Alternative Visions - Inflation USA: Analysis of Latest CPI and PPI Reports

 In this week’s show Dr. Rasmus takes a ‘deep dive’ into last week’s Consumer and Producer Price Index Reports. Conclusions: Fed record rate hikes have shaken out demand driven causes of inflation but further gains will require even higher interest rate hikes. March CPI at 5% has improved only to 4.9% for April. Inflation reduction has ‘stalled out’. The reduction thus far has impacted energy and some food—i.e. what’s called ‘headline inflation’ but has left ‘core’ inflation (all rest) virtually unchanged at 5.5% for most of past year.  Producer prices (that eventually drive consumer prices) are actually rising again. Energy (gasoline) costs and travel costs will again rise in coming months while business unit labor costs will rise due to collapsing US productivity and continuing price gouging by monopolistic corporations (ex: bakery goods) and rents hikes by landlords.