Stagflation Conversations with Fexingo: High Inflation, Slow Growth, and 1970s Echoes

Episode 104 of Stagflation Conversations with Fexingo examines how persistent high inflation and slowing growth are reshaping the fast-food value menu. Lucas and Luna discuss the June 2026 jobs report, the labor force participation rate hitting a 50-year low, and what that means for consumer spending on quick-service meals. They explore how chains like McDonald's and Taco Bell are restructuring th...

In episode 103 of Stagflation Conversations with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna examine how the combination of high inflation and slow growth is transforming the warehouse and industrial real estate sector. With the national vacancy rate for industrial space rising to 6.3% in Q2 2026 — up from 4.7% a year ago — and construction starts down nearly 40% from the 2022 peak, developers are pulling back sharpl...

Episode 102 of Stagflation Conversations tackles a quiet crisis: property insurance. With inflation pushing replacement costs higher and slow GDP growth limiting premium hikes, insurers are pulling back from high-risk states like Florida and California. Lucas and Luna break down the numbers — CPI at 334, real GDP growth at 2.1 percent — and explain why your homeowners premium might jump 20 percent...

In episode 101 of Stagflation Conversations, Lucas and Luna examine how the fast casual dining sector is being squeezed between rising food costs and cautious consumer spending. With CPI hovering above 3% and real wage growth barely keeping pace, chains like Chipotle and Sweetgreen are adjusting portion sizes, menu prices, and labor models to survive. Lucas breaks down the math behind the 'shrinkf...

For episode 100, Lucas and Luna explore how stagflation is quietly squeezing America's public libraries. With inflation at 4.5% and local government budgets tightening, libraries face higher costs for books, energy, and staffing—while demand surges as patrons seek free internet, job-search help, and cooling centers. Lucas breaks down the numbers: real library funding has fallen 8% since 2021, circ...

In Episode 99 of Stagflation Conversations, Lucas and Luna examine how persistent high inflation and slowing growth are transforming the vacation rental market. They focus on the rise of 'workcations' and extended stays as travelers seek value, and how platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo are adapting. The hosts discuss a key data point: average nightly rates on Airbnb have dropped 8% year-over-year in...

In this episode, Lucas and Luna examine how persistent stagflation—high inflation paired with sluggish growth—is squeezing professional sports teams, leagues, and fans. With real wages barely keeping up and the Federal Reserve holding rates high, attendance is slipping, sponsorship dollars are tightening, and teams are rethinking everything from ticket pricing to stadium upgrades. Lucas highlights...

Episode 97 of Stagflation Conversations looks at how persistent high inflation and sluggish growth are squeezing the fast-food industry's long-standing value menu strategy. Lucas and Luna examine McDonald's decision to extend its $5 Meal Deal through year-end 2026, why Wendy's and Burger King are following with similar offers, and the counterintuitive data showing that traffic gains come at the co...

Episode 96 digs into a quiet crisis: stagflation is strangling the childcare industry. Lucas and Luna examine how rising costs and stagnant wages are forcing daycare centers to raise prices by 15-20% annually, even as enrollment drops. They discuss the 1970s parallels—when real wages fell and women entered the workforce in droves—and why today's childcare squeeze is different. With the labor force...

Episode 95 of Stagflation Conversations dives into the gold mining sector, where producers are facing a paradox: soaring gold prices near $4,200 per ounce but rising costs for labor, energy, and equipment are squeezing margins. Lucas and Luna examine how miners are adapting — using automation, hedging less, and focusing on free cash flow — and what this means for investors. With gold up over 3% in...

Homeowners insurance premiums are surging faster than overall inflation, and in a stagflation environment—high CPI, slow real GDP growth, and a tight labor market—insurers are raising rates, cutting coverage, and pulling out of high-risk states. Lucas and Luna drill into the data: core CPI at 336.1, a 4.2% jobless rate, and premium hikes of 15-20% in states like Florida and California. They explor...

Lucas and Luna explore how persistent stagflation—high inflation and slow growth—is transforming the hotel industry in mid-2026. With core CPI still running hot at 336.1 and real GDP growth barely above 2%, leisure travelers are trading down from luxury to midscale brands, while business travel faces cuts from cost-conscious corporations. The episode drills into data from major hotel chains: occup...

