WSJ’s Chief Economics Correspondent Breaks Down July Inflation Report

Inflation Trends - Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 27% year-over-year in July, aligning with economists' expectations [1] - Core prices, excluding volatile food and energy, increased to 31%, slightly exceeding overall inflation [1] - Inflation had been gradually decreasing over the past couple of years but has recently plateaued [1][2] Tariff Impact - Tariffs are starting to impact consumer prices, but not drastically [1] - Prices of imported goods subject to tariffs, which were previously declining, are now increasing [2] - Businesses are actively trying to shift the cost of tariffs onto others [4] - The extent to which consumers will bear the burden of tariffs remains a key question for inflation [4] Federal Reserve (The Fed) - The inflation report was not ideal but not disastrous for the Fed [2] - The Fed is considering a potential interest rate cut in September [2] - This consideration is not solely based on inflation but also on concerns about a slowdown in the labor market [3]