(Bloomberg) — A key measure of underlying US inflation favored by the Federal Reserve cooled last month, and consumer spending rebounded sharply.
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Earlier in the week, the collapse of a major bridge in Baltimore will cause weeks or months of transportation disruptions in the Mid-Atlantic region and accelerate a shift of cargo to the US West Coast.
In Japan, the yen weakened to levels last seen in 1990, prompting multiple officials to affirm their commitment to intervene if necessary.
Here are some of the charts that appeared on Bloomberg this week on the latest developments in the global economy, geopolitics and markets:
US
The Fed’s preferred gauge of underlying inflation cooled last month after a stronger January increase than initially reported. Chair Jerome Powell spoke after the figures were released Friday, saying they were “pretty much in line with our expectations” and reiterated the central bank is in no rush to cut interest rates.
The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge after a container ship slammed into a support structure shut the Port of Baltimore. Experts and economists say it’s going to be a logistical choke-point for a while, but a localized one that shouldn’t derail an otherwise solid US economy, with companies able to adapt.
Virtually all Americans have gotten wealthier since the pandemic. But as the overall pie has gotten larger, the slice for a group of affluent households is shrinking.
Asia
Japan’s top currency…
