Ask an expert: Is inflation getting worse?

MSN Money's Anthony Mirhaydari answers Facebook users' questions about consumer prices.

By MSN Money Partner Apr 13, 2012 10:38AM
Rising energy and food prices have been increasingly on people's minds. While Friday's CPI figures point to a relief of sorts, consumers are concerned that things are getting worse. In this video, MSN Money columnist Anthony Mirhaydari explains how supply and demand forces, as well as monetary policies, are affecting prices.

 

As he answers questions from MSN Money's Facebook community, Mirhaydari also expresses his concerns that we still could be in a recession.

42Comments
Apr 13, 2012 2:55PM
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ONE MORE TIME:

 

Was I dreaming over the last few years, or did I really hear from the Fed that inflation was under control???  Every time I go to the gas pump, the grocery store or anywhere else, I know that inflation is out of control.

 

Why is all this "new" inflation talk just now coming to light?

 

Ah, that's right, POLITICS!  Shame on the Fed, and our political leaders!!!

Apr 13, 2012 2:35PM
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Inflation, what is that?  The numbers that track inflation do not include energy or food prices.  As a result, the mirage of low inflation in not an oasis but quick sand for the uninformed.
Apr 13, 2012 12:47PM
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Iinflation will continue to get worse as long as our Govenment inreases the Money Supply through deficit spending. The national debt is out of control. The only solution is to remove the Radical Liberal Socialist Lawyers from Political office by re-electing no-one who has been in office for more than 3 years. That includes the Senate, The President, and LOCAL elected officials. Tea party AGAIN in 2012 is our only hope, however it may already be too late. We are quickly spiraling to where Greece is now. It as a sad sad situation and becoming more and more absurd. How many times have we been fooled by these false promises? There is an educational disconnect fueled by middle east money which has perverted the minds of the young with proaganda when it comes to the understanding basic economic principals. The Free society and free markets are history. The Government no longer has the intelligence to deal with the REAL problems. They make new laws when they should be repealing the old laws. When you redistribute the wealth, the human condition becomes one of apathy to better oneself. NOBODY DESERVES  ANYTHING.
Apr 13, 2012 2:51PM
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Anyone buying food and energy can see the direction were headed..  We're up to our **** in alligators and don't know it.
Apr 13, 2012 1:52PM
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The WORLDS oil is tied to the US dollar (as are most commodities).  As such we have been printing money like crazy specific to the "stimulus packages".  As most of us know, the more money the US prints, the less it's worth compaired to oil, gold, sugar, etc...  The only thing that has kept the dollar tanking and oil, gold, etc. going through the roof is the European crisis and China keeping their currency artificially depressed.  If it wasn't for those two econimic giants keeping the dollar up higher than it should be, oil would be $150+ a barrel and gold would be at $2,000.  It's coming but only AFTER the world economy improves.  Until then it's STAGFLATION as was noted.  And that's the worst thing possible other than a full on depression.  Keep bying things that will move up with inflation because it's coming. 
Apr 13, 2012 3:21PM
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Doesn't take a genius or economic expert to answer this question!  Baystater7 is exactly right.

Our government is selling us down the river by continuing to bury us in debt and make us indentured slaves to China.  Until we become fiscally responsible prices will continue to rise on all necessities and commodities and our dollar will be dumped as the currency of international exchange.  Then we will see runaway inflation where it will take a wheelbarrow full of dollars to buy a loaf of bread!

Apr 13, 2012 3:57PM
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Too late for fiscal restraint.  We did it too ourselves.  The U.S. has become an overindulgent, warmongering people and we are going to pay a heavy price.  Think Greece, only much, much uglier.
Apr 13, 2012 6:38PM
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Who needs to ask an expert. You'd have to be a moron not to notice.
Apr 13, 2012 1:54PM
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Of course inflation is getting worse, loot ant the gas pump. As long as our government and greed are involved this will not stop.
Apr 13, 2012 6:51PM
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The government screwed those of us who paid the governments way and our own. A trillion dollars stimulus for the government and their big business friends. Nothing for those who pay their bills and go without. They want the workers &  the rich to pay and get nothing. Untold amounts for welfare and food stamps. Dump Obama who did not rebuild America's infrastructure and put people to work as promised. Lobbist are still in the white house where he said their would be none. Housing is still sinking ruining many lifes. Inflation is everywhere and everything has gone up and wages have gone down. Time for a change in leadership again..
Apr 13, 2012 7:45PM
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Hey Crying Tree

They also screwed those who saved for their retirement by keeping interest rates at 1% or lower for several years now.

