U.S. Inflation Is Highest in 13 Years as Prices Surge 5% - WSJ
By: Gwynn Guilford (WSJ)
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
U.S. consumer prices continued to climb strongly in May, surging 5% from a year ago to reach the highest annual inflation rate in nearly 13 years.
The Labor Department said May's increase in consumer inflation was the largest since August 2008. The jump followed a 4.2% rise for the year ended in April. The core-price index, which excludes the often-volatile categories of food and energy, rose 3.8% in May from a year before—the largest increase for that reading since June 1992.
Prices for used cars and trucks leapt 7.3% from the previous month, driving one-third of the rise in the overall index. The indexes for furniture, airline fares and apparel also rose sharply in May.
On a month-to-month basis, overall prices rose a seasonally adjusted 0.6% and core prices rose 0.7%.
The annual inflation measurements are being boosted by comparisons with figures from last year during Covid-19 lockdowns, when prices plummeted because of collapsing demand for many goods and services. This so-called base effect is expected to push up inflation readings significantly in May and June, dwindling into the fall.
Consumers are seeing many prices climb for numerous reasons as the U.S. economic recovery revs up.
Prices for new vehicles have soared because of a computer-chip shortage that has crimped car production. That, in turn, has bolstered prices for used autos. Rental-car prices have soared because companies sold their fleets when demand collapsed along with travel during the pandemic. Airfares and hotel-room rates are rebounding as consumers start traveling again.
More companies have started passing on to consumers the higher costs they are facing for raw materials and wages.
Food makers said their costs are climbing at an alarming rate, prompting them to raise some prices. “The inflation pressure we’re seeing is significant,” General Mills Inc. Chief Executive Jeff Harmening said at a recent investor conference. “It’s probably higher than we’ve seen in the last decade.”
He and his peers point to transportation, commodity and labor costs all increasing at the same time. They expect the trend to continue for at least the rest of this year. As a result, General Mills, Campbell Soup Co. , Unilever PLC, J.M. Smucker Co. and other big food companies are raising prices. Some increases are already visible on supermarket shelves, and more are coming this summer.
The upswing in prices reflects robust consumer demand boosted by widespread Covid-19 vaccinations, relaxed business restrictions, trillions of dollars in federal pandemic relief programs and ample household savings. U.S. gross domestic product rose 6.4% at a seasonally adjusted annual rate in the first quarter. Economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal in April forecast the economy to grow at an 8.1% annual rate in the second quarter, leaving it poised for its best year since the early 1980s.
Policy makers are watching May’s reading to gauge the magnitude of what many expect to be several months of stronger inflation after a year of very weak price pressures during the worst of the pandemic. Whether the pickup in inflation proves temporary is a key question for the U.S. economy and financial markets as the Biden administration, Congress and the Federal Reserve continue to support the economy with fiscal and monetary policy measures.
The Fed expects the inflation rate to rise temporarily this year. A sustained, large increase in inflation could compel the central bank to tighten its easy-money policies earlier than it had planned, or to react more aggressively later, to achieve its 2% average inflation goal.
The central bank’s inflation goal is based on the Commerce Department’s price index of personal-consumption expenditures, which tends to run a bit below the CPI. The Fed has said it would hold rates near zero until PCE inflation is averaging 2% and full employment has been achieved.
Kathy Bostjancic, chief U.S. financial economist at Oxford Economics, said the Fed intends for inflation to overshoot its 2% target moderately because that could be good for the economy. Higher inflation would mean higher interest rates, which would give the Fed more room to cut rates in the next economic downturn, she said.
Jeffrey Stark, 28 years old, of Arlington, Va., wants to travel more now that businesses are opening back up, but he is finding that high prices and scarcity of goods and services are curtailing his ambitions. He is flying to Utah for a family event and had initially planned to tack on a few extra days to explore on his own—only to scrap those plans when he couldn’t find a car to rent.
“My travel this year seems like it’s going to be largely limited to visiting people rather than places because I’m seeing reports of completely booked hotels and, especially, no available rental cars,” said Mr. Stark, a geographic information systems analyst for the postal service.
Stronger demand has spurred employers to try to hire more workers, but many businesses are raising wages as they struggle to hire people . Job openings reached 9.3 million in April , the highest number since records began in 2000, as the gap widened between open positions and workers taking the roles.
Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. recently raised its menu prices by roughly 4% across many markets to help cover the costs of wage increases as well as higher commodity prices, Jack Hartung, chief financial officer, said at an investor conference earlier this week.
Some 48% of small businesses indicated that they raised average selling prices in May, the highest share since 1981, according to a survey conducted by the National Federation of Independent Business, a trade association.
The unique dynamics of reopening an economy that is powered by consumer spending are at play, Ms. Bostjancic said. Consumers are willing to shell out more than they might be normally, thanks to a year of being cooped up at home and the extra savings many households have amassed.
“That type of price increase won’t be with us next year because consumers will balk at it. We may even see prices revert back to a lower level,” she said, referring to the sharp rise in car-rental prices. “There’s only so much time people are going to be willing to say, ‘OK, I’ll pay a little more. I’ve gotten government assistance, and I’ve built up savings. I haven’t been out in a while. Whatever it takes, I’ll pay for it.’”
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Was this really necessary?
I speak to independents, moderates, suburban moms and never Trumpers. Your savings and investments are being eaten up. Too many dollars are now chasing too few goods.
To have peace from the media?
Here is another POV.
My stocks, bonds, and real estate investments are doing great. Also getting top dollar for my rental properties.
Purchasing power is down. Investments are doing better. The rule of thumb has always been spend (borrow at low interest rates) when inflation is low and save (invest when interest rates go up) when inflation is high.
Supply and demand are the key. Currently, we have a hell of a lot of demand and the supply isn't there. Auto's, homes both new and resal. Most all products are in high demand and the supply hasn't caught up with the demand yet.
Supply and demand is the basic key to this. Currently, the supply for homes both new and resales is at record highs, and supply are near record lows. Everything from paint to chips is in short supply and much can be traced back to the near shut down of many industries during the pandemic.
As far as oil goes here is a good link
The number of wells operation in May of 2021 is just over half of those operating in Dec. 2019 just before the pandemic.
Ditto.
Maybe, rather than sitting around and whining g about why the world isn't doing its best to make us happy...and constantly whining about how life is unfair...you and I are actually taking action...and smart action at that!
???
But then again-- many people are saying that that is what Social Media is for! (Spending a good part of one's day complaining about how unfair everything is...
???
() of my investment portfolio are financial intruments that pay high dividends, but that are realtively safe. (Most things that pay higher dividends are riskiers, but it took a lot of work-- I now have almost entriely things that pay at least 5%-- some up to 7+%.
(Then I usually have or two with zero dividends,but are specs with potentially YUGE upside).
That ruke of thumb isgenerally pretty good, but my focus is mainly income, not so much capitalappreciaiation...so I mainly look for hi dividend stocks and ETFs-- regardless of economic conditions.
But there's no one "right way" to invest...
One of our local auto dealers has a total of 6 cars on the lot for sale.
Our retirement community has 2200 homes as of this morning there were 2 resales. Another retirement community a few miles from us has 6500 homes with 12 resales.
Both communities are also building new homes. If you want a new home built be prepared to wait one year and pay a super-premium for the home and the lot.
Well if that's the way you feel-- you are obviously doing something wrong!
Under the current economy, my financial situation is better than its ever been
.
Economic conditions-- well, specifically stock market trends continually shift-- smart investors know how to shift with shifting trends, and can do well in any market.
(Falling market-- no problema! Go short or better yet make money trading options!
)
Rising interest rates? Buy bank stocks...
Inflation rising? Buy inflation hedges (metals, for some crypto works...)
For starters....my investments are not being "eaten up"...au contraire mon petit chou!
I don't know all the details of how you invest, but based on your political comments here I think the main cause of your savings and investments are being eaten up is mainly due to one simple-- but significant mistake.
And one that many novice investors make (in fact I did the same thing when I started in the market...well over 40 years ago).
its simple..and obvious too any smart investor! . if someone with your views is having your savings and investments being eaten up, the cause is a classic beginner's mistake-- basing your trades (& investments) based solely on your political biases!
Best advice to those political types doing poorly? By all means, contribute money to the political party or candidate(s) of your choice. Perhaps volunteer (work on a phone bank, volunteer at your local political party's headquarters and do what's most needed..