In Episode 92 of Stagflation Conversations, Lucas and Luna examine how prolonged stagflation is squeezing craft breweries across the United States. With input costs rising and consumers trading down to cheaper options, the craft beer boom of the 2010s has given way to consolidation and closures. Lucas cites data from the Brewers Association showing that craft beer volume declined 2% in 2025, while...

Lucas and Luna examine how stagflation is hitting the beer industry from two sides: rising input costs and shifting consumer demand. With barley prices up 18% year-over-year, aluminum can costs elevated, and brewers grappling with both supply chain pressures and a slowdown in premium craft beer sales, the industry is consolidating. Lucas breaks down how Boston Beer and Molson Coors are responding...

Episode 90 of Stagflation Conversations with Fexingo: Lucas and Luna examine how stagflation is squeezing Europe's budget airlines. With core PCE at 130.1 and real GDP growth barely above 2 percent, the hosts drill into Ryanair's cost structure—fuel hedges, labor shortages, and airport fees. They discuss how inflation erodes disposable income while slow growth caps demand, forcing carriers to cut...

Episode 89 of Stagflation Conversations with Fexingo tackles a lurking cost that's quietly eating into household budgets: insurance premiums. Lucas and Luna dig into the data showing auto and home insurance are rising at double-digit rates, even as headline inflation moderates. They unpack why insurers are hiking prices: parts and labor inflation from the last few years is still feeding into claim...

In Episode 88 of Stagflation Conversations with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna dive into a troubling economic indicator: the labor force participation rate has fallen to its lowest level in 50 years outside of the Covid era, even as the unemployment rate holds at 4.2%. They explore why prime-age workers are leaving the job market—and not coming back. The episode focuses on the 'discouraged worker' effect...

In this episode of Stagflation Conversations with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna dive into the surprising dynamics of the used car market during a period of high inflation and slow growth. With the S&P 500 at 7,454 and gold hitting $4,122, consumers are pinched — and yet used car prices remain stubbornly elevated. The hosts break down the structural shift: fewer new cars were built during the pandemic, m...

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore how stagflation—high inflation and slow growth—is driving a surprising shift in college enrollment. With real consumer price index data showing persistent 4–5% inflation and unemployment hovering at 4.3%, families are rethinking the ROI of a traditional four-year degree. Lucas cites a sharp 12% drop in freshman enrollment at private liberal arts colleges for...

Episode 85 of Stagflation Conversations with Fexingo. Lucas and Luna explore how high inflation and sluggish growth are reshaping the wine business — from shifting consumer preferences to changing vineyard economics. They discuss why sales of $15-plus bottles are down, how boxed wine and private labels are gaining share, and what rising input costs mean for growers in Napa and beyond. Tied to curr...

Episode 84 of Stagflation Conversations with Fexingo looks at an unexpected casualty of the current economic climate: the diamond market. With CPI at 334 and real GDP growth hovering around 2.1 percent, consumers are tightening discretionary spending. Lucas and Luna explore how lab-grown diamonds have captured 35 percent of the bridal market, forcing De Beers to slash prices on natural stones by o...

Episode 83 of Stagflation Conversations with Fexingo examines how high inflation and slow growth are hitting the $150 billion pet industry. Lucas and Luna look at shifting consumer behavior: pet owners are trading down from premium food brands to private-label kibble, delaying non-essential vet procedures, and cutting back on pet insurance. The hosts ground the discussion in real data, including t...

Lucas and Luna examine how persistent stagflation is hitting the dental industry harder than most. With core inflation at 3.4% and unemployment at 4.3%, dental practices face rising costs for supplies and labor while patients delay procedures. The hosts break down how dental service organizations are consolidating independent practices, why gold and silver prices are surging as hedges, and how the...

Episode 81 of Stagflation Conversations with Fexingo dives into how high inflation and sluggish growth are hitting the golf industry. Lucas and Luna explore why course closures are accelerating, rounds played are down 8% year-over-year, and equipment makers like Callaway and Titleist are getting squeezed. They also look at the counterintuitive boom in high-end golf travel and luxury club membershi...

In this episode, Lucas and Luna examine how independent pharmacies are being squeezed by stagflation's double blow: rising costs and stagnant reimbursement rates. They focus on a specific case: a family-owned pharmacy in Ohio that has seen its gross margin on generic drugs shrink from 22% to 11% over the past 18 months, while foot traffic drops 8% year-over-year. The hosts discuss how pharmacy ben...