Hello and welcome to the Intelligence from the Economist. I'm your host, Jason Palmer.

Every weekday we provide a fresh perspective on the events shaping your world.

Feelings of loneliness are on the rise across the rich world, but one demographic seems to

be suffering disproportionately, American men. Our correspondent finds that their shrinking

friendship groups are only part of the problem.

And the music charts at Christmas time used to be packed with bright young things in their

glossy holiday offerings. As the streaming era spreads, they're steadily being dominated

by musicians who are well into middle age, or dead.

But first, let me start by saying that the inflation that we got was not at all the inflation

we were looking for or talking about.

It's a frank admission from Jerome Powell, the head of America Central Bank. The Federal

Reserve has been pumping vast sums of money into the American economy. And yesterday, in response

to spiking prices, it said it would speed up its plans to close those taps.

In light of the strengthening labor market and elevated inflation pressures, we decided

to speed up the reductions in our asset purchases.

It's a similar story across much of the Western world where inflation has hit multi-decade

highs. So, decisions today from both the European Central Bank and the Bank of England

will also be dominated by inflation considerations. They're all plans made in a sea of uncertainty

with the Omicron variant now adding to matters. But the Federal Reserve's move yesterday felt

decisive.

It was an important meeting. It was clearly a hawkish shift from Jerome Powell, the chair

of the Fed, and that broader Fed rate setting committee.

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