Inflation, the rate of change of prices, is very unpopular because it erodes purchasing power. Our posts explore the different causes of inflation and its economic costs; the difficulties associated with measuring inflation over time; the policy tools available to combat high inflation and their limitations; and insights into how inflation differs across sectors of the economy.
December 4, 2025
Prices of over 350,000 products at major U.S. retailers show a slow and gradual pass-through of tariffs to consumers. Both imports and U.S.-made goods are affected.
September 21, 2025
Legal independence for central banks has increased around the world. But it is not a one-way road. What conditions lead to an erosion of autonomy?
March 17, 2025
Gold has a long history of being held as a financial asset by private investors and central banks, which can be the source of large shifts in its price.
February 27, 2025
An analysis of meetings between US presidents and Fed officials finds times when presidential pressure influenced the Fed at the expense of price stability.
February 4, 2025
The independence of the Federal Reserve helps to ensure that it can make politically difficult decisions that are in the long-run best interest of the economy.
May 8, 2024
Aggregated inflation data may not accurately represent the experiences of specific subgroups, such as low-income or rural families.
February 12, 2024
Why are prices still going up if inflation is down? What might headline inflation statistics miss that affects economic well being across different groups?
November 2, 2023
Reducing public spending can help lower inflation. But targeted spending is especially important to protect those disproportionately hurt by high inflation.
September 20, 2023
Inflation expectations have been less sensitive to rising prices than they were in the 70s and 80s, facilitating the fight against inflation.