The 0.4 percent decline in the headline CPI in June, as energy prices fell, along with an unchanged core CPI (which excludes energy and food prices), has led some observers to conclude that price stability is now in sight. Indeed, June was the first time in six years that the core CPI did not increase. … Continue reading Does the June CPI Suggest That There Is Light at the End of the Tunnel?
The Jerome Powell Legacy
Jerome Powell took the helm of the Federal Reserve in February 2018, being elevated to that position from that of a regular member of the Board. He was replaced as chair in May 2026, returning to his seat as a regular governor. Mr. Powell was chosen to be chair of the Board of Governors by President Trump … Continue reading The Jerome Powell Legacy
Stubborn Disinflation
With the 25-basis point cut in the target for the federal funds rate on December 10, the Fed has lowered this target rate a cumulative 175 basis points in fifteen months. Over this time, inflation has remained stubbornly above the Fed’s 2 percent objective while the unemployment rate moved up from 4.2 percent in August … Continue reading Stubborn Disinflation
State of the Industry: The Airlines
In recent blog posts, it’s been conveyed that American civilization appears to be slowly creeping back to normal. Dips in unemployment claims coupled with an increase in consumer spending allow us to make the generalization that people want to return to normalcy - or, at least, as close to it as possible. But for some … Continue reading State of the Industry: The Airlines
Opinion: A New Normal for College Students?
It’s no secret that COVID-19 has forced many educational institutions to rapidly reconsider whether to inaugurate a new normal. Commonplace practices that characterized the college and university experience, such as face-to-face instruction, dormitory living, and group gatherings instantaneously became taboo as thousands of students across the country were forced to vacate campuses beginning in late … Continue reading Opinion: A New Normal for College Students?
Thomas D. Simpson, PH.D. 