Income taxes Income taxes	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2018
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Income taxes	Income taxes On December 22, 2017, the Federal government enacted Public Law 115-97, commonly referred to as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act ("TCJA"). The TCJA makes broad and complex changes to the U.S. tax code, including, but not limited to: (1) reducing the U.S. Federal corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 21 percent; (2) requiring companies to pay a one-time transition tax on certain unrepatriated earnings of foreign subsidiaries; (3) generally eliminating U.S. federal income taxes on dividends from foreign subsidiaries; (4) a new provision designed to tax global intangible low-taxed income ("GILTI"), which allows for the possibility of using foreign tax credits ("FTCs") and a deduction of up to 50 percent to offset the income tax liability (subject to some limitations); (5) limitations on the use of FTCs to reduce the U.S. income tax liability; (6) eliminating the corporate alternative minimum tax ("AMT") and changing how existing AMT credits can be realized; (7) creating the base erosion anti-abuse tax, a new minimum tax; (8) limitations on the deductibility of certain executive compensation; (9) creating a new limitation on deductible interest expense; (10) eliminating the deductibility of entertainment expenses; and (11) changing rules related to uses and limitations of net operating loss carryforwards created in tax years beginning after December 31, 2017. On December 22, 2017, the SEC staff issued SAB 118 which provides guidance on accounting for the tax effects of the TCJA. SAB 118 provides a measurement period that should not extend beyond one year from the TCJA enactment date for companies to complete the accounting under ASC 740. The Company has not completed its accounting for the income tax effects of certain elements of the TCJA. However, the Company was able to make reasonable estimates of the effects of certain elements and recorded a provisional estimate in the condensed consolidated financial statements. The estimated enactment net discrete after-tax benefit incorporates assumptions made based upon the Company's current interpretations of the TCJA, and may change as it receives additional clarification and implementation guidance and as the interpretation of the TCJA evolves over time. The Company is expected to complete its analysis within the measurement period in accordance with SAB 118. The effective income tax rate from continuing operations for the three months ended June 30, 2018 was 29.3% (tax expense) compared with 16.7% (tax benefit) for the three months ended June 30, 2017 and reflects the Company's estimate of the annual effective tax rate adjusted for certain discrete items. The estimated effective tax rate for the second quarter of 2018 is due to the Federal tax rate of 21% (versus 35%) as a result of the passage of the TCJA in December 2017 offset by foreign income inclusion and larger non-deductible expenses related to items such as entertainment, fringe benefits, regulatory fines and penalties, and limitations around the deductibility of executive compensation under the TCJA.

Income taxes

On December 22, 2017, the Federal government enacted Public Law 115-97, commonly referred to as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act ("TCJA"). The TCJA makes broad and complex changes to the U.S. tax code, including, but not limited to: (1) reducing the U.S. Federal corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 21 percent; (2) requiring companies to pay a one-time transition tax on certain unrepatriated earnings of foreign subsidiaries; (3) generally eliminating U.S. federal income taxes on dividends from foreign subsidiaries; (4) a new provision designed to tax global intangible low-taxed income ("GILTI"), which allows for the possibility of using foreign tax credits ("FTCs") and a deduction of up to 50 percent to offset the income tax liability (subject to some limitations); (5) limitations on the use of FTCs to reduce the U.S. income tax liability; (6) eliminating the corporate alternative minimum tax ("AMT") and changing how existing AMT credits can be realized; (7) creating the base erosion anti-abuse tax, a new minimum tax; (8) limitations on the deductibility of certain executive compensation; (9) creating a new limitation on deductible interest expense; (10) eliminating the deductibility of entertainment expenses; and (11) changing rules related to uses and limitations of net operating loss carryforwards created in tax years beginning after December 31, 2017.

On December 22, 2017, the SEC staff issued SAB 118 which provides guidance on accounting for the tax effects of the TCJA. SAB 118 provides a measurement period that should not extend beyond one year from the TCJA enactment date for companies to complete the accounting under ASC 740. The Company has not completed its accounting for the income tax effects of certain elements of the TCJA. However, the Company was able to make reasonable estimates of the effects of certain elements and recorded a provisional estimate in the condensed consolidated financial statements. The estimated enactment net discrete after-tax benefit incorporates assumptions made based upon the Company's current interpretations of the TCJA, and may change as it receives additional clarification and implementation guidance and as the interpretation of the TCJA evolves over time. The Company is expected to complete its analysis within the measurement period in accordance with SAB 118.

The effective income tax rate from continuing operations for the three months ended June 30, 2018 was 29.3% (tax expense) compared with 16.7% (tax benefit) for the three months ended June 30, 2017 and reflects the Company's estimate of the annual effective tax rate adjusted for certain discrete items. The estimated effective tax rate for the second quarter of 2018 is due to the Federal tax rate of 21% (versus 35%) as a result of the passage of the TCJA in December 2017 offset by foreign income inclusion and larger non-deductible expenses related to items such as entertainment, fringe benefits, regulatory fines and penalties, and limitations around the deductibility of executive compensation under the TCJA.