But when making investment decisions-- temporarily turn off you political biases...and base your investment actions then on what works financially..not what feeds your political views!
At least this news is slowing momentum for many of the remaining big spending proposals and future tax increases. That those are slowed is what’s keeping the stock and bond markets up right now.
Gas went up another 10 cents to $3.19 here in Denver.
A good sign that the economy is rapidly recovering!
(Are you familiar with the notion of "supply and demand"? And how it effects prices of commodities...such as gas?).
And are you familiar with the concept that America WAS energy independent, but on day one of the Biden administration that future prospect was eviscerated and our dependence on others has grown once more?
If America can't get the fuel out of the ground and other know that, we're at their mercy.
LINK?
As others have told me, google it.
But, I'll be more polite than they were and give you this:
How was it eviscerated? Currently, we have around 60% of the wells working that we did at the start of the pandemic.
Gas went up another 10 cents to $3.19 here in Denver
Looks like 'ole GBS was able to predict the advent of Social Media! (Although doubtful he would've wasted hours a day on it whinging--and attack people's POVs!!!)
"A SPLENDID TORCH"
This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy.
I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community, and as long as I live it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can.
I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work the more I live. I rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no "brief candle" for me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.
--George Bernard Shaw
You know, I was never a fan of blaming or giving credit to presidents over gas prices, as, for the most part, then are driven by supply and demand, however, my thoughts have recently changed.
During the Trump admin, we became energy independent, allowing gas prices to fall and remain around 2.00 for almost the entirety of his tenure.
Now, take Biden. Within 24 hours of taking office, he discontinued the Keystone pipeline, and made it absolutely clear he does not want the US to be energy dependent. Less than a week later, gas prices jumped from 2.00 to 2.85. It has been that way pretty much the entire 5 months of the Biden admin, going down to about 2.76 a week ago. Now, for pretty much no reason, the gas prices are now averaging 2.95 here in Northeast Florida.
The actions taken by the past and present presidents certainly have had effects on the price of gas. One good, the other....not so much.
WTF-- that's total FAKE NEWS!
Actually it happened long before that!
The reason?
Quite simple. many oil fields became "depleted"...in mining that means the richness of the fields had become so low it was no longer profitable to mine. (The same thing can happen with other mines-- for example anything from Copper to Gold. After a while the %age of the commodity was so low it is no longer profitiable to mine).
But technology advances...and scientists discovered a way to make poor fields profitiable again, even with low yields.
How? A relatively "new" technology-- Hydraulic fracturing.
This was not invented by Trump! Or by any politicians! Rather, it was invent edby American Scientists...classic American innovation!
(I realize that often the actual facts are difficult to grasp by most heavy users of social media...who for some strange reason feel that anything and everything that happens in the Universe is caused by politicians!)
You all complain about this when the reality is in about five years, some of the big automakers are going all electric.
in about five years, some of the big automakers are going all electric.
Maybe half of the production....in perhaps 50 years....will be electric.
Seems we were both wrong.
So some manufacturers will stop producing gas vehicles in 2035, but the vehicles produced during that year will probably be on the road for a decade or more, which means they will require gas to run. In addition, the electric charging stations are going to be powered by fossil fuels, so the gas taken away from running vehicles will only be used to power electric charging stations.
There will be no real big changes for a long time to come.
Of course there will still be gas vehicles on the road yet the change is still coming.
Not so sure about the gas to run power. My state just contracted for a large windfarm and the excess electricity is going to be sold off.
Has your state also contracted for the space that will be required to bury the blades of those wind turbines when they reach their useful life expectancy, which is about 20 years? Or are they hoping that other states will take that hazardous waste off their hands?
Ah, the best laid plans of mice and men.
I suspect Mary Barra will provide what the consumer wants, of course surmising she is still relevant at GM in the next few years.
This state just buries all the other trash.
I think most of them are going to move in that direction.
I'll suggest you read some of the articles in this link before you jump on that bandwagon. Someone from the Australian diplomatic mission here in London gave me this. It's eyeopening in how detrimental the "green" agenda actually is.
Of course they will IF the vehicles sell. But when people understand that their travel times will be greatly extended if they do interstate travel, or if they pull a RV or utility trailer, they'll consider otherwise, especially if they're a one vehicle family.
