Wholesale Inflation Surges  

Related News

• Fed Ponders Pause in Rate Cuts—After 1 More

  Apr 24, 08 10:05 AM CDT
  The Federal Reserve may be ready to cool its torrid rate-cutting after a likely .25% percentage point cut at its meeting next week, the Wall Street Journal reports. Futures markets are betting Chairman Ben Bernanke is unlikely to rest just yet, with little change in the month-to-month economic picture, but will pause after that to assess the cuts' effect and avoid stoking inflation. More »

• Housing Starts Down; Producer Prices Up

  Mar 18, 08 11:55 AM CDT
  Housing starts fell yet again in February, and building permits hit a 16-year low, Bloomberg reports. The annual housing start rate fell to 1.065 million homes, a 0.6% drop from January, while permits sank 7.8%, indicating still bigger declines to come. “We don’t see it bottoming out,” said one Wachovia economist. February’s starts beat estimates, but permits fell more than forecast. More »

• Consumer Prices Flat in Feb.

  Mar 14, 08 8:41 AM CDT
  Consumer prices were flat for February, pleasantly surprising economists who expected a 0.2% increase, reports the Wall Street Journal. This morning’s consumer price index eases concerns that inflation is accelerating as the economy slows, and it gives the Federal Reserve more reason to float a large interest rate cut next week. A drop in energy prices was credited with the inflation relief, likely to be short-lived as this month's record oil and gas prices are factored into the next reports. More »

• Fed Sees Slower Growth, Higher Unemployment

  Feb 20, 08 6:58 PM CST
  The Federal Reserve issued a bleak assessment of the economy today, predicting weak growth and rising unemployment this year. Fed officials expect the economy to grow between 1.3% and 2% in 2008, the slowest in five years, the New York Times reports. A separate report today showed consumer prices rising, putting the Fed in a tricky spot as it weighs another rate cut against fears of inflation. More »

• Inflation Spikes, Cut in Jeopardy

  Feb 20, 08 9:04 AM CST
  Core inflation bounded ahead of expectations in January, which is bad news for anyone betting on a big rate cut from the Fed–and for the Fed itself. The consumer price index rose 0.4%, with core CPI rising 0.3%, putting the year-over-year figures at 4.3% and 2.5% respectively, well above the Fed’s traditional 1.5%-2% comfort zone, the Wall Street Journal reports. More »