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

With the Dow hitting 50,286 and core PCE still above the Fed's target, markets are pricing in rate cuts that the new Fed chair Kevin Warsh hasn't signaled. This episode looks at the disconnect between consumer spending and central bank caution. Lucas and Luna examine the April CPI print of 332.4, the ten-year breakeven inflation rate dropping to 2.39 percent, and what the bond vigilantes might for...

Lucas and Luna dig into a frustrating disconnect in the post-pandemic economy: average hourly earnings are up, the employment cost index is rising, but most workers say their paychecks don't feel bigger. The hosts anchor the conversation in fresh April 2026 data — hourly earnings at $37.40, up from $37.35 — and contrast that with CPI at 332.4, which has risen nearly 2% over the same period. They u...

Lucas and Luna break down the April 2026 earnings data vs. the latest CPI print. Yes, average hourly earnings hit $37.40 an hour. But shelter costs are still running hot, and the core CPI accelerated to 335.4. Luna asks whether workers are really better off than a year ago. Lucas walks through the math: a 4.7% year-over-year wage gain against a 3.4% headline CPI — but the real story is in the bask...

In the debut episode of Wages and Prices, Lucas and Luna examine how the AI-driven economy is reshaping the American Dream for blue-collar workers. With the S&P 500 down 1.2% in the past five days and the Russell 2000 falling 3.4%, small caps are getting hammered. Meanwhile, average hourly earnings crept up to $37.40 in April, but CPI hit 332.4, eroding purchasing power. Lucas explains why the AI...