Category: Economics
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Inflation Just Posted Its Biggest One-Month Drop Since the Pandemic — Here’s Why That’s More Complicated Than It Sounds
June’s CPI report posted the biggest one-month price drop since the pandemic, driven almost entirely by a gasoline price reversal tied to the Iran war easing. Core inflation, the number the Fed watches most, barely budged.
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May 2026 Trade Deficit Jumps to $77.6 Billion — Gold Swings and Oil Prices Explain Most of It
America’s trade gap widened sharply in May, but a gold-shipment reversal and Iran-war oil prices explain much of the jump. Here’s what beat forecasts, what didn’t, and what it means for the Fed’s July decision.
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June Jobs Report: Hiring Slows Sharply, But the Unemployment Rate Drop Isn’t What It Looks Like
Payrolls rose just 57,000 in June, half of what forecasters expected, while April and May were revised down a combined 74,000. The unemployment rate hit a one-year low — but for a reason that isn’t actually good news.
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Inflation Hit a 3-Year High in May
Infographic: The Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation measure climbed to 4.1% in May 2026, its highest level since April 2023. Despite surging prices, Americans kept spending — though after adjusting for inflation, real gains were modest.
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Inflation Hit a 3-Year High in May — But Consumers Keep Spending
The Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation measure climbed to 4.1% in May 2026, its highest level since April 2023. Despite surging prices, Americans kept spending — though after adjusting for inflation, real gains were modest. Here’s what the numbers mean for your wallet and the Fed’s next move.
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Paying More and Buying Less: 2025 Tariffs and U.S. Household Spending
A new Federal Reserve working paper finds that 2025 tariffs led to partial retail price pass-through but much larger reductions in household spending, especially on non-essential goods. The burden fell unevenly, with low-income households facing the highest welfare cost as a share of income.
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Inflation Hits 4.2% in May — Highest in Three Years
The May 2026 Consumer Price Index hit 4.2% year-over-year, the highest inflation reading since April 2023 and almost entirely driven by an energy price spike from the Middle East conflict. But strip out food and energy, and core inflation is a much calmer 2.9% — a critical nuance most coverage misses.
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Inflation Hits 4.2% in May — Highest in Three Years. Here’s What’s Driving It
The May 2026 Consumer Price Index hit 4.2% year-over-year, the highest inflation reading since April 2023 and almost entirely driven by an energy price spike from the Middle East conflict. But strip out food and energy, and core inflation is a much calmer 2.9% — a critical nuance most coverage misses.
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May 2026 Jobs Infographic
The May 2026 jobs report delivered a major upside surprise: 172,000 jobs added against forecasts of 80,000–105,000.
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May 2026 Jobs Report: Economy Adds 172,000 Jobs
The May 2026 jobs report delivered a major upside surprise: 172,000 jobs added against forecasts of 80,000–105,000. Prior months were also revised up by a combined 93,000. Here’s a plain-English breakdown of who’s hiring, who’s losing ground, and what it means for interest rates.
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Hassett Defends Economy, Touts Tax Cuts, and Vouches for Pulte as DNI in White House Gaggle
Trump economic adviser Kevin Hassett made sweeping economic claims outside the West Wing on June 2. Our fact-check finds his GDP figure off by 2.5×, his $3,000 wage gain disputed, and his Bill Pulte DNI defense dodges credentials.
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April 2026 PCE Report: Americans Spent More, But Inflation Swallowed the Gains
Americans spent more in April 2026, but inflation consumed nearly all the gains. Real spending barely grew while real paychecks shrank and the saving rate hit a multi-year low. Here’s what BEA’s latest PCE report actually means for your wallet and the Fed’s next move.