Free Republic

After three months of small drops, Britain's inflation jumped in February, defying expectations and raising pressure on the Bank of England to increase interest rates, data released by the Office for National Statistics showed Wednesday.The consumer price index rose by 10.4 percent in February, up from 10.1 percent in January.

The rate of inflation has taken a surprise leap, driven by a rising cost of alcoholic drinks in pubs and food - partly a consequence of the recent salad shortage. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) calculated the consumer prices index (CPI) measure of inflation at 10.4% over the 12 months to February. That was up from an annual rate of 10.1% the previous month, dashing expectations of an easing that has been seen since the 41-year high of 11.1% in October last year, as the cost of living crisis gathered steam. At that time, unprecedented energy prices were being...

President Joe Biden misspoke during a speech in Florida on Tuesday, speaking about the ongoing “war in Iraq” and also claimed it was where his son died. “Inflation is a worldwide problem right now because of a war in Iraq and the impact on oil and what Russia’s doing, excuse me, the war in Ukraine,” Biden said. “I’m thinking of Iraq because that’s where my son died,” he added, as an excuse for the verbal slip. Although Beau Biden served in Iraq, he did not die there. He died in 2015 at Walter Reed National Medical Center in Maryland after...

Joe Biden on Friday bragged about the performance of the economy during his presidency, saying Americans felt more 'financially comfortable' and vowing to lower prices of gas and food. Biden's remarks came after a new report showed the job market slowed in May with 390,000 jobs added although the unemployment rate was unchanged and remained at 3.6%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Economists praised the figure as healthy and Biden said it showed 'stable, steady growth.' 'America is in a stronger economic position today than just about any other country in the world,' he said in remarks...

President Joe Biden on Thursday reacted to the latest report showing soaring inflation numbers for February by blaming Russian President Vladimir Putin. “[T]oday’s inflation report is a reminder that Americans’ budgets are being stretched by price increases and families are starting to feel the impacts of Putin’s price hike,” the White House said in a statement sent to reporters in Biden’s name.