Latest Inflation Numbers and Discussion

[Chuckanut]

Maybe it’s my imagination but the eggs in the 24 pack of extra large eggs at Costco seems to have gone on a diet. The eggs are smaller.

 

[foxfirev5]

There was an article in the local paper about timber prices coming back down to pre covid levels. But it seems people are not yet aware since they still don't sell much volume.


I'm thinking people are too busy paying for everything else to be interested in timber.

But now they're up about 35%+ from the recent lows. 360 to 492 per thousand on Bloomberg. Fairly quick rise in timber prices. I could go into tariffs and other factors but will defer.

 

[Montecfo]

But now they're up about 35%+ from the recent lows. 360 to 492 per thousand on Bloomberg. Fairly quick rise in timber prices. I could go into tariffs and other factors but will defer.

These prices may be oscillating a bit. Down massively since peak, but sensitive to home construction activity (which is mostly down sharply) and changes in market perception.

I don't see much chance of a sustained rebound.

 

[GenXguy]

I know lumber prices were up about 400% at one point from pre-pedamic levels. The last I heard, they had never dropped near those prices and were headed back up. That's not something on my everyday shopping list.

 

[Surewhitey]

Maybe it’s my imagination but the eggs in the 24 pack of extra large eggs at Costco seems to have gone on a diet. The eggs are smaller.

Eggland's best eggs are definitely smaller. Maybe why they have less of the bad stuff in there?

 

[jurgs01]

Inflation is just a way to steal from savers to fund government deficits without raising taxes.

 

[foxfirev5]

These prices may be oscillating a bit. Down massively since peak, but sensitive to home construction activity (which is mostly down sharply) and changes in market perception.

I don't see much chance of a sustained rebound.

Agreed. But I would anticipate an increase in homebuilding with interest rate dropping at some point. However lumber is a small part of the total cost. In other words - nobody knows.

 

[Mulligan]

These prices may be oscillating a bit. Down massively since peak, but sensitive to home construction activity (which is mostly down sharply) and changes in market perception.

I don't see much chance of a sustained rebound.

“According to the latest estimates from the Cleveland Fed, this is expected to result in a 60 basis point month-over-month increase in the headline Consumer Price Index in January. This would be the most significant increase in the monthly change of CPI since June.”

 

[Markola]

Inflation is just a way to steal from savers to fund government deficits without raising taxes.

This is a phenomenon or, more sinisterly, a manipulative strategy, I’ve learned about only in the past year. “Financial repression.”

 

[Montecfo]

“According to the latest estimates from the Cleveland Fed, this is expected to result in a 60 basis point month-over-month increase in the headline Consumer Price Index in January. This would be the most significant increase in the monthly change of CPI since June.”

I was referring to lumber prices, not overall CPI. But a 60 basis point increase, interestingly, would not raise the annual headline CPI print since last January was also at 60 bp.

However, it would be meaningfully higher than surprisingly low readings we have had since last June.

 

[Winemaker]

A supposed fire at a poultry farm yesterdayday in Connecticut killed 100,000 chickens. I believe it was Hillendale, not going to help the price of eggs on the east coast.


https://apnews.com/article/salvation-army-connecticut-fires-524b05965d506c183c0915aafb54b8d8

 

[Mulligan]

I was referring to lumber prices, not overall CPI. But a 60 basis point increase, interestingly, would not raise the annual headline CPI print since last January was also at 60 bp.

However, it would be meaningfully higher than surprisingly low readings we have had since last June.

Sorry I should have prefaced I wasnt countering you in anyway. For some odd reason the only way I can post anything is to quote a previous comment. So I used yours!

 

[milford]

A supposed fire at a poultry farm yesterdayday in Connecticut killed 100,000 chickens. I believe it was Hillendale, not going to help the price of eggs on the east coast.


https://apnews.com/article/salvation-army-connecticut-fires-524b05965d506c183c0915aafb54b8d8

Its crazy how egg price has basically tripled in price in a couple years, citing avian flu spread as being the main "culprit", however I doubt supply has been reduced by a 1/3 and/or there is all of a sudden spike in demand.

