Inflation Data in: CPI falls from 7.7% to 7.1%

[Johnny2X2X]

9. Interesting point

And corporate greed was definitely part of it. But I think that's easier for people to understand than the intricate workings of supply chains. How shipping costs translate to higher costs, how adding inventory into stock costs money, how building a bigger inventory buffer because of uncertainty creates cost.

Corporations definitely took advantage, and they were trying to influence the elections for sure, but in the end, market forces decide price.

But inflation is really really hard to predict. It's one of those economic forces that basically boils down to, "If people think prices will rise, they will." That's why advertising decreases is so important, public sentiment can get the ball rolling more quickly to lower prices.