That article talks about land use. Here they are planning on putting them in the gulf.
They have electric trucks now with plenty of torque.
The Ford F150 EV has 775 lbs of torgue.
Here are some interesting articles on recycling the wind turbine blades.
I believe that will require quite a bit of federal oversight and I believe other states and nations bordering the gulf will have a tad of a hizzy fit about dumping yet more hazardous waste into the water.
The feds are involved. I don't see how it would dump hazardous waste.
Couldn't be any worse than the oil spills and leaking wells.
And you know this...how?
Shredded and turned into concrete.
Who would have thought.
And that needs to be recharged in less than 300 miles with NO LOAD.
So, traveling to visit my daughter in NY (assuming she stays there) from the facility my wife will be running in TX will have us stopping, possibly twice, overnight before I even get out of TX.
Here's some additional links you might want to read.
THAT'S hysterical. The people that are pushing the idea will voice a reason to not support it?
Read some of the articles linked to in the link I provided earlier.
Believe me, I was actually hopeful for the concept, and then I found what others have already discovered.
They are also looking into hydrogen.
I still don't see how a wind turbine could be any worse than an oil rig.
In fact, I would think it would be a lot cleaner.
And they have been since the 70's. How's that working out for you? How many hydrogen vehicles are tooling down the highway?
It is a great technology as the 'exhaust' is water vapor. The problem is that hydrogen is highly explosive and has to be carefully handled. Do you think the average driver that can't even keep tires inflated properly is up to that task?
Read the links provided.
Also, one of the major components of a wind turbine is the magnet. That is so highly toxic to make there is only one country globally that makes it.... yeah China. I guess they have an excess of mouths to feed so they're willing to sacrifice a few.
We have drivers that can't pump gas...
I think the oil companies tried to kill any and all technology that went against their cash flow.
many people are saying that the whole concept of "re-cycling'is a hoax!
Yer basic "Fake News"!
Nothing can be recycled-- and it never will be!
(Well...that's what "People are saying".. so it must be true, eh?
)
Minor correction. America (all countries actually) have "drivers" that should not be allowed to even touch a vehicle unless it's the door of a cab being driven by another.
I actually witness some idiot that left the nozzle in the car. Took off and tore the nozzle off and carried it down the road.
One thing I didn't realize is the newer stations are equipped with a release on the hose and nozzle just for that exact scenario.
After many years of trading in the Stock market, I have come to realize the wisdom of a reknowned Yoga master and Guru:
Prediction is difficult...especially about the future!
-Yogi Berra
Don't bury your head in the sand. Try this link and read the embedded links. It's a harrowing eye opener.
The question was about torque not range.
Thanks, I've seen and read all of those links before.
The ones that want to go out of business will.
We have electric cars now that run around Michigan. They disappear the first sign of snow; and come back out as soon as summer firmly takes hold. Who wants an electric vehicle sitting in traffic in a blizzard on a commute that normally takes 20 minutes; but now takes over an hour and half? Do you really think their will be enough quick recharging stations around to support any significant level of electric vehicles?
They are getting better. Not like the original Prius. They now have an all electric truck.
The range is getting longer too.
In ten years time a lot of stations can be built. I guess it would be, who would pay for and maintain the stations.
And when they can "recharge" the batteries as fast as I can pump a full tank of fuel, I'll think about it more.
And of course...nothing ever changes!
Once there were no cell phones...I wonder if back then you would have posted a comment on social media that since at the time such a thing didn't exist-- it never would!
(Or before that...when a portable computer was "impossible"-- it would always be impossible).
After all, they are YUGE-- so can never become any smaller!
That YUGE computer was less powerful than your current laptop!
(To say nothing of the fact that it used vacuum tubes instead of chips-- so it required a YUGE cooling & ventilation system).
So obviously (at the time) everyone knew that computers had no future...who would want a computer that would disappear the first sign of snow; and come back out as soon as summer firmly takes hold. Who wants a computer sitting in traffic in a blizzard on a commute that normally takes 20 minutes; but now takes over an hour and half?
I can tell you this: Computers have no future, that I can tell you!
