While inflation is wreaking havoc on people’s wallets across the country, inhabitants in many areas face rates that are greater than the national average. Inflation is above 7.5 percent in the Midwest, South, and West, according to Labor Department data. Surprisingly, inflation in the Northeast is running at a significantly lower rate. In addition, the

Because interest rates are the major weapon used by central banks to manage inflation, they tend to fluctuate in the same direction as inflation, although with lags. The Federal Reserve in the United States sets a range of its benchmark federal funds rate, which is the interbank rate on overnight deposits, to achieve a long-term

Inflation is inevitable in market economies, but investors can prepare for it by investing in asset types that outperform the market during periods of high inflation. Keeping inflation-hedged asset classes on your watch list and striking when you see inflation will help your diversified portfolio thrive when inflation strikes. Gold, commodities, various real estate investments,

Gold has long been thought to be a good inflation hedge. In reality, many people have looked to gold as a “alternative currency,” especially in countries where the national currency is depreciating. When their own currency fails, these countries often resort to gold or other strong currencies. Gold is a genuine, tangible asset that, for

Inflation is defined as a steady rise in the price of goods and services over time. The part of current interest rates that derives from lenders correcting for predicted inflation by raising nominal interest rates is known as an inflation premium. Economists and investors consider actual interest rates to be the nominal (stated) interest rate