In this episode of the 9innings Podcast: Econ 101, Kevin Thompson breaks down one of the biggest questions in today’s economy: Why are stock markets hitting all-time highs while consumers feel financially strained?

Kevin explains how markets measure earnings, cash flow, liquidity, and future expectations — not consumer emotion. He walks through how inflation can temporarily boost corporate profits, why higher prices can offset weaker consumption, and how components of GDP like AI investment, government spending, and energy exports continue supporting economic growth.

The episode also explores the growing disconnect between Wall Street and Main Street, the role inflation plays in sustaining nominal GDP growth, and why markets can continue climbing even during periods of economic discomfort.

But Kevin also warns that this environm ...