With CPI data once again coming in hotter than expected, it’s getting harder and harder for the mainstream to swallow the “transitory inflation” narrative.
And some people are starting to worry.
During an earnings call, JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon expressed concerns about higher than expected and persistent inflation ahead.
Consumer borrowing has slowed somewhat from the record level we saw in June, but Americans continue to pile on the debt.
Consumer debt grew by $14.4 billion in August to $4.35 trillion, according to the latest data from the Federal Reserve. That represents a 4% increase.
This follows on the heels of a 4.8% increase in July after a record 10.6% increase in June.
Inflation bites!
Personal income rose again in August, but once again rising prices ate up all the gains and then some.
Central banks continue to add gold to their reserves. Global central bank reserves increased by a net 28.4 tons in August, according to data compiled by the World Gold Council.
Gross central bank gold purchases came in at 30 tons.
(October 1, 2021) – Beginning today, you will no longer have to pay sales tax when you buy gold and silver in the state of Ohio.
Last summer, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed a bill into law that exempts gold and silver bullion and coins from sales tax. This will not only relieve some of the tax burdens on investors in the state; it will also take a step toward treating gold and silver as money instead of as commodities.
Incentives matter. All of the political grandstanding, media spin and wishful thinking won’t change this basic economic principle.
Both Janet Yellen and Joe Biden insisted “enhanced” unemployment benefits weren’t incentivizing people not to work. But as we recently reported, analysis of continuing unemployment claims after a number of red states cut enhanced benefits undermined this narrative. Now a study by Mercatus Center economists Michael Farren and Christopher M. Kaiser further destroys the ludicrous notion that paying people not to work won’t result in fewer people working.
The Fed has an inflation problem.
The CPI is running well above the mythical 2% target and there isn’t any sign that it will ease soon. To deal with this problem, the central bank should tighten its monetary policy. But that would create a whole new problem, given that it can’t tighten in this economic environment. So, what is a central banker to do?
Well, if the Fed can’t hit the target, how about just moving the target?
The silver-gold ratio has ballooned again, indicating that silver is once again a bargain buy.
During a gold bull market, silver typically outperforms gold. We saw this during the big runup in the price of both metals through the early months of the pandemic. In the third quarter of last year, silver charted its best quarter since 2010, finishing up 27.62% through the three months ending Sept. 30. Going back further, silver spiked 106.6% off its March 2020 low.
In yet another sign “transitory” inflation might not be so transitory, FedEx has announced plans to significantly hike shipping rates in 2022.
FedEx said it will raise rates for US domestic, export and import services by 5.9%, on average next year. Some freight rates will rise as much as 7.9%. The company also plans to raise its Ground Economy rates along with fuel surcharges. The rate hikes will go into effect on Jan. 3.
