Prices throughout the world are increasing more quickly than they have in the last 40 years.
The increasing cost of living is placing an undue strain on people’s finances since incomes aren’t able to keep pace with the cost of living.
What is the definition of Inflation?
Inflation refers to the rise in the price of something as time passes.
As an example that a slice of pizza is priced at $1 and increases by 25 cents when compared to the same time last year, the pizza’s Inflation news this week will be 25 per cent.
Each month in countries such as the US and UK, the government publishes an estimate of the number of price rises.
Several countries are reporting multi-decade records, including the US, where the inflation rate was 9.1 per cent in June, the highest rate since 1981.
• Why is the rate of Inflation across the US so high?
• Eurozone increases rates for only the 11th time
• Milk, fuel and eggs boost Inflation to a 40-year record
The International Monetary Fund expects Inflation to rise to 6.6 per cent in advanced economies and 9.5 per cent in emerging and developing economies.
What’s causing the Inflation?
A variety of factors are responsible for the rate of Inflation that is so high. This includes:
• gas prices are rising because oil production has fallen behind demands, and the conflict in Ukraine makes it more difficult.
• Food prices are rising following poor weather affected harvests, and the conflict in Ukraine has impacted the production of grain and cost
• An increase in car prices is due to the shortage of microchips that began prior to the outbreak of the pandemic
• Rents are higher and so are property prices after lower interest rates, and the absence of work increased the demand for properties during the pandemic
• and increases in the price of numerous other products, such as furniture and raw material furniture that, in large part, result from logistics and manufacturing problems connected to Covid
In the US the United States, the increase in the rate of Inflation was triggered by the outbreak, as the government’s spending, which included family checks, kept the market at a record high. In other regions around the globe, like Europe, the issue is rooted in more recent events such as the conflict in Ukraine. Car prices are a major component of US inflation calculations – rocketed this year.
What is the best way to measure Inflation?
In order to come up with an Inflation news this week number government statisticians keep track of the price of a variety of items used in everyday life. This is called”the “basket of goods”.
The basket is regularly updated to reflect the latest trends in the items people buy and is different based on the country of the buyer.
• Sports bras on doughnuts out of shopping baskets
In the US the costs for healthcare are an even larger portion of the total cost calculation as compared to the UK in which medical costs tend to make up a smaller portion of the cost for people. In contrast, the costs of alcohol are weighed more heavily when compared to the UK.
Each month’s figure for Inflation is the amount these prices have increased since the previous year. This is referred to in “the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
What has the impact of Inflation on pay?
Pay rises haven’t kept pace with Inflation even in places like the US, which has a booming job market has forced businesses to raise the amount of wages.
If Inflation is considered taking into account inflation, the hourly average wage for the US was 3.6 percent less than it was twelve months prior. The UK, pay is declining at the fastest pace since 2001 and is causing the cost of living crisis.
IMAGE SOURCE,REUTERSImage caption, Joe Biden’s popularity has declined as the price of petrol increases
Which countries have the most severe Inflation?
The increasing costs of living has become a worldwide problem and is caused by rising cost of energy, shortages of materials and goods, and the consequences of Covid impact countries across the globe.
In the past few months, nations that are connected to Russia, such as Estonia and Lithuania were severely impacted, because of the war in Ukraine.
The changes to the price caps on energy are impacting rates, such as in the UK, which is where an expansion of cap was responsible for more than three quarters of the increase to price inflation from April.
The oil-producing country of Saudi Arabia is among the countries with the lowest rate of Inflation as is Japan which has traditionally faced inflation fears as too low – it’s remained fairly steady.
IMAGE SOURCE,REUTERSImage caption, Rising oil prices have led to an increase in prices throughout the world economy
When will Inflation start to decrease?
Many economists believe that the price increase will peak towards the close of the year, in line with the effects on the economy of central banks’ increasing rates of interest.
In the US Central bank policymakers anticipate that Inflation will fall below 3% by 2023.
However, there are plenty of questions as to whether this is going to take place. In the past, when Inflation was higher than 9%, it took many years, not just a few months to come back.
How come gas prices are dropping and how will this help combat Inflation?
Oil prices have been falling recently due to increased production, and investors believe that the economic slowdown will decrease demand.
For consumers, this typically results in lower prices at the pump. However, the speed at which gasoline stations can lower costs is often determined by the local competition they face.
If the lower energy costs stick around, this should aid in reducing price increases across the economy.
When economists consider Inflation news this week , they tend to concentrate on energy and food prices that fluctuate often. They’re looking for a slowdown that is more widespread in price rises.
How can higher interest rates combat the rise in Inflation?
The higher interest rates make it more expensive for businesses and homeowners to borrow money, reducing demand. This could theoretically aid in easing the pressures that push up prices.
If price inflation occurs due to events such as rising prices for energy globally, Some are concerned that increases in interest rates are more than they can handle.
Inflation has helped cause political turmoil in many countries, including Sri Lanka
What is the role of Joe Biden in fighting Inflation?
There’s nothing that politicians can do. Experts in economics argue that price caps, which a few countries have introduced, will increase the severity of the problem by subsidizing the demand. They suggest specific relief for those who are the most disadvantaged instead.
• The countries that are doing the best to reduce their energy costs?
• Biden states that American people are really, truly down’
As of now, the discontent about the subject is causing tensions in the political world.
For Sri Lanka, where the Inflation news this week is at or above 50 per cent, this economic crisis caused to resignation of the previous president. Panama is also the site of major protests and strikes among workers that have disrupted economic activity in Europe and the UK.
Joe Biden’s approval ratings have plummeted in the US, and Biden’s Democratic Party is widely expected to be a loser in the November election round.
