White House officials have repeatedly said they believe inflation is a serious concern, but have argued that Republicans are blocking the president’s legislative efforts to lower costs on things like child care, health care, education and other core expenses.
Inflation F.A.Q.
Card 1 of 6What is inflation? Inflation is a loss of purchasing power over time, meaning your dollar will not go as far tomorrow as it did today. It is typically expressed as the annual change in prices for everyday goods and services such as food, furniture, apparel, transportation and toys.
What causes inflation? It can be the result of rising consumer demand. But inflation can also rise and fall based on developments that have little to do with economic conditions, such as limited oil production and supply chain problems.
Where is inflation headed? Officials say they do not yet see evidence that rapid inflation is turning into a permanent feature of the economic landscape, even as prices rise very quickly. There are plenty of reasons to believe that the inflationary burst will fade, but some concerning signs suggest it may last.
Is inflation bad? It depends on the circumstances. Fast price increases spell trouble, but moderate price gains can lead to higher wages and job growth.
How does inflation affect the poor? Inflation can be especially hard to shoulder for poor households because they spend a bigger chunk of their budgets on necessities like food, housing and gas.
Can inflation affect the stock market? Rapid inflation typically spells trouble for stocks. Financial assets in general have historically fared badly during inflation booms, while tangible assets like houses have held their value better.
They have also blamed domestic oil companies for failing to expand production to meet the demand and help to relieve pressure on prices. Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, made that point during a briefing for reporters two weeks ago.
“The oil and gas industry right now is receiving profit — windfall profits. We’ve seen that,” she said, adding: “Instead of keeping up with current demand, too many of these companies, in our view, are making the calculated decision of returning money to investors and shareholders through buybacks and dividends, instead of expanding production enough in the short term, which is what we need.”
The United States consumes roughly 20 million barrels of oil a day. High energy prices have contributed to high inflation and pushed OPEC Plus, the cartel of oil producers that includes the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, Russia and others, to pump more oil.
Mr. Biden’s release of 50 million barrels barely dented the market. The world consumes roughly 100 million barrels a day, and prices are set in this global market. When this oil was released, it was done in coordination with other world governments, including Britain, India, Japan and South Korea.
The emergency stockpile is stored in underground caverns in Texas and Louisiana. The reserve was established after the 1973-74 oil embargo by Arab members of OPEC, and has been tapped in emergencies like the buildup to the Persian Gulf war in 1991 and the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, when much of oil infrastructure along the Gulf of Mexico was damaged.