At present, and because of greater price volatility due to the sudden reopening of the economy, the surge in consumer demand and subsequent supply chain issues, expectations are for the inflation rate in the next few years to move above 2.3% before settling back to roughly 2.25% over time. … READ MORE >
inflation
July Consumer Price Index: Inflation moderates and likely posts cyclical peak at 5.4%
The five-month surge in inflation has most likely resulted in a cyclical peak, reaching 5.4% in July on the back of a 0.5% increase on the month. … READ MORE >
Inflation and small firms: The restaurant squeeze is on
The recent surge in inflation is now a significant issue for smaller firms, and nowhere is this more evident than in the restaurant industry. … READ MORE >
Four ways retailers and restaurants can manage current inflation and labor pressures
Consumer demand is high and the opportunity exists for a strong holiday retail and restaurant season. However, these sectors are facing two significant headwinds: inflation and challenges finding qualified labor. … READ MORE >
Consumer Price Index surges 5.4% in June as the economy reopens
The recent surge in domestic prices continued as consumer prices increased by 0.9% on a monthly basis and by 5.4% on a year-ago basis, according to Labor Department data released on Tuesday. … READ MORE >
CHART OF THE DAY: Inflation expectations remain rational and muted
A look at one of our preferred measurements of inflation expectations implies that the risk of a sustained outbreak of inflation is receding just as another set of inflation data—the Consumer Price Index for June—is about to be published on Tuesday. … READ MORE >
CHART OF THE DAY: Yield spread flattens as inflation trade unwinds
The Federal Open Market Committee unleashed a sharp change in market expectations following its Wednesday meeting, helping to curtail inflation fears. The idea of the first rate hike being pulled forward into 2023 with a possibility of 2022 elicited a change in the inflation trade and a resetting of market expectations of inflation. … READ MORE >
May CPI: Prices surge on strong base effects and economic reopening
We do not expect that these price increases will ease until the fall, when we expect that inflation will peak at just under 5% on a quarterly basis and then begin to ease back toward the Federal Reserve’s 2% target over the next year. … READ MORE >
CHART OF THE DAY: What caused the increase in consumer prices in April?
The debate of the moment in financial markets is inflation: Is it a risk to the economy? The data and our forecast would imply that while prices are rising in a cluster of industrial ecosystems that make up roughly 20% of the economy, we do not expect a sustained increase in overall prices. … READ MORE >
CHART OF THE DAY: Lumber futures down 33% over past month
Lumber futures have declined 33% since May 7, which likely reflects a mix of falling demand as contractors—shaken by the 372% surge in lumber prices during the past two years—back off potential projects and the slow but steady return of supply. … READ MORE >