Understand we are to have inflationary prices soon, but when is this supposed to start?  Housing prices are to fall--got that--but everything else is going up?  Back to the inflation cycle--WHEN?  Understand it is a slow grind up...but when will we start to really notice that prices are up?  How we wish we had studied economics in college now, huh?

I don't expect inflation to happen to any great extent for a long time, even in oil.  There is plenty of oil around right now.  Prices are rising because of preceived supply risk.  If the saudi's manage their own internal unrest and iraq oil comes back online, the price will fall.  

However, I have been wrong once or twice in my life.

Harry

I am very surprised it has held off this long. Insurance rates skyrocketed as a direct result of 9/11/2001. How the companies that are still operating absorbed these higher rates along with the rise in energy costs, leases/rentals on business property,?

By cutting employee benefits that is the answer. Now inflation to any extent will only further separate the classes.

In my business I had to raise prices in 2002 when the first round of insurance hikes hit. I also had to cut out any services that were not absolutely neccesary.

So, in my opinion, some inflation started back in '02 when the economy took a hard downturn. Namely, insurance and those in business that refused to give products or services away at a loss. In the near future with the transportation companies imposing fuel surcharges and raising rates the stores will not be able to shoulder the costs, and will have to raise the prices. Yes, even Walmart. I do not think they can take anything else away from their employees to offset the prices.