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The Two-Way
Wholesale Prices Plunge, But So Do Retail Sales
April 12, 2013 The good news: Inflation remains in check. The bad news: Consumers were less willing to spend last month.
The Two-Way
Gasoline Pushed Consumer Prices Up Sharply In February
March 15, 2013 Prices rose overall by 0.7 percent. The major factor: a 9.1 percent surge in gasoline. Since February, though, gas prices have retreated. So economists do not think the latest report changes the inflation picture.
The Two-Way
Inflation Rate Slowed Sharply In 2012; Prices Were Flat In December
January 16, 2013 Consumer prices rose just 1.7 percent in 2012, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports. That's about half the pace of 2011 — when prices went up 3 percent. A sharp slowing in the increase of gas prices was a major factor. The news means interest rates will likely stay low.
The Two-Way
Retail Sales Rose As 2012 Ended; Inflation Remained In Check
January 15, 2013 Consumers were still in a spending mood in December, even as lawmakers battled over the budget. Meanwhile, wholesale prices fell slightly. Those are both good signs for the economy.
The Two-Way
Superstorm Sandy Sends Jobless Claims Up Sharply
November 15, 2012 The storm threw some people onto unemployment rolls and shut down some state offices the previous week — meaning some laid-off workers couldn't file their claims until last week.
Planet Money
Inflation Isn't About The Price Of Corn. It's About Wages.
September 5, 2012 Why inflation is still low, even as the price of some commodities is rising.
Planet Money
Everybody Always Thinks Inflation Is Higher Than It Really Is
August 15, 2012 "When prices go up, they notice it. When prices go down, they don't care."
The Two-Way
Inflation Stayed In Check Last Month: No Change In July
August 15, 2012 A sluggish economy has kept prices from rising. But a recent uptick in the price of gasoline and the effects of this summer's drought on food costs could put some upward pressure on inflation in coming months.
The Two-Way
Retail Sales Rose 0.8 Percent In July; More Than Expected
August 14, 2012 The gain could be a sign that consumers are growing more confident.
The Two-Way
Sharp Drop In Gas Prices Puts Brakes On Inflation
June 13, 2012 Wholesale prices fell 1 percent in May from April thanks to an 8.9 percent plunge in the price of gasoline.
The Two-Way
Consumer Prices, Consumer Spending Both Flat In April
May 15, 2012 Dropping gas prices helped hold inflation down. Meanwhile, April consumer spending may have been slowed because warm weather in March encouraged folks to get out their wallets then.
The Two-Way
Tame Inflation Report Gives Federal Reserve Reason To Stay Easy
April 13, 2012 The news that consumer prices rose a relatively modest 0.3 percent in March from February supports "the view the U.S. Federal Reserve has room to provide more support for the economy if needed," Reuters concludes.
The Two-Way
Consumer Prices Rose 0.4 Percent Last Month; Factory Output Up 0.3 Percent
March 16, 2012 A spike in gasoline prices fueled the increase. The so-called core rate of inflation remained in check.
The Two-Way
Jobless Claims Drop, Inflation At 3 Percent, Housing Starts Cool
January 19, 2012 First-time claims for unemployment insurance plunged by 50,000 last week from the week before, to 352,000. They're now near a four-year low.
