The economy is sending two signals at once. The Fed is listening to the louder one.
Payrolls fell. Retail sales fell. Inflation held at 3.4%. And three Federal Reserve officials voted to raise interest rates. Here is how those facts fit together.
Section
Economy
The Fed, inflation, jobs, growth and the consumer — each release explained the same way, every time.
Indicator pagesThe release template: previous, expected, actual, what changed, market reaction, why it matters, next release.
Latest
Aug 17, 2026
Aug 16, 2026
24.6%
Inflation is 3.4%. Gasoline is up 24.6% over the same twelve months. That gap explains almost every argument about the economy right now.
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- 01The Big Story
- 023 Things That Matter
- 03Stocks to Watch
- 04Today's Economic Calendar
- 05Earnings
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