Inflation

Update 716 — A Year After IRA Passage, Implementation Key to Popular Support

August 16, 2023 April 2, 2024 | Inflation, Miscellaneous, Update

We note without comment the fourth indictment brought against Donald Trump late Monday, but note that the case brought by the District Attorney in Fulton County, Georgia differs from the previous three. This indictment focuses on Trump’s efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in Georgia and names 19 co-conspirators on racketeering …

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Update 707 — Inflation Down to 2.97%: June CPI Report Hints at Soft Landing

July 12, 2023 April 2, 2024 | Inflation, Update

Update 707 — Inflation Down to 2.97%:June CPI Report Hints at Soft Landing Today’s CPI report for June showed prices falling for the thirteenth month in a row, from 4.0 percent last month to a surprisingly low 3.0 percent, the lowest reading in 27 months. Prices for some items are proving stubbornly sticky, with core …

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April CPI up 4.9%, Lowest Inflation in Two

May 10, 2023 April 2, 2024 | Inflation, Update

Update 691 — Landing Soft but S l o wApril CPI up 4.9%, Lowest in Two Years President Biden had a tense meeting with Congressional leaders yesterday to discuss the debt ceiling. Staff will meet throughout the week to lay the groundwork for another meeting between Biden and leadership scheduled for Friday. No breakthroughs thus …

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Fed Boosts Rate 50 BPs

December 14, 2022 April 2, 2024 | Inflation, The Fed, Update

Update 656 — Fed Boosts Rate 50 BPsIs Soft—and Swift—Landing in Sight? Today, the Federal Reserve announced a 50 basis point interest rate increase, bringing the borrowing benchmark up to a targeted range of 4.25-4.5 percent. This rate hike, a slowdown after four consecutive 75 point increases, suggests the Fed believes it may have a …

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A Midterm Mandate?

November 11, 2022 April 2, 2024 | 2022 Elections, Inflation, Update

Update 649 — A Midterm Mandate?Finding Meaning in Voters’ Message The GOP may be in dire need of introspection, reappraisal, and course correction, following the message delivered by the voters and the best midterm performance by the party in power in almost a century. The lessons of this success need not be lost on the …

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(How) Will The Fed Know When to Stop?

November 2, 2022 April 2, 2024 | Inflation, The Fed, Update

Update 647 — A Record 4th 75 bp Hike:(How) Will The Fed Know When to Stop? For the fourth time since March, the Federal Reserve has raised interest rates by 75 basis points — the most rapid increase in decades. After an admittedly slow start, the Fed Chair Powell says with his policy “damn the …

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It’s the Economy Again….

October 28, 2022 April 2, 2024 | 2022 Elections, Inflation, Update

Update 644 — It’s the Economy… AgainNavigating the Top-Ranking Voter Issue Midterm election voters have 18 days to weigh issues and candidates, decide, and vote. 2022 has seen a war in Ukraine, worldwide inflation, and a Supreme Court ruling ending national abortion protection. Some issues have riveted and rallied voters — notably abortion for Democrats …

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CPI Moves Sideways

September 14, 2022 April 2, 2024 | Inflation, Update

Update 634: CPI Moves SidewaysThe Good News in Inflation Picture Looking at news headlines about and the markets’ response to yesterday’s Consumer Price Index Report for August, you might think inflation is skyrocketing unabated. That might sell, but under the hood are a vertical drop in consumer gas prices, a drop in producer prices, and …

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Another 75 bp Hike by Fed

July 27, 2022 April 2, 2024 | Consumer Finance, Inflation, The Fed, Update

Update 624 — Another 75 bp Hike by FedRole of Consumer in Recession Risk Ahead The Federal Reserve announced by unanimous vote an increase in its target interest rate by 75 basis points for the second month in a row this afternoon. Though expected, this and last month’s rate hikes— both the largest since 1994 …

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CPI for June up 9.1%

July 13, 2022 April 2, 2024 | Inflation, The Fed, Update

Update 620 — CPI for June up 9.1%But Trends Complicate Inflation Story The CPI report for June, showing a 9.1 percent hike in prices from a year ago, up from 8.6 percent in May, may alarm some and immediately suggests another 75 basis point interest rate by the Fed at its next meeting, July 26-27. …

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