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

Episode 79 of Stagflation Conversations with Fexingo examines how persistent stagflation is transforming the corporate bond market. Lucas and Luna break down the widening spread between investment-grade and high-yield debt, the surge in fallen angels, and what it means for companies carrying heavy debt loads. They anchor the discussion in real data: core PCE inflation hitting 3.4% in May 2026, the...

Lucas and Luna examine how persistent stagflation is transforming the movie theater industry. With core inflation at 3.4% and real wage growth lagging, consumers are cutting back on discretionary spending, and theater chains are feeling the pinch. Lucas breaks down the data: even as blockbuster releases draw crowds, per-capita spending on concessions has dropped by 4.5% year-over-year, while opera...

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore how persistent stagflation is transforming the fine art market. With core inflation hitting 3.4% in May 2026 and gold prices slipping 2.5% in the past week, investors are looking for alternative stores of value — but the art market is not immune to economic headwinds. Lucas breaks down the 'Blue Chip Contradiction': top-tier works from artists like Basquiat...

In episode 76 of Stagflation Conversations with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna drill into a surprising effect of today's high-inflation, slow-growth environment: the deepening bifurcation of the apartment rental market. With core PCE inflation at 3.4% and real wage growth stagnating, luxury renters are bidding up high-end units while middle-market and Class B apartments sit vacant. The hosts examine how...

In Episode 75 of Stagflation Conversations, Lucas and Luna explore how high inflation and slow growth are hitting global shipping — with the Strait of Hormuz crisis adding a new layer. They unpack how freight rates have surged since May, why container lines are passing through record fuel costs, and what the UN's pause on an evacuation plan means for supply chains. Drawing on the latest CPI data (...

Lucas and Luna explore how stagflation is transforming home renovation. With core inflation hitting 3.4% in May and jobless claims dropping to 215,000, homeowners are pulling back on big remodels but pouring money into energy-efficiency upgrades and DIY repairs. Lucas breaks down cost trends for materials like lumber and copper, while Luna highlights the boom in small-scale projects under $5,000....

As stagflation persists into mid-2026, Lucas and Luna examine a quiet but powerful shift: the geographic rebalancing of food production. With core inflation at 3.4% — the highest since October 2023 — and factory job cuts nearing financial crisis levels, supply chains are shortening and relocating. Lucas traces how high input costs are pushing staple crop production from the Central Valley back int...

In this episode of Stagflation Conversations with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna explore how the current mix of high inflation and slow growth is squeezing the property and casualty insurance market. With CPI at 334 and real GDP growth barely above 1.5 percent, insurers are raising premiums sharply while still facing underwriting losses. The hosts focus on two trends: the rising cost of auto repairs and...

Lucas and Luna examine the stunning spike in factory job cuts this June, which hit levels not seen since the financial crisis and the early days of Covid. They discuss what this means for the broader economy: why manufacturing is contracting even as consumer spending holds up, and how the 1970s playbook of stagflation offers a grim template. Lucas brings the data: factory job cuts in June approach...

In Episode 70 of Stagflation Conversations with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna examine how the trucking industry is navigating high inflation and slow growth. With 4.3 percent unemployment and rising job openings, but factory job cuts nearing crisis levels, freight demand is shifting. The hosts focus on the case of Yellow Corp's 2023 bankruptcy and how smaller carriers are now struggling with rising fuel...

In this episode of Stagflation Conversations with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna drill into a surprising bright spot in today's economy: the skilled trades. With factory job cuts in June 2026 nearing financial crisis levels, unemployment at 4.3 percent, and inflation still sticky, white-collar hiring is slowing. But electricians, plumbers, and welders are in higher demand than ever. The hosts trace the t...

In this episode of Stagflation Conversations with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna explore how the current stagflationary environment is reshaping the fast food industry. With inflation running hot and wage growth barely keeping up, consumers are trading down from casual dining—but also pushing back against rising menu prices. Lucas breaks down how chains like McDonald's and Taco Bell are responding with v...

Lucas and Luna examine how stagflation is hitting the Class of 2026 hardest. With CPI at 334 and real GDP growth barely above 1.6 percent, entry-level hiring is shifting fast. They look at the widening gap between job openings—up to 7.6 million—and the types of roles actually being filled, plus why Nevada is the one bright spot for new grads. Specific numbers and real-world hiring patterns make th...

