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Escalating Inflation at Home and Abroad Puts Pressure on Central Bankers
Inflation is spreading like wildfire around the globe, and while not every country is hurting as bad as Zimbabwe with its mind-boggling 2.2 million percent inflation, the United States and Europe are definitely still getting scorched by rising prices.
U.S. consumer prices, as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), increased 1.1% in June, the Department of Labor reported yesterday (Wednesday). That brings the inflation rate for the past 12 months to 5%, well above the U.S. Federal Reserve’s preferred target of 2.0%.
The increase was higher than expected as a 6.6% jump in energy costs and a 0.8% rise in food…
17Jul2008 | Money Morning | Comments Off | ContinuedFed Holds Rates Steady in Face of Upside Inflation Risk
Citing the risk of high inflation, the U.S. Federal Reserve voted to hold the Federal Funds rate steady at 2.0% yesterday (Wednesday).
“Although downside risks to growth remain, they appear to have diminished somewhat, and the upside risks to inflation and inflation expectations have increased,” the accompanying Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) statement read.
The statement did not allude to any future rate hikes at the next FOMC meetings scheduled for August or September. It was a very balanced statement overall, acknowledging the dual threats of stagnation and inflation currently facing the U.S. economy.
“It is more or less a neutral…
26Jun2008 | Money Morning | Comments Off | Continued
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