Wages and Prices with Fexingo: Cost of Living, Pay Raises, and Workers' Purchasing Power

Job openings hit 7.6 million in April 2026, the highest in nearly two years. But average hourly earnings only crept up 5 cents from March. Lucas and Luna dig into the disconnect: more jobs, slower wage growth. They look at who's hiring—and why companies are filling roles without raising pay. Plus, a look at how the Iran conflict is pushing energy costs higher, softening the impact of any raise you...

In this episode of Wages and Prices with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna dig into the latest numbers showing that for the first time in years, average hourly earnings are growing faster than shelter costs. Using fresh data from April 2026 — average hourly earnings at $37.40 and the CPI shelter index — they explain why this gap matters for your purchasing power. They also look at the flipside: rent is stil...

In this episode of Wages and Prices, Lucas and Luna unpack a rare bright spot in the cost-of-living crunch: wage growth is finally outpacing rent increases. Using fresh April 2026 data, they explore how average hourly earnings rose to $37.40 while rent inflation slowed to its lowest pace in three years. But they also dig into the catch — the Iran war-driven energy spike that's silently siphoning t...

Episode 26 of Wages and Prices with Fexingo dives into the single biggest expense swallowing wage gains: rent. Hosts Lucas and Luna break down why even with average hourly earnings up to $37.40, the rent-to-income ratio for new leases has hit a record 32.4% nationally. They explore the structural shortage of 3.8 million housing units, why new supply hasn't helped rents in high-demand metros, and h...

Lucas and Luna dig into a surprising finding: the biggest share of average wage gains in 2025 and early 2026 has been absorbed by rent and imputed owner-equivalent rent, not gas or groceries. Using April 2026 CPI data (332.4) and the latest average hourly earnings figure of $37.40, they show how shelter inflation—running at 5.8% year-over-year—has quietly consumed over 40% of the typical raise. Th...

In this episode of Wages and Prices with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna examine how rising health insurance premiums are quietly consuming workers' pay raises. With average hourly earnings up just $0.05 from last month and median weekly earnings at $1,204, the April CPI shows overall inflation at 332.4 and core CPI at 335.4. But a new analysis reveals that employer-sponsored health insurance costs have s...

In this episode of Wages and Prices, Lucas and Luna explore a frustrating economic puzzle: wages are growing faster than inflation, yet most workers don't feel richer. The culprit? Energy costs. With the Iran war pushing gasoline and home heating expenses up, the average household is spending an extra $450 per year on energy alone — undoing much of the real wage gain. Lucas breaks down the data: a...

Lucas and Luna examine how persistent energy costs, driven by the ongoing Iran conflict, are eating into real wage gains. With April core PCE at 3.3% and the average household spending an extra $450 on gas, they dig into why your raise feels smaller than the numbers suggest. Plus, a look at which workers are most exposed and how the Fed is navigating this new inflation floor. #EnergyInflation #Rea...

In this episode of Wages and Prices with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna examine why energy inflation is eroding the purchasing power of recent wage gains. With the average hourly earnings in the private sector at $37.40, but headline CPI at 332.4 and core PCE inflation running at 3.3% annually, they break down the 'energy tax' that households are paying. They discuss how persistent energy costs—amplified...

Episode 20 of Wages and Prices breaks down how geopolitical conflict directly hits your purchasing power. With the Iran war adding an estimated $450 per household in annual energy costs, Lucas and Luna examine wage data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Fed's preferred inflation gauge to see whether paychecks can keep up. They crunch the numbers: average hourly earnings are up just 0.05...

Episode 19: On paper, your paycheck is growing faster than prices — average hourly earnings hit $37.40 in April and the employment cost index is climbing. So why does it feel like you're treading water? Lucas and Luna unpack the invisible tax nobody talks about: the spike in energy inflation tied to the Iran war, which cost the average U.S. household $450 more on gas and energy alone. They connect...

Lucas and Luna dig into why workers feel like raises aren't keeping up, even when 3.3% core inflation seems mild. Using the latest PCE data from April and a new study on stimulus savings depletion, they explore how reference dependence and loss aversion explain the disconnect. They also discuss the 'vibecession' concept and why sentiment remains sour despite wage gains. #Vibecession #Inflation #Wa...

