Inflation Focus

Experts at the Kansas City Fed have developed a collection of research and resources exploring inflation and its impact on consumers, industries and economies.

In economics, inflation occurs when prices increase rapidly, resulting in a decline of purchasing power.

Keeping prices stable is a primary mission of the Federal Reserve. One way the Kansas City Fed monitors inflation trends is through the work of experts and economists. Below, you’ll find an archive of the Bank’s latest research and resources related to inflation.

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56 result(s) found


Article Title	Author(s)	Date	Type
Cost of Childcare Increasingly Weighs on Labor Force Engagement Problems attaining childcare have weighed on workers’ engagement in the labor force for some time. A few years ago, pandemic disruptions were the primary culprit in the lower consumption of childcare services. Now, the rising cost of childcare may be to blame. As wage growth moderates, higher childcare costs could place added pressure on households and cause some workers to at least partially disengage from the workforce. Labor and Demographics Regional Economic Bulletin Inflation	John McCoy Expandable Row	October 9, 2024 Expandable Row	Web Page Full Text Expandable Row
Labor Shortages in the Healthcare Sector Have Eased, Which May Soften Price Pressures Following severe labor shortages during the post-pandemic recovery, employment and wage growth in the healthcare sector have returned to their pre-pandemic trends. The healthcare sector is labor intensive, and inflation in the sector has historically tracked wage growth. Thus, lower wage growth may limit price pressures in the healthcare sector. Labor and Demographics Macroeconomics Economic Bulletin Inflation	Johannes Matschke Emily Pollard Expandable Row	August 16, 2024 Expandable Row	Web Page Full Text Expandable Row
Heterogeneity in Household Inflation Expectations and Monetary Policy A tightening in monetary policy can lower inflation expectations even among households whose expectations are especially high. Quantitative Methods Research Working Papers Monetary Policy Macroeconomics Inflation	Taeyoung Doh JiHyung Lee Woong Yong Park Expandable Row	July 15, 2024 Expandable Row	Web Page Full Text Expandable Row
Housing Services Inflation May Decline Only Gradually The inflation rate for housing services remains about 2 percentage points above its 2019 level. Several factors are likely to slow its decline, including more than a decade of underbuilding prior to the pandemic, limited capacity to increase the nation’s housing stock, and the limited number of homes available for sale due to the steeper mortgage rates owners would face if they sold and purchased a different home. Housing Economic Bulletin Inflation	Jordan Rappaport Expandable Row	June 24, 2024 Expandable Row	Web Page Full Text Expandable Row
Despite High Inflation, Longer-Term Inflation Expectations Remain Well Anchored The Federal Reserve’s long-run 2 percent inflation target is intended to prevent periods of high inflation from becoming embedded in longer-term inflation expectations. However, inflation has remained above the Fed’s target for over three years, increasing the risk that longer-term inflation expectations could become unanchored. Building on our previous research, we study recent market reactions to inflation news and find that longer-term inflation expectations appear to remain well anchored. Monetary Policy Economic Bulletin Inflation	Brent Bundick A. Lee Smith Expandable Row	May 31, 2024 Expandable Row	Web Page Full Text Expandable Row
Labor Market Shocks and Monetary Policy Worker mobility played a key role in shaping inflation dynamics during the Great Recession and COVID-19 recoveries. Quantitative Methods Covid-19 Research Research Working Paper Monetary Policy Macroeconomics Inflation	Serdar Birinci Fatih Karahan Yusuf Mercan Kurt See Expandable Row	May 6, 2024 Expandable Row	Web Page Full Text Expandable Row
Current Monetary Policy May Be Less Restrictive Than It Seems Compared with most historical inflationary episodes since the 1960s, the current U.S. inflation cycle features both higher core inflation and a more resilient real economy. This co-movement of prices and real activity suggests monetary policy has not sufficiently reduced demand. We examine the current policy stance and argue that interest rates may indeed be less restrictive than commonly thought. To lower inflation to 2 percent, the Federal Reserve may have to maintain a restrictive policy stance for some time. Monetary Policy Economic Bulletin Inflation	Johannes Matschke Alice von Ende-Becker Expandable Row	May 3, 2024 Expandable Row	Web Page Full Text Expandable Row
Labor Market Tightness, Though Elevated, Is Not Far above Pre-Pandemic Levels No Description Provided. Labor and Demographics Charting the Economy Macroeconomics Data and Trends Inflation	José Mustre-del-Río Jordan Rappaport Shu-Kuei X. Yang Expandable Row	March 8, 2024 Expandable Row	Web Page Expandable Row
Supercore PCE Inflation Surged in January to Its Highest Monthly Level in More than Two Years No Description Provided. Supercore Inflation Charting the Economy Data and Trends Inflation	Jordan Rappaport A. Lee Smith Shu-Kuei X. Yang Expandable Row	March 1, 2024 Expandable Row	Web Page Expandable Row
Supercore Inflation Jumped in January, Suggesting Continuing Inflation Pressures No Description Provided. Supercore Inflation Charting the Economy Data and Trends Inflation	Caleb Bray Jordan Rappaport Shu-Kuei X. Yang Expandable Row	February 16, 2024 Expandable Row	Web Page Expandable Row

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Inflation Focus

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Filter Archived Content

Cost of Childcare Increasingly Weighs on Labor Force Engagement

Labor Shortages in the Healthcare Sector Have Eased, Which May Soften Price Pressures

Heterogeneity in Household Inflation Expectations and Monetary Policy

Housing Services Inflation May Decline Only Gradually

Despite High Inflation, Longer-Term Inflation Expectations Remain Well Anchored

Labor Market Shocks and Monetary Policy

Current Monetary Policy May Be Less Restrictive Than It Seems

Labor Market Tightness, Though Elevated, Is Not Far above Pre-Pandemic Levels

Supercore PCE Inflation Surged in January to Its Highest Monthly Level in More than Two Years

Supercore Inflation Jumped in January, Suggesting Continuing Inflation Pressures