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Inflation slows again. What now?

Dec 13, 2022
Prices rose 7.1% in November compared to a year ago — less than expected.
The gas prices drivers paid at the pump dipped 2% in November.
Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

Up, up, and away: Airfare ascends 43% in a year

Oct 13, 2022
A lot of people want to fly, and airlines have fewer seats to sell.
Increased passenger demand and staffing shortages are partially to blame for the surge in air travel costs.
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If gas prices are falling, why aren't things cheaper?

Sep 14, 2022
Gas influences how a lot of things cost – but there are other factors behind rising prices.
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Why the price of groceries is going up faster than a meal out

Aug 10, 2022
In part, that’s because restaurants don’t want to scare away customers.
"If consumers were truly, truly worried," says economist Jennifer Lee, discretionary spending on things like restaurant lunches "would be one of the first areas they would cut back on."
Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Waiting for another inflation report, with concern

Aug 9, 2022
Wednesday the government will tell us how much prices changed year over year in July. Inflation was an alarming 9.1% in June.
While rising prices for services, like styling hair, worry economists, prices for some goods may be dipping.
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What do different measures of inflation tell us?

Jun 30, 2022
The PCE and CPI measure different things, but the message they send to consumers may influence expectations — that then can affect inflation.
One thing that can really mess with what inflation is doing? What consumers think inflation will do.
Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images

"Owners' equivalent rent" a key property of inflation

Jun 10, 2022
OER, a component of the consumer price index, involves homeowners’ estimates of what their residence would rent for.
In the process of calculating the consumer price index, the Bureau of Labor Statistics asks homeowners how much money, hypothetically, they'd rent their place out for.
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While trade policy could tame inflation, it's no silver bullet

May 23, 2022
Tariffs won't go away altogether. Some reduction could impact prices, but not immediately.
U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai explains why addressing economic coercion from China is a challenge.
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Why do we care about "core" inflation?

Mar 9, 2022
The core measure strips out food and energy prices, two of the biggest contributors to inflation today.
Food prices were up 7% year over year in January, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, but core inflation takes food and energy out of the equation.
Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images

Americans are buying a whole lot of furniture

Feb 16, 2022
Home furnishing sales went up 7.2% month over month in January, but why are people buying so much furniture?
Furniture sales climbed in January as people made themselves more comfortable at home.
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