• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Ed Sheeran asked Patriots owner Robert Kraft for $2 million aid donation after Macklemore was dropped from his tour for pro-Palestine comments

2

Meet Warren Buffett's son Howard, a former sheriff, war photographer, and now, Berkshire's new chairman

3

Sydney Sweeney doesn’t just star in controversial ads. She helps engineer them

1

Ed Sheeran asked Patriots owner Robert Kraft for $2 million aid donation after Macklemore was dropped from his tour for pro-Palestine comments

2

Meet Warren Buffett's son Howard, a former sheriff, war photographer, and now, Berkshire's new chairman

3

Sydney Sweeney doesn’t just star in controversial ads. She helps engineer them
FinanceEconomy

No Sign of Trumpflation in GDP Report

By
Stephen Gandel
Stephen Gandel
and
Annalyn Kurtz
Annalyn Kurtz
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Stephen Gandel
Stephen Gandel
and
Annalyn Kurtz
Annalyn Kurtz
Down Arrow Button Icon
February 28, 2017, 2:32 PM ET
Donald Trump
President Donald Trump gestures as he speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), Friday, Feb. 24, 2017, in Oxon Hill, Md. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)Photo by Alex Brandon—AP
Google source logo
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Donald Trump has promised to boost spending and slash taxes, at time when unemployment is already at historic lows. That’s fueled both stocks and consumer confidence to record highs since the election. But it’s also fueled fears that inflation could soar.

At least for now, though, evidence of Trumpflation—the idea that wages and prices will also rise on the back of more stimulative fiscal policy—is hard to find.

Revised data on economic growth, released Tuesday, show that the Federal Reserve’s preferred measure of inflation was only 1.2% in the fourth quarter—well below the central bank’s 2% target. Economists had been expecting the metric would be revised slightly upward. Instead, it nudged slightly lower.

That measure, which tracks the prices of core personal consumption expenditures, strips out food and gas costs, which can be volatile.

Of course the fourth quarter’s PCE reading looks at October through December, which is before Trump took office. But even still, economists are predicting the key inflation metric will remain below the Fed’s 2% target into the spring.

This is important because the Federal Reserve next meets in two weeks and policymakers will weigh the latest inflation data as they consider hiking interest rates. While bond markets have largely been betting on more rapid inflation and as many as three interest rate hikes this year from the Fed, comments by Trump’s recently appointed Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin last week indicated it may take longer for the president’s fiscal policy changes to materialize than investors had previously hoped.

Mnuchin said it may take until August for Congress to pass a tax reform package and indicated the economy may not rev up to a 3% growth rate until 2018. In contrast, President Trump has pledged a return to 4% growth. Investors will be looking for more details on fiscal policy proposal when Trump speaks before Congress Tuesday evening.

The latest GDP report released Tuesday showed the economy grew at a 1.9% annualized rate in the fourth quarter, unchanged from prior estimates.

About the Authors
By Stephen Gandel
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
By Annalyn Kurtz
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Finance


Most Popular

Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

    Latest in Finance


    Most Popular

    © 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
    FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.