
By Charlie Bilello of COMPOUND
7 charts from the past week that tell an interesting story in markets and investing…
1) A Year of Rising Inflation
Consumer prices in the US increased 7% over the last year, the highest rate of inflation since 1982.

Here’s a breakdown of price increases from the latest CPI report:
- Gasoline: +49.6%
- Fuel Oil: +41.0%
- Used Cars: +37.3%
- Gas Utilities: +24.1%
- Meats/Fish/Poultry/Eggs: +12.5%
- New Cars: +11.8%
- Overall CPI: +7.0%
- Food at home: +6.5%
- Electricity: +6.3%
- Food away from home: +6.0%
- Apparel: +5.8%
- Transportation: +4.2%
- Shelter: +4.1%
Of all these categories, the most surprising has been the sustained price increases in used cars and trucks, which are 37% higher than a year ago. Nearly everyone thought that the supply/demand imbalance would have abated by now, but it hasn’t happened just yet.

2) What’s the Actual Inflation Rate?
7% was the reported US inflation figure but there’s strong evidence pointing to the actual number being much higher.
Why? Read more