The NPR segment notes that while there were some record profits temporarily coinciding with inflation, there is zero (0.00) correlation across the economy (in their sample).
I also found this article discussing corporate profits and their impact on inflation more directly:
in 2021, corporate profits could account for about double that, nearly 60% of inflation, meaning it was not costs driving inflation. It was corporate profits. Now, some economists hear this and think this is proof that companies were just using inflation as an excuse to gouge customers. Andrew does not think this.
Companies reacted to inflation, supply chain worries, forecasted costs etc. and overshot, at least that’s what is presented above.
It seems like all the usual causes of inflation are at hand, and corporations are partially to blame (per usual), but everything is naturally more complex and more shades of gray than we care to admit.
Of course there are always many different factors that come together to cause an inflation. However, corporate profiteering is clearly one of the major factors here. As the articles I linked above explain, the rate of profit has increased since the pandemic, so it’s not just companies raising prices to make up for higher costs.
The NPR segment notes that while there were some record profits temporarily coinciding with inflation, there is zero (0.00) correlation across the economy (in their sample).
I also found this article discussing corporate profits and their impact on inflation more directly:
https://www.npr.org/2023/05/19/1177180972/economists-are-reconsidering-how-much-corporate-profits-drive-inflation
Companies reacted to inflation, supply chain worries, forecasted costs etc. and overshot, at least that’s what is presented above.
It seems like all the usual causes of inflation are at hand, and corporations are partially to blame (per usual), but everything is naturally more complex and more shades of gray than we care to admit.
Of course there are always many different factors that come together to cause an inflation. However, corporate profiteering is clearly one of the major factors here. As the articles I linked above explain, the rate of profit has increased since the pandemic, so it’s not just companies raising prices to make up for higher costs.