Rising rents sound alarm on lingering inflation - July 7, 2021

The cost of renting a home is rapidly rising across the U.S., underscoring fears that pandemic inflation may not fade as quickly as authorities planned. The median national rent climbed 9.2% in the first half of 2021, leaving rents at a higher level than they would have been if they stayed on their pre-pandemic trajectory. The International Monetary Fund warned of sustained inflation in the U.S., advising that federal authorities may need to raise interest rates earlier than expected. Beware Of 'Shrinkflation,' Inflation's Devious Cousin - NPR OPEC+ squabble sends oil prices to 6-year high, threatening recovery and fanning inflation fears - Fortune @Heritage: America’s rising consumer price index and weak job growth have caused talk of 1970s-style “stagflation,” an economy that exhibits both high unemployment and inflation. Join us tomorrow morning for a 30-minute Policy Pulse discussion Some retirees are voicing concern about the rising cost of necessities on a fixed income, while working Americans say the pandemic moved them to save more money overall. More than one-third of people said in a survey that they plan to increase their 401(k) contributions and increase their investments outside of their 401(k)s, and more than 30% said they plan to pay off debt. From Amazon to Starbucks, What Companies Paid Workers in the Pandemic - Wall Street Journal As employers struggle to fill jobs, teens come to the rescue - Associated Press Leidos, a Virginia-based IT company, will offer employees the chance to win a full year’s salary if they get vaccinated. The company will divide $1 million to reward 10 randomly selected workers through a vaccine lottery. The incentives are announced as health officials in states such as Ohio and Arkansas say that vaccine lotteries did not result in an increase in vaccinations. Workplace COVID jabs on the agenda as business is brought into vaccination effort - The Conversation Britain-based workspace company IWG is shifting its offerings away from large offices in favor of sha