 

It used to be you could safely put your money in CDs and low risk investments and live off the interest, but with the Federal Reserve keeping interest rates so low for so long that is no longer possible.

 

It used to be that a $10,000 CD would get a person about $500.00 - $600.00 in interest every year, now it’ll get less than $100.00 a year and that’s causing big problems for those who saved for retirement.



Apr 13, 2012 5:45PM
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Hey, there is no inflation. The US government does not count gas or food prices. It is all just our imagination. Dumping trillions of funny money into our ecomony has nothing to do with it. I am not sure what they use in their numbers. But, look at everything. It is going up a lot. New cars, used cars, shoes, etc. I guess we all need to buy things at Walmart.

 

In one of Obama's first democratic debates 4 years ago. He stated that gas should be at $4 a gallon. The only problem is that it went there too fast. That price makes it better for alternative fuels. Wow, how did  gas end up being at about $4. Does anyone really doubt that he truly believes this now.

Apr 13, 2012 7:54PM
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Real inflation over 10%( the obama government  doesnt count things that go up in price we all pay for like food/gas/anything that moves by truck)

 

Real Unemployment over 20%( the obama D.O.L doesnt count people whose UE runs out/temp workers/part time workers/long term unemployed)

 

Real Obama Misery Index over 30%(jimmy carter is proud his MI was 16.2% GWbush was 8% for you moonbat libs who say bush created this mess)

 

Retarded Obama voters that will vote for him no matter what 40%(the number of people that recieve a government check/government worker/welfare lay-abouts)

 

And dont believe the BS article the obama media puts out about gas prices going down haha took the wife to the doctor today went by a gas station and noted the price cause everyday it gets higher ,when we drove back 2 hrs later the price went up 6 cents

Apr 13, 2012 3:54PM
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Well let's see. The Gov position would be: Over all housing costs have fallen by 20-50%. Gasoline, food, utilities and the Obama Phone{ask about that one,please} have only gone up approx 6%, so by the white house reported totals we are in a positive situation on inflation.{no kidding, that figures heavily into the equation}

So tecnically there is no inflation. We all just imagine it.

Apr 13, 2012 3:42PM
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The Recession is over! Inflation is under control! Americans are back at work!

Happy Days are here again,God is in His Heaven and Bob's your Uncle.

All conferred upon we unworthy proles by Dear Leader BHO.

Apr 13, 2012 6:51PM
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The only place there’s no inflation is at the Federal Reserve, in the real world where the rest of us live inflation is rampant.

 

If we used the same methodology to calculate inflation today as we did in the 1980’s it would be over 9%. 

 

The politicians wanted to cut Social Security but they couldn’t cut it outright, so they cut it without anyone noticing by manipulating the CPI.  If no changes were made the average Social Security check would be twice what it is today.

 

Look up the Boskin Commission to see how they use pseudo-science and skewed statistics to come up with an official inflation rate that is far lower than the real rate of inflation.

Apr 13, 2012 6:34PM
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Yes, we are. food prices and basics r rising.
see clothing prices r really up.
I remember inflation late sixties, and thru seventies
Forget about all this rhetoric , politicos love it because they will raise
taxes to tighten up money supply.and there we go again..

Apr 13, 2012 8:07PM
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Everything that moves by truck will soon drive all prices higher, cause odumbos D.O.T is limiting truckdrivers hours forcing trucking companies to raise all freight prices. And the people(democrat voters) getting $2000/month in foodstamps dont care they can buy steak and lobsters( and and in some states like Mass buy booze and ciggarettes) and drive home Usually in a new car to their tax payer fund apartment, use their tax payer funded cell phones, while my wife and I eat chicken with rice.Why the **** would any democrat voter vote for someone(other then democrats)that might make it possilble for them to get off their fat asses and support them selves?

 

Apr 13, 2012 6:20PM
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It's the excess printing of money and devaluation of the dollar stupid.
Apr 13, 2012 8:38PM
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With the deficit at $6 trillion and Obama printing money like junkmail to pay bills, is there anyone stupid enough to think that inflation isn't coming and coming hard. Exactly like "Jimma Carter" the inflation will lead to a recession ..... unemployment will be up to 10% and as the dollar devalues, your expenses will go up and your dollar will be worth less. So .. basically you will be operating on less cash.

 

And you are dumb enough to continue to go with this type of leadership that will drag you down ... especially the middle class. Don't you care about your kids enough to see that with inflation, companies will be less liquid ... and hiring will slow down!! Don't you owe it to your kids to try to change the disastrous situation we are in?? No ..... OK .. then you tell your kids why they are working at McDonalds even though they have their Masters!!

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