Free Republic

The nation’s health-care marketplace insurers are seeking the largest premium increases in more than five years, ahead of the upcoming Affordable Care Act (ACA) enrollment period in November, according to an analysis by the Peterson Center on Healthcare and health policy nonprofit KFF.The July 18 report highlights several factors driving up insurance rates for 2026, as major health insurers submit rate filings to state regulators to justify premium changes for the upcoming calendar year.“As in most years, rising healthcare costs—both the price of care and increased use—are a significant driver for increasing rates going into plan year 2026. The costs...

The Seattle area is experiencing the highest inflationary pressure of any major US metropolitan area, according to a new report from WalletHub. Using Bureau of Labor Statistics data, the study compared inflation over the past two months and year-to-year across 23 major metro areas, and Seattle topped the list. Prices in the Seattle-Bellevue-Tacoma area have jumped 1.4 percent in just the last two months and 2.7 percent over the past year. WalletHub found that the region’s food prices rose 4.8 percent over the last year, both for groceries and dining out, while energy costs surged by 5 percent. Washingtonians are...

One of the top candidates to succeed Jerome Powell at the Federal Reserve said the central bank needs to coordinate more closely with the U.S. Treasury and advocated for a much more inflationary monetary policy. Kevin Warsh served as a Federal Reserve governor from 2006-2011. He is widely regarded as one of the top three or four candidates to take the reins at the Fed when Powell's term ends in May 2026 (or sooner if Trump forces him out). During a recent interview with CNBC, Warsh called for a regime change at the central bank, citing its reluctance to cut...

California Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom’s presidential aspirations are Washington’s worst-kept secret. More than three years before the next election, he’s on the campaign trail in South Carolina, protesting immigration raids on cannabis farms and even politicizing the Second Family’s visit to Disneyland. Before Newsom gets anywhere near Washington, he must "confront his California problem," as even Politico observed. Blessed with incredible natural resources, the Golden State has the highest living costs in the nation. Nowhere is this trend more evident than in energy, where there is a direct correlation between Newsom’s wrong-headed policies and overall unaffordability. Here are three examples....

America is the biggest consumer market in the world. In 2024, Americans spent >$19 trillion on consumer goods. Over $4 trillion of this was on imports. This means, in nominal terms, that Americans bought more than just about any other country on earth produced. America is the world’s forum, the bazaar, the emporium, the supermarket—the shopping mall. And just like how the biggest store in town can pressure suppliers to cut costs, America’s buying power gives us leverage over prices—leverage that can be translated into profits via tariffs. Essentially, if foreign producers want to sell their goods to American consumers—which...

The University of Michigan's Survey of Consumers for July showed overall sentiment rose 1.8% from June to 61.8, exactly in line with the estimate and at the highest since February. On inflation, the outlook at both the one- and five-year horizons both tumbled, falling to their lowest levels since February. Consumers' worst fears about tariff-induced inflation have receded, though they are still wary of price increases to come, according to a University of Michigan survey Friday. The university's closely watched Survey of Consumers for July showed overall sentiment increased slightly, rising 1.8% from June to 61.8, exactly in line with...

Rice prices in Japan soared 99.2 per cent in June year-on-year, official data showed Friday (Jul 18), piling further pressure on Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba ahead of elections this weekend. The price of the grain already rocketed 101 per cent year-on-year in May, having jumped 98.4 per cent in April and more than 92.5 per cent in March. Overall, Japan's core inflation rate slowed to 3.3 per cent in June from 3.7 per cent in May, the data from the internal affairs ministry showed.

The Weimar Republic was Germany’s government from 1919 to 1933, the period after World War I until the rise of Nazi Germany. It was named after the town of Weimar where Germany’s new government was formed by a national assembly after Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicated. From its uncertain beginnings to a brief season of success and then a devastating depression, the Weimar Republic experienced enough chaos to position Germany for the rise of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party.

Inflation picked up in June to 2.7 percent, according to the Consumer Price Index report released Tuesday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is an increase over May’s annualized inflation rate of 2.4 percent, but still below the inflation rate of 3 percent in January of this year when Donald Trump took office as president. Core inflation, excluding food and energy, increased to 2.9 percent. Fears that tariffs would significantly raise inflation rates have not yet materialized, although some of June’s increase may be attributable to them. Higher inflation also makes it less likely that the Federal Reserve will...

