificial intelligence platform and does not constitute a personal recommendation. You should not base any investment decision solely on this material. Please consult with a qualified financial professional before making any investment decisions. Complete Intelligence is not liable for any actions taken based on the information provided herein.
Will The Fed Turn Dovish Or Hawkish In September?
https://www.bfm.my/content/podcast/will-the-fed-turn-dovish-or-hawkish-in-september
Although markets have priced in Federal Reserve rate cuts in September, is this a foregone conclusion? Tony Nash of Complete Intelligence gives a note of caution on expectations, and weighs in on other market trends.
10 Tips for Agile Auditing and Budgeting in 2026
Actionable insights for to modernize Corporate Finance without creating chaos.
Executive Summary
- Replace annual plans with rolling forecasts and scenario analysis for agility.
- Centralize budget and audit data for a single source of truth.
- Automate data integration and reconciliation to eliminate manual risk.
- Make variance analysis a proactive discipline.
- Increase awareness of operational drivers without assuming causality.
- Leverage AI-powered audit coverage for stronger controls and risk detection.
- Treat budgeting as a living process that adapts continuously to the business.
Dynamic, integrated processes in 2026
As the second half of 2025 progresses, finance leaders are already laying the groundwork for the 2026 budget process. This critical period is the ideal time for CFOs, controllers, and FP&A teams to move beyond outdated methods. The traditional model of static annual plans, disconnected data, and reactive audits is no longer sufficient to navigate market volatility and rising compliance demands.
This guide provides ten actionable tips designed to help you modernize your financial planning. By adopting rolling forecasts, centralizing data, and leveraging AI, you can build a more dynamic, integrated, and strategic budget process for 2026. Put these practices into motion now to reduce manual work, strengthen controls, and sharpen your company’s decision-making for the year ahead.
- Adopt Rolling Forecasts for Greater Agility
Static annual budgets can quickly become outdated. Market changes like inflation shifts, demand surges, or supply disruptions can make them irrelevant. Rolling forecasts allow finance teams to adapt as conditions change. This flexibility improves resource allocation and supports faster, better-informed decisions. - Create a Single Source of Truth (SSoT) for Financial Data
Budgeting and auditing slow down when data is scattered across systems. Create one environment where actuals, forecasts, and audit results are stored and updated in real time. Connect your ERP, payroll, and GL feeds directly. This eliminates version control problems and ensures all stakeholders work from the same reliable numbers.
- Automate Data Collection and Reporting
Manual data gathering wastes valuable time and increases errors. Direct integration from ERP, payroll, and GL systems into your planning and audit tools improves data accuracy. Real-time reporting allows for faster closes and frees analysts to focus on analysis instead of manual tasks.
- Start Simple, Then Expand Budget Reporting
Too much complexity early in the process can discourage adoption. Begin with clear, high-level dashboards that focus on the most important metrics. Once teams are comfortable, add more detail and advanced reporting. This builds engagement and ensures data is actually used.
- Use AI to Handle Low-Impact Line Items, Focus Human Effort on Big Levers
AI tools can quickly forecast most low-impact line items with accuracy. This saves your team hours of work on numbers that have little effect on results. The freed-up time can then be used to focus on the fewer, high-value items that drive revenue and cost outcomes. This targeted approach improves both speed and strategic impact.
- Make Variance Analysis a Weekly Discipline
Waiting until the end of a quarter to review variances leads to missed opportunities. Weekly variance checks allow quicker interventions and better cost control. Over time, this cadence becomes a habit that strengthens financial discipline.
- Analyze External Drivers to Improve Forecast Accuracy
Results are shaped by external forces such as commodity prices, exchange rates, interest rates, or competitor actions. These drivers should be tested, not assumed, to confirm their actual impact. Tools that merge external data with your financials can reveal which factors truly matter and how strong the link is. This avoids chasing noise and ensures budget and audit changes are based on evidence. - Increase Awareness of Internal Drivers
Budgets should reflect key internal factors that may influence results, such as labor hours, capacity, or seasonal demand patterns. These should be tested, not assumed, to verify their impact on performance. Linking internal metrics to financial outcomes with the right analytics helps focus attention on what truly drives change and avoid overestimating weak relationships. - Integrate AI into Auditing and Forecasting for Full Coverage
AI-powered audit tools can analyze all transactions, not just samples. They identify anomalies in real time and strengthen internal controls. On the planning side, AI forecasting instantly adjusts scenarios as new data becomes available. This gives finance leaders more control and faster insight.
- Make Budgeting Iterative, Not Annual
Each budgeting cycle is a chance to improve. Capture lessons about what worked, what caused delays, and which assumptions missed the mark. Use this feedback to refine processes for the next cycle. Treat budgeting as a continuous capability that evolves with the business.
Confidently guide the business forward
The months before budget season are your opportunity to set the tone for the year ahead. By acting now, you can put in place the tools, processes, and habits that will make 2026 planning faster, more accurate, and more strategic. The goal is not just to get through the cycle. It is to turn budgeting and auditing into capabilities that actively guide the business forward.
If your team is looking to improve accuracy, reduce manual work, and surface insights sooner, it may be time to explore solutions that combine forecasting and audit automation in one workflow. The right approach will keep you in control while giving you the speed and confidence you need for the year ahead.