It is always improving. Look at cell phone charges. I use to have to wait a long time to charge a phone. Now with the quick charge it does it pretty fast.
People traveling stop for meal beaks, bathroom breaks etc.
It would be easy to stop for lunch and plug in the car.
Like I said, my concern would be how is the plug charger going to be paid. Would they charge you per minute or whatever. Cause we all know to plug in will not be free.
Don't worry. Jumpin Joe Biden is going to have those installed. Of course depending on the day of the week or hour of the day it might be 50,000 or 500,000 for what, 20 or 30 million vehicles on the road?
And people think there's road rage now.
And that 10 minute potty break or 30 minute lunch break is not going to give you much more travel distance.
One more point, while recharging a cell phone has gotten much quicker, do you think people that can barely afford a $400 repair bill, if even that, will be replacing a 40, 50, 60 or 100 thousand dollar vehicle at the same rate as cell phones?
People are saying that, re: all technology-- the way it is now is the way it will always be.
Nothing ever changes.
(True-- that's what some people are saying, I can tell you that!)
When poor people have 1k iphones, anything is possible.
But why assume it will be only government-- and in fact only the federal government under Biden? (What are you...some kind of a Socialist?)
Accelerating Investment in Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure
Estimated Needs in Selected Utility Service Territories in Seven States
This analysis evaluates the total need for electric vehicle charging infrastructure— including private chargers at vehicle owners’ homes and publicly accessible chargers— to accommodate plug-in electric vehicles (PEV) 1 in the twelve largest utility service territories in the states of California, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.
These states were chosen to be fairly representative of needs across the U.S. and to identify regional differences. These twelve utilities serve 60 percent of the residential customers in these seven states— 41.8 million customers, with nearly 80 million vehicles.
The analysis includes the estimated purchase and installation cost of all chargers required to make PEVs a practical option for most vehicle owners.
While there is general agreement that most electric vehicles will be charged primarily at home, publicly accessible chargers will also be required to allow PEV owners to charge at various locations throughout their daily travel.
Such “public” chargers will be most useful at locations where PEV owners already park for 15+ minutes on a regular basis as part of their normal routine—most importantly at their workplace, but also potentially at shopping malls, restaurants, movie theatres and other commercial locations. In order to accommodate long-distance travel in battery electric vehicles, a network of higher power chargers—likely located near highway exits—will also be required.
I've seen so many homeless people recently...sitting on a public sidewalk, back against a building...talking on their iPhones!
And sitting on a park bench...their eyes glued to their cell phone.
So despite all the naysayers here... the technology is spreading...rapidly!
Really bad news for the poor and working class, especially.
Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose!
(When were conditions for the poor and working class ever as wonderful as they were for America's billionaires...or even millionaires?).
My advice (considering what politicians do...and whose interests they look out for...who gives them money..)...my advice is:.-- do not be poor!
Rather, become a multti- millionaire!
Inflation? Is that something new or is it just the latest trial hammer? Nailed it!
Pun intended?
Here's what I've noticed...over time, there are periods of rising inflation, and periods of decreasing inflation.
And as a trader, I've noticed that it is only one of many, many factors effecting the economy.
(If oe is smart enough...and/or lucky enough..to have money to invest...over time inflation is but a minor factor in how well you do. (Rising inflation doesn't stop mefrominvesting...rather it just changes the sort of stocks I buy).
Its kinda like "The Deficit"-- n
its great on a slow news day for news organizations to get a story (a scare story at that!)...but as far as I'm concwerned makes very little difference in my life!
Is that something new or is it just the latest trial hammer?
Maybe its people who got the Covid Vaccine . . . and became Magnetic!
Yes-- looks like its yet another case of deja vu all over again! its those irrepressible MAGA people-- they're everywhere!
A Doctor-Turned-Conspiracy Theorist Falsely Claimed At An Ohio Hearing The COVID-19 Vaccine Will Turn You Into A Magnet !!!
Photo credit: BRAIN_ENERGY_CURES.jpg
What would Maxwell do???
What would Maxwell do???
(Buzz-- you can't open that, but you may have guessed what that it is-- its a link to "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" on YouTube).
You can blame the Trump trade tariffs that Biden won't reverse for some of that inflation, which is going to hurt the poor, rather than the rich.