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Inflation

COVID-19

Falling producer price index fans fears of deflation

by Mitchell Hartman
May 13, 2020
Prices of many goods are dropping as demand slows and people stay at home more. But does this mean deflation is here to stay?
A warehouse in China. Producer prices have softened as economic activity has slowed.
Wang He/Getty Images
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COVID-19

Does measuring inflation matter during a pandemic?

by Kristin Schwab
May 12, 2020
How prices of many basic goods and services change usually tells us a lot about where the economy is headed.
A gas station in Los Angeles in March. CPI data shows gas prices fell more than 20% last month.
Chris Delmas/AFP via Getty Images
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Health care costs are driving up inflation

by Kimberly Adams
Feb 19, 2020
The latest producer price index was up 0.5% in January, mostly because of higher service costs, not more expensive goods.
Alex Wong/Getty Images
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Trying to solve an inflation mystery

by Nancy Marshall-Genzer
Jan 13, 2020
When prices for an item swing wildly up and down, they can drastically skew inflation measurements. A new index aims to rectify that.
Why would a decline in cellphone service plan prices affect inflation so drastically?
Drew Angerer/Getty Images
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Inflation: Maybe it's all in our heads

by Sabri Ben-Achour
Dec 13, 2019
It's possible that prices aren't rising much because we don't expect prices to rise much.
Alex Wong/Getty Images
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Why is inflation still so low?

by Mitchell Hartman and Sabri Ben-Achour
Dec 13, 2019
With the lowest unemployment rate in 50 years, wages — and prices — should be rising faster than they are.
One reason inflation is so low might be globalization.
David McNew/Getty Images
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Why pork prices are driving Chinese inflation

by Andie Corban and Molly Wood
Oct 15, 2019
African swine fever has devastated the pig population in the country, where pork is a staple. It's not just food prices that are going up.
Carsten Koall/Getty Images
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Kai Explains

4 ways to measure inflation

by Kai Ryssdal and Maria Hollenhorst
Sep 23, 2019
What are we talking about when we talk about inflation?
You don't need a complicated math problem to measure inflation; the CPI and PCE will do.
Three Lions/Getty Images
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I've always wondered...

Why is inflation necessary?

by Mitchell Hartman
Sep 12, 2019
A listener asks: “Wouldn't an economy without inflation make us all better off?”
Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP/Getty Images
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What the Federal Reserve’s policy statements can reveal about its mindset

by Janet Nguyen
Jun 19, 2019
A single word can indicate the central bank’s attitude toward interest rates.
Federal Reserve statements are scrutinized for clues about the Fed’s future actions. Above, Fed Chair Jerome Powell.
Scott Olson/Getty Images
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