from WNYC Studios. It's Brian Lair, a daily politics podcast. It's Wednesday, May 11th.

The April inflation numbers came out this morning with economists expecting the rate of increase

to ease to some degree,

as it turns out, it eased only a tiny, tiny bit. The pace is still at more than 8% a year.

Bloomberg News analyzes it this way. It says, leading the way were some basic things like

food, shelter, and new cars. Airfares are spiking as well.

On Michael Hill reported seeing $5 gasoline for the first time in this wave in New Jersey

this week. An example of something that's not a necessity, Papa John's Pizza is reported

going up by about 7% of pie, not sure about the toppings. On something that is a

necessity, there's a baby formula shortage. Maybe some of you are listening at this hour because

you're a stay-at-home parent and you know this all too well. The stock market has been

taking a beating so far this year. The NASDAQ with all those tech stocks is down a whopping 25%.

The broader S&P 500 is off by 16%.

But at the same time, new unemployment insurance claims have just hit their lowest level in more than 50 years.

Almost everybody who wants a job can find one. And wages for

regular jobs, not just the elite ones, are rising for a change. Politically, inflation has

been the central economic concern. Americans have been focused on in recent public opinions

in this election year. President Biden yesterday sought to direct the blame

as he identified and empathized.

Look, I know you got to be frustrated.

I know.

I can taste it.

...