Surging inflation has eased in recent months, but more evidence is needed to show that price increases are coming down in the long term, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Wednesday. (Photo by Yuki IWAMURA / AFP) (Photo by YUKI IWAMURA/AFP via Getty Images)
Prices rose half a percent in January, according to the latest consumer price index. That is up from a 0.1 percent decline in December, and five times the 0.1 percent increase in November.
The monthly uptick was in line with expectation, though the year-over-year rate came in higher than expected 6.4 percent, a marginal drop from a 6.5 percent rate in December.
Shelter (i.e. housing) contributed the largest share to the monthly increase, rising 0.7 percent.
Energy costs were also up across the board. The price of piped gas shot up 6.7 percent, while energy overall was up 2 percent after two straight months of declines.
Food prices, meanwhile, were up 0.5 percent. That is up from 0.4 percent in December, but still low relative to the last six months.
Used car prices also continued their steady decline, dropping 1.7 percent month-over-month and 11.6 percent year-over-year.
Despite the month-over-month drop, the annual rate has slowed for seven straight months.
Nike has initiated a lawsuit against athletic apparel retailer and competitor Lululemon over claims of patent infringement. The sneaker giant is claiming the technology in their rival's MIRROR home gym was patented back in 1983.
Adi Robertson, senior reporter at The Verge, joins Cheddar News to break down the battle between two NFT collections by Phunky Ape Yacht Club and PHAYC that are selling plagiarized Bored Ape Yacht Club designs.
Following the attack on the Capitol last year, several major corporations promised to no longer pour funds into the campaigns of Republican lawmakers who supported the January 6 insurrection. But not all have stood firm on their word. Among those that did keep to their promise were Nike, American Express, and Walgreens.
Maja Vujinovic, managing director of investment and advisory firm OGroup LLC, spoke to Cheddar about factors impacting the price of a Bitcoin. She attributed some of the drop-offs in the cryptocurrency's value to inflation and expects the space to continue being volatile. Vujinovic also stated that Bitcoin is here stay and will continue to expand, opening the door for legislators to establish regulation around cryptocurrencies.
Chris Johnson, CEO of Johnson Research Group, breaks down how the Feds decision impacts economic growth and highlights certain sectors within tech that offer a hedge on inflation.
Sandy Villere, Portfolio Manager, Villere Balanced Fund breaks down the major risks to the market and highlights sectors showing growth despite COVID-19 headwinds.
Stock closed at record highs on the first day of trading in 2022, kicking the new year off on a strong note. Tommy Mancuso, president and co-founder of the The Bad Investment Company, joined Cheddar to discuss his optimism for the year ahead, as well as the significance of Apple hitting the $3 trillion market cap mark.
