Economy
When will the spikes in rent impact the Consumer Price Index?
Two rent factors account for 32% of the Consumer Price Index. Despite the massive spike in “asking rents” across the US, those two CPI rent factors have been much lower than CPI and have thereby repressed CPI so far.
Despite rising wages, 61% of Americans are still living paycheck to paycheck, report finds
While real wages are on the rise, they can’t keep up with the increased cost of living, which is growing at the fastest annual pace in about four decades.
Energy
Energy Prices in Europe Are Soaring
Europe’s energy crisis has been aggravated by its policy choices designed to stifle investment in fossil fuel projects. All of this is ostensibly to reach a net zero carbon future, which is literally impossible in that fossil fuels are needed to make renewable energy technologies. The result has been record-high energy prices, blackouts and economic dislocation, placing more Europeans into energy poverty where they cannot pay their energy bills or have to choose not to heat their homes.
Health
73% of Americans Immune to Omicron
The omicron wave that assaulted the United States this winter also bolstered its defenses, leaving enough protection against the coronavirus that future spikes will likely require much less — if any — dramatic disruption to society.
Resilience
Shelling intensifies in eastern Ukraine amid concern Russia’s creating a pretext for an invasion
Ukrainian forces and the pro-Russian separatists reported a second day of increased shelling on Friday. Western leaders say an escalation in the fighting in Ukraine‘s Donbas region could be part of Russian efforts to create a pretext to invade.
The post Daily Digest 2/18 – 73% Immune to Omicron; 61% Living Paycheck to Paycheck; Rent Spikes and CPI; EU Energy Prices Soaring; Russia Shelling Ukraine appeared first on Peak Prosperity.
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