What is the main activity of the Accounting Standards Board and how has it influenced cash flow statements?

• A. It regulates tax rates.
• B. It sets audit fees.
• C. It issues Financial Reporting Standards and requires cash flow statements to be prepared under standard headings.
• D. It determines how assets are valued for tax purposes.

Answer: (C)

The main activity of the Accounting Standards Board is to issue Financial Reporting Standards that govern how financial statements are prepared and presented. This includes setting rules for cash flow statements. Because of these standards, cash flow statements must be presented under standardized headings: operating activities, investing activities, and financing activities. This standardization makes it easier to compare cash movements across companies and over time, clarifying what cash came from or went to core operations versus investing and financing activities. It also reduces variation in presentation, ensuring users can analyze liquidity and financial flexibility consistently.