Lucas and Luna dig into a frustrating reality of the current economy: wages are rising, but many workers still feel like they're treading water. Using the latest data from the April 2026 CPI and core PCE reports, they explain the gap between nominal wage growth and the sticky, persistent inflation in services like rent, insurance, and medical care. Lucas brings a concrete example: the median weekl...

Episode 16 of Wages and Prices looks at the psychology of wage growth. With average hourly earnings at $37.40 and the CPI at 332.4, nominal pay is up over 4 percent year-over-year. Yet consumer sentiment hit a record low in May 2026, and 10-year breakeven inflation is at 2.39 percent. Lucas and Luna explore why workers feel stuck even as their paychecks technically grow, drawing on behavioral econ...

Episode 15 of Wages and Prices with Fexingo examines the gap between nominal wage growth and workers' purchasing power in 2026. Lucas and Luna break down the latest data — average hourly earnings at $37.40, CPI at 332.4 — and explain how rising payroll taxes, health insurance premiums, and student loan payments are absorbing raises before they hit workers' wallets. They discuss why the typical wor...

Episode 14 of Wages and Prices with Fexingo — Lucas and Luna dig into the gap between paycheck growth and purchasing power by looking at the rise of mandatory payroll deductions. Using the latest Employment Cost Index data and a real example from a mid-career tech worker, they show how benefits like health insurance and retirement contributions are eating raises before workers ever see them. Plus,...

A new data point from April 2026 is quietly driving the gap between your raise and your purchasing power: services inflation. While goods prices have moderated, the cost of services like auto insurance, rent, and medical care continues to climb. Lucas and Luna break down the latest CPI and average hourly earnings figures to show how 'sticky' services inflation is eating real wage gains for workers...

Consumer sentiment hit a record low in May 2026, even as wages finally outpaced inflation for many workers. Lucas and Luna break down the paradox: why Americans feel worse about the economy even when their paychecks are growing. They drill into the latest University of Michigan survey data, the role of geopolitical shocks from the Iran conflict, and the disconnect between macro data and household...

Episode 11 of Wages and Prices digs into the gap between headline wage growth and what workers actually take home. Lucas and Luna examine the latest data: average hourly earnings hit $37.40 in April, but the employment cost index and CPI show benefits and inflation eating real gains. They explore how slower turnover and smaller signing bonuses are flattening the wage curve, and why the disconnect...

In this episode of Wages and Prices, Lucas and Luna examine a rare bright spot in the cost-of-living landscape: wage growth is finally outpacing inflation for many workers. Using fresh April 2026 data — average hourly earnings at $37.40, CPI at 332.4 — they break down why this shift is happening, who's benefiting most, and whether it can last. They look at the employment cost index, core inflation...

Lucas and Luna dig into the latest employment cost index data and find that while wages are growing at 3.4 percent annually, employer-paid health benefit costs are rising roughly 6 percent. They walk through why the ECI is the Fed's favorite wage measure, how benefit costs silently erode purchasing power, and what this means for workers who feel like their raise disappears before it hits their ban...

The University of Michigan consumer sentiment index just hit an all-time low in May 2026, even as the S&P 500 sits near 7,500 and average hourly earnings ticked up to $37.40. Lucas and Luna explore why Americans feel so gloomy: the Iran war feeding inflation fears, the gap between headline CPI and what people actually pay for groceries and rent, and how the Fed's 10-year breakeven inflation rate o...

Lucas and Luna dive into the current wage-price dynamic using fresh data from May 2026. Average hourly earnings are up to $37.40, but CPI is at 332.4 and consumer sentiment hit a record low last week. They explore why the classic 'wage-price spiral' hasn't fully materialized, despite rising labor costs. The episode focuses on the role of productivity and corporate margins as a buffer, using recent...

In this episode of Wages and Prices, Lucas and Luna dig into a data point that rarely makes headlines: the gap between average hourly earnings and the employment cost index has been widening, and the difference tells a story about which workers are actually seeing raises. Using the latest April data, they show that hourly workers in leisure and hospitality saw 5.2% annual wage growth, while office...

In this episode, Lucas and Luna examine why workers in some states are experiencing faster real wage growth than others, even with national inflation cooling. Using April 2026 data—average hourly earnings at $37.40 and CPI at 332.4—they break down how state-level policies, industry mix, and housing costs create a growing divide. Lucas highlights Washington state, where a $16.28 minimum wage and a...