#inflation

#inflation

The dollar index was under pressure on Wednesday as geopolitical fears abated amid calmer conditions in the Middle East, particularly after President Donald Trump signaled a temporary pause in naval operations around the Strait of Hormuz.

The national average price for regular gasoline now stands at $4.483 per gallon, up from $4.176 just one week ago. In less than two weeks, gas prices have surged 11%, putting them within striking distance of the all-time AAA record of $5.016 set on June 14, 2022.

Central banks are maintaining interest rates and borrowing costs steady despite rising energy bills and inflation pressures, which are squeezing businesses and households globally.

"Investors were braced for a disaster somehow, and instead they got a just a real good number," Cramer said.

"We see that beginning in late 2022, low-income households consistently faced higher inflation than middle- and high-income households did. Specifically, the lowest-income households have experienced inflation above the national average, restraining their spending."

The increase was broad-based, with the indexes for gasoline, shelter, and food being the largest contributors. The energy index was the largest single contributor.

Inflation has robbed them of a third of their income since the post-2009 global financial crisis, statistics show. Five years later, Greeks had the second-lowest annual salaries in the European Union after Bulgaria, according to Eurostat.

Trump is just almost incomprehensibly unpopular when it comes to prices. Literally off the chart. He is so underwater, in fact, that he is off the chart.

The European Central Bank has kept interest rates on hold, despite inflation rising to an estimated 3.0% in April 2026, driven primarily by energy prices.

The breakdown of talks between the U.S. and Iran, along with President Trump reportedly rejecting Iran's proposal for a reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, has the market losing hope for any quick resumption in oil flows.