4. What is Fueling Today’s Inflation?
Even as headline inflation cools, several forces are at play:
- Pandemic & Supply Chain Aftershocks – Factories shut, shipping blocked. Prices soared during 2021’s 7% CPI, but ripple effects persist.
- Geopolitical Tensions & Tariffs – Tariffs from prior administrations continue to raise costs on consumer goods (marketwatch.com).
- Sticky Core Inflation – Housing, healthcare, and services have remained resilient, keeping core inflation elevated (finder.com).
- Fed Policy Dynamics – The Fed hit inflation hard with rates over 4% in 2022–23, then paused in 2024 before cautiously cutting.
Despite cooling, inflation remains above the Fed’s 2% goal, and there’s no guarantee it will stay down—it could rise again if interest rates are eased prematurely.
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