Investing IINsights — Weekly Email Audio Edition Topic: Inflation Cooled on Paper But The Details Still Look Sticky

Inflation cooled in the headline numbers this week—but that does not mean the inflation problem is solved.

In this episode, we break down the latest CPI, PPI, and retail sales data through an income-investor lens. CPI dropped sharply month-over-month, helped heavily by falling energy prices, but core inflation stayed sticky and shelter costs continued rising. Producer prices also looked better on the goods side, but services inflation is still running hot, which matters because the U.S. economy is heavily service-based.

We also dig into why retail sales data can be misleading when prices are rising. Consumers may be “spending more” in dollar terms, but that does no ...