Peter's Blog

The Federal Reserve raised its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points on September 16th, lifting the federal funds target to a range of 3.75-4% and ending nine months of holding rates steady. Speaking on October 8th at the Istanbul Economic Forum, Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller laid out the reasoning behind the move. His […]

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Thursday that the Producer Price Index (PPI) for final demand rose 0.4% in August, a sharp acceleration from July’s 0.1% gain and June’s 0.1% decline. On an unadjusted basis, wholesale prices are up 5.4% over the past 12 months, more than double the Federal Reserve’s 2% target. The report […]

The latest figures show the money supply growing at its fastest pace in over four years, with consumer prices climbing right alongside it. Yet the Federal Reserve continues to insist its policy stance is at least moderately restrictive, even as real wages fall further behind inflation. The following article was originally published by the Mises […]

Inflation’s embers flared again in May, dashing hopes that last year’s price scare was fading. The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) rose 0.5 percent for the month, lifting the headline rate to 4.2 percent year-over-year and marking a second straight acceleration. Energy was the chief culprit, and the renewed heat pushed safe-haven […]

Tariffs are being pitched as a magic bullet to revive American manufacturing, pushing out foreign competitors to bring red, white, and blue factories humming back to life. It sounds great: tax imports to bring companies back to the States, and generate a flood of revenue in the process as jobs flood back to the heartland. […]

With Trump’s latest batch of tariffs taking effect on March 4th, the American consumer is in for an economic beating. Just like any other tax, tariffs make us poorer.

As President-elect Donald Trump prepares to return to the Oval Office, his proposed trade policies have reignited concerns about the economic impact of tariffs on American consumers. Trump has vowed to impose sweeping tariffs of up to 20% on all imports and a staggering 60% on Chinese goods. While he claims these measures will stimulate […]

A dangerous narrative has taken hold in some political circles: the idea that protectionist policies can revive American manufacturing and bring back jobs. 

“No” is Boeing’s final word to union workers, who say they plan to remain off work for the “long haul” after the company walked away from the negotiating table.

In the wake of the Fed’s juicy 50 bps interest rate cut, the dollar responded immediately by dropping against gold. With more rate cuts on the way, Israel’s war expanding rapidly, and inflation ready to rip higher, new record prices are on the way for the yellow metal.