Mr. Abe has set his sights on inflation, and perhaps he's going to get some.
But rate changes can take up to two years to have their full effect on inflation.
Yields on inflation-sensitive 10-year Treasury notes have fallen from 3.7% in February to about 2%.
Note that you can get a risk-free real return of 3.5% on inflation-indexed U.S. Treasurys.
Being taxed on inflation means she might have actually lost purchasing power after paying her taxes.
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Over the weekend, China will deliver data on inflation, industrial output and retail sales.
The Bank of England's successful squeeze on inflation has also helped to stabilise pay bargaining.
Whatever your view on inflation, having some assets to protect against its perils is wise.
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If you look at the data on inflation expectations, there are few signs of alarm.
Our two longer-maturity investments, TIPS and I-series savings bonds, deflect that risk with adjustments based on inflation.
Other things being equal, currency depreciation puts some upward pressure on inflation, as imports become more expensive.
At some point, central banks will have to put up interest rates to clamp down on inflation.
Our new emphasis is on inflation, the necessary Fed overshoot, and the possibility of a substantial 2007 slowdown.
The negative yield on inflation-linked bonds is just a corollary of the very low yields on conventional debt.
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In turn, that could also put pressure on inflation, which has been on the rise in recent months.
The fall in the euro has much less effect on inflation than does the rise in oil prices.
Meanwhile, questions on inflation, the weakness of the U.S. dollar and the reliability of American debt are also swirling.
But what it does mean is that the government is going to focus more on inflation than the dollar.
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As long as a big output gap remains, downward pressure on inflation will persist even if growth perks up.
In 1982, unemployment reached 10.8% as the Federal Reserve tightened monetary policy in order to put the brakes on inflation.
Nevertheless, other efforts Ford made did have a positive effect on inflation, notably his attempt to rein in congressional spending.
Dollar weakness is one of the biggest risks in the outlook due to its impact on inflation and capital flight.
Senator Corker reckons the financial crisis has strengthened the case for a single mandate for central banks focused on inflation.
From where he sits, China seems to be keeping a lid on inflation, though not everyone agrees with that call.
That implies a recognition of the need to avoid pushing down too hard on inflation once it falls to 2%.
Looking to 2030, he fears that the burdens of an ageing population will eventually lead to upward pressure on inflation.
Movements in currencies also tend to have less impact on inflation in America than elsewhere, partly because it imports less.
We know exactly how it is created, even insofar as the rate that it is created and its effect on inflation.
Troubled businesses and retailers might have expected that the encouraging news on inflation would open the door to another interest-rate cut.
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But ECB president Wim Duisenberg hinted that the bank's view on inflation could also have played a part in the decision.
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