Moreover, decreasing import prices, which partly came from the appreciation of the dollar through mid-summer, contributed to low overall U.S. inflation, as did ample manufacturing capacity in the United States and lower prices for oil and other commodities stemming from the weak activity abroad.
From there we will proceed to confidence and trust, accounting and ethics. I will then review some challenges to the auditing profession. Finally, I will draw some conclusions. My one-line conclusion will be that the ethos of public service needs to be restored and that this is a matter which concerns people from many more walks of life than just auditors.