Lucas and Luna dig into the used car market under stagflation, where high inflation and slow growth are creating a strange paradox. New car prices are up 8 percent year-over-year, but used car prices are finally cooling—down 3 percent from a year ago. They explore how the pandemic-era supply chain chaos has faded, leaving a market where dealers are sitting on excess inventory and consumers are squ...

Episode 65 of Stagflation Conversations with Fexingo dives into the used car market, where a surprising trend is emerging: instead of crashing, prices are staying elevated even as new car inventory recovers. Lucas and Luna break down how persistent inflation and sluggish growth — the hallmarks of stagflation — are keeping used car prices high. With new car affordability stretched to record levels...

Episode 64 of Stagflation Conversations with Fexingo dives into a quietly crumbling corner of real estate: condominium associations struggling to get property insurance. With inflation pushing replacement costs higher and interest rates keeping premiums elevated, many HOA boards are facing 300% to 500% premium increases — or worse, non-renewal. Lucas and Luna break down the mechanics: why insurers...

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore a surprising consequence of stagflation: the growing disconnect between elite college tuition and family incomes. With CPI at 334.0 and real GDP growth at just 1.6%, the economics of higher education are shifting. Lucas breaks down how need-blind admissions are becoming a marketing tool for a shrinking pool of full-pay families, while Luna notes that the Uni...

In Episode 62 of Stagflation Conversations, Lucas and Luna examine how persistent stagflation is reshaping the pet care industry. With consumer price inflation running at 4.3% and real GDP growth barely above 1.6%, households are cutting discretionary pet spending. Lucas points to a 17% decline in premium pet food sales since January 2026, while emergency vet visits have dropped 12% as owners dela...

Episode 61 of Stagflation Conversations with Fexingo. Hosts Lucas and Luna examine the gold-silver ratio, which has surged past 64 as silver plunges 7.4% in five days while gold holds near $4,173. Lucas traces the ratio's history back to the 1970s stagflation era, when it swung from 15 to 50. He explains why investors are now piling into gold relative to silver, citing industrial demand fears for...

Episode 60 of Stagflation Conversations with Fexingo looks at how persistent high inflation and sluggish growth are forcing craft breweries to adapt or close. Lucas and Luna examine the spike in barley and hop costs, the shift from taproom sales to canned beer, and how smaller brewers are using contract brewing and direct-to-consumer subscription models to survive. They reference recent CPI data s...

Lucas and Luna examine how stagflation is distorting the luxury watch market, from Rolex and Patek Philippe to secondary-market corrections. They discuss why high inflation is pushing money into hard assets while slow growth is cooling the speculative frenzy, with specific data on the Bloomberg Subdial Watch Index dropping 12 percent year-over-year. The episode also touches on central bank policie...

Episode 58 of our stagflation series dives into a surprising beneficiary of slow growth and persistent inflation: the corporate bond market. With the S&P 500 at 7,420 and the Dow at 51,493, yields have climbed, and companies are rushing to lock in long-term debt before rates rise further. Lucas and Luna explore why investment-grade issuance surged 18% year-over-year in Q2 2026, how the 10-year bre...

Lucas and Luna explore how persistent high inflation and slow growth are driving a quiet resurgence in barter and trade exchanges. With CPI at 334 and core inflation sticky, more small businesses and individuals are swapping services directly to sidestep cash erosion. The hosts cite a recent survey showing 1 in 5 freelancers now barter for at least some income, and discuss platforms like TradeBee...

In this episode, Lucas and Luna examine the disconnect between gold's price surge and the broader stagflationary environment. On June 17, 2026, gold futures hit $4,347 an ounce, up over 3% in a week, while the GDX gold miners ETF has soared 18.2% in just five days. They explore why mining stocks are outpacing physical gold, the role of operating leverage and falling real rates, and whether the ral...

In Episode 55 of Stagflation Conversations, Lucas and Luna drill into how persistent stagflation is quietly transforming the wholesale energy market. With wholesale prices surging 1.1% in May 2026—far above expectations—and consumer prices hitting 4.2% annually, the hosts unpack what this means for energy traders, utilities, and everyday consumers. They focus on the widening spread between spot an...