Anonymousabout 4 hours ago
The March 2026 Consumer Price Index surged 3.3% year-over-year — the highest since mid-2024 — driven almost entirely by a 21.2% monthly spike in gasoline prices after the US-Israeli air war against Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz. With Brent crude doubling from $61 to $118 per barrel in a single quarter and the national average for regular gasoline hitting $4.08, the Federal Reserve faces a dilemma between pausing its rate-cutting cycle and tolerating what it hopes is a temporary energy shock.