Inflation soared to 4,2% in April of 2021, and that`s a big jump from 2,6% in March. The stock market declined while the inflation rate came in well above market forecast of 3,6%, and this is the highest reading since September 2008.
The biggest increases were recorded for gasoline (49,6% vs 22,5% in March), fuel oil (37,3% vs 20,2%) and used car and trucks (21% vs 9,4%). It`s interesting to see the inflation slowed for food (2,4% vs 3,5%).
The jump in inflation is the highest in 13 years, and Wall Street sent the stock down on Wednesday in a broad market sell-off. Tech stock were hit hard as higher interest rates are threatening to undermine the valuations of those companies.
Nasdaq is down about -5% so far this week, but the European markets ended higher on Wednesday as stocks in Europe recovered from a global sell-off sparked by concerns that rising inflation will prompt central banks to tighten monetary policy sooner and more abruptly than expected.
Federal Reserve`s vice chair, Richard Clarida, had some dovish comments, and that helped calm nervous markets. He said that the twin shocks of a disappointing payroll report and higher inflation in April hadn`t changed the central bank`s view on maintaining its current ultra-accomodative policy.
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Ket Garden
Shiny bull 