inflation

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, pictured on Capitol Hill last month, called for a permanent expansion of the child tax credit during an interview with NPR on Thursday.

Families Are Receiving A Child Tax Credit. Janet Yellen Says It Should Be Permanent

4:15pm July 15, 2021

In an interview with NPR, the Treasury secretary calls to permanently expand the child tax credit being paid out to American families starting this week.

Used Challengers sit in a long line at a Dodge dealership on Jan. 24 in Littleton, Colo. Used car prices may be peaking and that could help reinforce hopes for easing inflation.

Economy

Inflation Is Still High. Used Car Prices Could Help Explain What Happens Next

9:51am July 13, 2021

by Scott Horsley

A surge in prices of used cars was a major driver of inflation again in June, but there are some signs those price hikes may be shifting into reverse.

Lumber is stacked up for sale at a Home Depot store in May in Doral, Fla. Lumber prices surged during the pandemic, only to fall as the economy started to open up again. But prices remain volatile and still more expensive than pre-pandemic levels.

Economy

What The Rise And Fall Of Lumber Prices Tell Us About The Pandemic Economy

1:23pm July 08, 2021

by Scott Horsley

Lumber prices soared during the pandemic, sparking inflation fears. Just as quickly, prices then dropped, but that's not the end of the story.

Several brands of cereal boxes fill the shelves at a grocery store January 10, 2019 in New Rochelle, New York.

Beware Of 'Shrinkflation,' Inflation's Devious Cousin

1:33pm July 06, 2021

by Greg Rosalsky

Products are shrinking. Only some people are noticing.

Shipping containers are stacked high at the Port of Los Angeles in April. Supply chain disruptions are hitting small-business owners across the United States.

Economy

Cargo Is Piling Up Everywhere, And It's Making Inflation Worse

10:31am June 21, 2021

by Scott Horsley

A surge in imports is overwhelming transportation networks and testing supply chains, making life hard for small-business owners.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell testifies at a House Financial Services Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in December. The Fed said on Wednesday it will continue providing support to the economy despite the rise in consumer prices.

Federal Reserve Will Continue Supporting The Economy Despite Surging Prices

5:51pm June 16, 2021

by Scott Horsley

The Fed is maintaining its easy money policies for now in an effort to speed the economic recovery. It left interest rates near zero despite a jump in consumer prices.

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Used cars sit on the sales lot at Frank Bent's Wholesale Motors in El Cerrito, Calif., on March 15. Supply chain snarls and pent-up demand are driving up the prices of a lot of things, including new and used cars.

Inflation Is Surging. The Price Of A Toyota Pickup Truck Helps Explain Why

5:14pm June 10, 2021

by Scott Horsley

The Labor Department says consumer prices jumped 5% for the 12 months ending in May. That's the sharpest increase in nearly 13 years, as the economy rebounds from the pandemic recession.

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President Jimmy Carter signs emergency natural gas legislation in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 2, 1977. An oil crisis contributed to a period of double-digit inflation in the 1970s.

Think Inflation Is Bad Now? Let's Take A Step Back To The 1970s

1:14pm May 29, 2021

by Scott Horsley

Prices are jumping as the economy rebounds from the pandemic, but the Biden Administration and the Federal Reserve say a return to 1970s-style inflation is unlikely.

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President Biden speaks about the economy at the White House Monday. The Biden administration is arguing that higher-than-expected inflation is temporary.

Inflation, Gas Shortage Highlight Peril That Could Threaten Biden's Agenda

7:47am May 15, 2021

by Domenico Montanaro

Americans continue to say they approve of how the president is handling the coronavirus pandemic, but he may be running into speed bumps because of inflation and other issues.

A shopper's cart is full in the checkout line at a ShopRite supermarket in April 2020 in Plainview, N.Y. A year later, prices for most goods have jumped, according to government data, as companies struggle to secure critical raw materials amid supply cons

Economy

No, You Are Not Imagining It. Prices For A Lot Of Things Did Jump In April

2:22pm May 12, 2021

by David Gura

Prices for a range of goods from used cars to bacon surged last month, pushing consumer inflation to 4.2% in April, the highest since September 2008.