Key Takeaways Inflation likely accelerated in December, putting pressure on the Federal Reserve to keep interest rates relatively high.According to the median forecast, consumer prices likely rose 2.6% in December over the year,

Knowing when to switch bank accounts can be stressful, especially as inflation rises. Find out how to know it's time to switch.

During his inauguration speech, President Trump promised to use his federal powers to "defeat what was record inflation and rapidly bring down costs and prices." Read More: Here's What

At their last meeting in December, U.S. Federal Reserve officials were worried about inflation getting stuck above their 2% target and had watched job gains seesaw in what seemed an emerging decline.

Many economists have felt relief over continued GDP growth. But ongoing data releases suggest that the foundation of the economy — consumer spending — isn’t sustainable.

Economists and analysts aren’t convinced that an expansion of oil and gas production will lower consumer prices.

No income generation. An IRA that’s invested heavily in stocks can generate dividend income. A gold IRA can gain value over time as the price of gold goes up, but gold itself doesn’t pay dividends and you can’t hold other assets in a gold IRA.

The author examines the money supply represented by M2, the Federal budget deficit, the Fed’s previous adventures with QE, and the correlation to inflation. Click to read.

Next week brings a slew of earnings from big tech companies and from other blue chips in areas such as credit cards, defense, energy and telecoms. Wednesday is shaping up to be the busiest day, with the Federal Reserve poised to make its first rate decision under a Trump presidency,

The new inflation figures published on Wednesday may be decisive for the Reserve Bank as it weighs a February interest rate cut. The outcome for the December quarter is the last substantial economic update before the rate meeting on February 18, one of only two before the May deadline for a federal election.

Trump will probably seek to ease inflation and lower prices by drilling for more oil, loosening regulations, reducing federal spending, experts say.