Thursday, May 12, 2011

Fed Policy Could Be Wrong on Inflation

Is the Fed's model on measuring inflation wrong? Outdated? The answer is Yes according to top economic forecasters Michelle Girard and Omair Sharif of RBS Securities.

I thought I would share this very intersting article about inflation and the model the Fed is using. I am by no means an economist but I have heard many times that there is no inflation. I ask myself how could that be when the cost of everything is going up. In some areas....skyrocketing. After reading this article on how the Fed determins inflation it is very clear how they make there claim. The model says that there cannot be inflation unless wages are rising in tandem with costs of goods and services. With unemployment at record highs (and expected to remain high for quite some time) we all know that wages are definatley NOT rising. For that reason they say there is no inflation. Please, I dont know about you but my pocketbook can definatley feel it.

What does all this mean to you and me? The Fed has implemented many tools to keep interest rates low in an effort to fule both the econpmy and the housing market. If inflation is evident-they will be forced to begin raising the prime rate to offset. This means mortgage rates will rise sharply. If the FED is wrong and inflation exists and is "sneaking up" on them, we could see mortgage rates spike up which in my opinion would have a negative imapct on a crippled housing market. If you have been considering taking advantage of these low rates it may be best to act sooner rather than later.

Read Article Here

Keith Stewart
773-529-7000

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