The Fed Has A Problem: Inflation May Hit 3.5% By December Due To Gas Price "Base Effect"

The Fed Has A Problem: Inflation May Hit 3.5% By December Due To Gas Price "Base Effect"

One of the officially stated reasons why the Fed delayed hiking rates so far, is because inflation in late 2015 and early 2016 has been lower than the Fed's bogey (as long as one does not look at core inflation, or such critical price levels as asking rents and health insurance). And, based at least on the CPI's basket weighing of headline input prices, the Fed may have been right: the main reason for this is that tumbling energy prices have resulted in a sharp drop in gasoline prices at the pump, one of the primary drivers of Headline CPI.

Plunging Personal Income Tax Revenues Slam State Budgets In April

Plunging Personal Income Tax Revenues Slam State Budgets In April

This April, personal income tax revenue fell by an average of 9.88 percent compared to the same period last year in the 32 states for which Reuters has data (Puerto Rico as well). April is the most important revenue month for states because it contains the tax filing deadline and taxpayers tend to wait until the last minute to pay any taxes that may be owed from the prior year.

Pages