Core inflation’s mild “only” 2.9% annualized rise is not cause for relief. Government agencies, central banks, and regulators all react to data. The Fed, having held rates steady since May, will now sit on its hands until reports confirm if inflation gets a firm grip. Jerome Powell has come out once more to state that the FOMC would have lowered rates if not for Trump’s tariffs. Trump is in opposition with the Fed as fiscal policy blames monetary policy, and no one opens their eyes to see the underlying problem. A massive systemic risk looms on the horizon as consumer...

A chaotic rollout of tariffs is starting to filter through to price tags on store shelves. An immigration crackdown is beginning to weigh on jobs growth, measured by federal surveys. Taken together, the impact of President Trump’s whirlwind six months back in office is showing up in the economy. The effect isn’t yet enough to derail the economy, which by many measures has weathered Trump’s trade wars much better than many on Wall Street and in Washington feared. Economists see less risk of a recession now than three months ago, a Wall Street Journal survey found. Yet a long stretch...

This morning I finalized an important Deal with the Republic of Indonesia after speaking with their Highly Respected President Prabowo Subianto. This landmark Deal opens up Indonesia’s ENTIRE MARKET to the United States for the first time in History. As part of the Agreement, Indonesia has committed to purchasing $15 Billion Dollars in U.S. Energy, $4.5 Billion Dollars in American Agricultural Products, and 50 Boeing Jets, many of them 777’s. For the first time ever, our Ranchers, Farmers, and Fishermen will have Complete and Total Access to the Indonesian Market of over 280 million people. In addition, Indonesia will pay...

Russia has more potential agricultural area than anywhere else in the world but it has run out of potatoes and onions. Even President Vladimir Putin conceded there is a problem. "It turns out we are short of potatoes," he recently said, noting the lack of sugar beet and some other vegetables too. That came after the price of potatoes soared in Russian shops, almost tripling within the last year, according to official figures. Meanwhile the price of onions has doubled. Cabbage is now 50% more expensive than it was a year ago, says statistics agency Rosstat. Russians had to pay...

If I'm not mistaken, 483 million ounces of silver were sold yesterday, within an hour, in an effort to stop this breakout in silver. This short position is now completely underwater, which means that whoever sold those ounces was either an extremely bad trader, or had no intention of making money in the first place. And since 483 million ounces is 57% of the annual mine supply, I'm assuming there is no physical silver to back this position. This amount is not available for sale, anywhere.….

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale advanced 0.4 percent for the two months ending in April 2025, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Chris Rosenlund noted that the all items less food and energy index increased 0.3 percent. The food index rose 1.0 percent, and the energy index increased 0.7 percent. (Data in this report are not seasonally adjusted. Accordingly, bi-monthly changes may reflect seasonal influences.) The Phoenix area all items CPI-U rose 0.3 percent for the 12 months ending in April. The index for all items less food and energy...

I'm posting this as a vanity post because 20 minutes after the announcement, the only source that's published a story on this is Bloomberg, which doesn't allow re-ups. Copper is already up 11% today, having already advanced 25% year to date.

President Trump said Monday his administration would send Ukraine additional weapons after his administration imposed a pause on some shipments to Kyiv. “We’re going to send some more weapons. We have to. They have to be able to defend themselves. They’re getting hit very hard now,” Trump told reporters during a dinner with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “Defensive weapons, primarily, but they’re getting hit very, very hard. So many people are dying in that mess,” he added. The Pentagon last week confirmed a decision to halt the delivery of some air defense missiles and munitions to Ukraine, citing concerns...

“Many of the things I worked so damn hard, that I thought I changed in the country, are changing so rapidly,” Biden complained.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Tuesday that the U.S. central bank would have eased monetary policy by now if not for President Donald Trump’s tariff plan.When asked during a panel if the Fed would have lowered rates again this year had Trump not announced his controversial plan to impose higher levies on imported goods earlier this year, Powell said, “I think that’s right.” “In effect, we went on hold when we saw the size of the tariffs and essentially all inflation forecasts for the United States went up materially as a consequence of the tariffs,” Powell said at European...

New state and local increases are boosting paychecks in Alaska, California, Oregon, Washington, D.C., and other locations this week. Workers in about 15 locations nationwide are about to receive a boost in their paychecks, thanks to minimum wage increases that went into effect this week around the country. On Tuesday, July 1, minimum wage increases went into effect in Alaska, Oregon, and Washington D.C. Additionally, 12 cities, including Chicago and Los Angeles, are doing the same. The minimum wage hasn’t changed on a federal level since 2009. It remains stuck at $7.25. However, local governments have been moving the needle...