Inflation continues to shape how Americans shop, save, and spend. Even as overall prices cool slightly, everyday essentials remain costly. That reality is pushing more people to prepare for the future by stockpiling goods—just in case.

Inflation moved up in June, due partially to businesses passing tariff costs onto consumers. Despite the uptick, President Trump is on the warpath for the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates, a move that would stimulate markets and investment,

It's a trove of information for portfolio managers and macro-watchers to gauge, and trade policy news headlines are likely to continue breaking. On July 9, President Trump announced a surprise 50% levy on copper imports, followed by a steep 50% duty on Brazil. 1 Together, it put the materials sector in focus.

Inflation has eased since Trump took office, meaning prices have risen at a slower pace than they had been at the end of the Biden administration. Consumer prices increased 2.4% in May compared to a year earlier, hovering near the lowest inflation since 2021.

It hasn't been an easy start to 2025 for Jerome Powell. Unfortunately for the Fed chair, the second half of the year is likely to be even tougher.

Still, US inflation climbed from 2.4% to 2.7%, and it is expected to rise further into the end of the year. Inflation hedges such as gold and bitcoin have rallied, and the US dollar is also strengthening on expectations of a cautious Fed cutting cycle.

Gold rose ahead of key U.S. inflation data due later that is expected to provide further clues on the path of Fed interest rates.