This is a prime example of how distorted the economy currently is and inflation may have subsided in some areas, but its basically baked into economy where companies continue taking turns raising prices knowing that they can get away with it citing "inflationary times" so the trend keeps going on.

 

[Chuckanut]

My neighbor’s laying hen is now worth more than Elon Musk.

 

[Sunset]

My neighbor’s laying hen is now worth more than Elon Musk.

Not if Elon keeps laying eggs ...

 

[MichaelB]

Sorry I should have prefaced I wasnt countering you in anyway. For some odd reason the only way I can post anything is to quote a previous comment. So I used yours!

Try logging out, clearing cache, deleting cookies and browsing history, shutting down the computer, then logging back in again.

 

[audreyh1]

Sorry I should have prefaced I wasnt countering you in anyway. For some odd reason the only way I can post anything is to quote a previous comment. So I used yours!

Even if you have to quote to reply, you can select the quote and delete it.

 

[GravitySucks]

Its crazy how egg price has basically tripled in price in a couple years, citing avian flu spread as being the main "culprit", however I doubt supply has been reduced by a 1/3 and/or there is all of a sudden spike in demand.



This is a prime example of how distorted the economy currently is and inflation may have subsided in some areas, but its basically baked into economy where companies continue taking turns raising prices knowing that they can get away with it citing "inflationary times" so the trend keeps going on.

Supply doesn’t have to drop by a third for prices to triple. Not just eggs but any good.
The nations flock size is down about 25% off normal. Three years of low/negative growth mostly due to avian flu is the cause of the price rise in eggs, not greedy egg barons.

https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/Egg Markets Overview.pdf

 

[Freedom56]

Many people are going to get stung with the change in commodity charges in their gas bill in Southern California.

November 2022:

Gas Commodity 19 Therms x $.65029 $12.36

December 2022:

Gas Commodity 73 Therms x $1.02638 $74.93

January 2023:

Gas Commodity 58 Therms x $3.20110 $185.66

It was quite a month to month jump from $1.02368 to $3.20110.

 

[wmc1000]

Many people are going to get stung with the change in commodity charges in their gas bill in Southern California.

November 2022:

Gas Commodity 19 Therms x $.65029 $12.36

December 2022:

Gas Commodity 73 Therms x $1.02638 $74.93

January 2023:

Gas Commodity 58 Therms x $3.20110 $185.66

It was quite a month to month jump from $1.02368 to $3.20110.

Wow, that is some crazy inflation!

 

[Mr. Tightwad]

Many people are going to get stung with the change in commodity charges in their gas bill in Southern California.

November 2022:

Gas Commodity 19 Therms x $.65029 $12.36

December 2022:

Gas Commodity 73 Therms x $1.02638 $74.93

January 2023:

Gas Commodity 58 Therms x $3.20110 $185.66

It was quite a month to month jump from $1.02368 to $3.20110.

Last gas bill was $32.62. Electricity bill was $21.61.

Both bills arrived last week. I do know people who are paying $300 to $800.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

Just got our FPL Electricity bill for January 2023. It really was not bad. Here is the breakdown:

Point of Note is we are on Equal Monthly Billing.

1) The total usage for 2023 was$122.56 - Compared to Total Usage for January 2022 of $121.37

2) Total Bill for January 2023 $149.67 - Compared to January 2022 of $114.72.

Other months in 2022 have been comparable with about a $20 deviation. Because the equal billing skews things a bit the real comparison will be at the end of 2023 and the end of 2022.

Personally, I do not think it was too bad as it varies a lot on weather. This year we used a lot more heat than usual.

 

[Freedom56]

Our electricity bill has been negative for the since 2012 when we installed our solar panels. We generate about 10.8-11 megawatts and consume about 10 megawatts annually. The ROI was 4.5 years for our system that we paid for with cash.

 

[pb4uski]

Not if Elon keeps laying eggs ...

Good one!

 

[Koolau]

There was an article in the local paper about timber prices coming back down to pre covid levels. But it seems people are not yet aware since they still don't sell much volume.


I'm thinking people are too busy paying for everything else to be interested in timber.

Heh, heh, which is probably why timber prices are coming down - folks quit buying it because the price was too high. Econ 101 though YMMV.