Showing posts with label Wealth Inequality. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wealth Inequality. Show all posts

The Uncomfortable Truth About Why Fighting Inflation Widens the Wealth Gap

The Short Answer

Fighting inflation widens the wealth gap because the primary tool used by central banks raising interest rates is structurally asymmetric. While higher rates are designed to cool the economy, they suppress wage growth and increase borrowing costs for the working class long before they meaningfully impact the capital of the wealthy.

In a tightening cycle, asset owners (the top 10%) can leverage cash reserves to buy deflated assets, while wage earners (the bottom 90%) face higher rents, credit card interest, and job insecurity. This creates a "recovery lag" where labor loses bargaining power and capital captures the next growth cycle's gains. Ultimately, monetary tightening protects the value of existing "old money" at the expense of "new income" and upward mobility.

How Central Banks Actually Fight Inflation

When Jerome Powell or Christine Lagarde stand at a podium and speak about "price stability," they are using a polite euphemism for demand destruction.

The conventional economic wisdom, rooted in the teachings of Milton Friedman, suggests that inflation is "always and everywhere a monetary phenomenon." To fix it, central banks like the Federal Reserve or the ECB use Quantitative Tightening (QT) and interest rate hikes to suck liquidity out of the system.

The goal is to make borrowing more expensive. When it costs more to finance a car, a house, or a business expansion, spending slows down. In theory, this forces companies to stop raising prices because consumers can no longer afford them. But this "textbook" explanation ignores a glaring reality: The pain of this cooling process is not distributed equally.

Why Rate Hikes Are Structurally Asymmetric

Most people view interest rates as a universal "price of money." In reality, they are a filter that separates those who live off labor from those who live off capital.

Asset Owners vs. Wage Earners

If you own a portfolio of stocks and several rental properties, a rate hike is a temporary valuation adjustment. Yes, your portfolio might dip by 15% in the short term, but you still own the underlying shares. You have the "staying power" to wait for the next cycle.

However, if your primary source of wealth is a paycheck, a rate hike is an immediate threat. Higher rates aim to "soften" the labor market a clinical way of saying they want higher unemployment to stop wage inflation. For the worker, the fight against inflation feels like a direct attack on their only leverage: the ability to ask for a raise.

The Credit Contraction Effect

The wealthy rarely "need" credit to survive; they use it to amplify gains. The working class uses credit to bridge the gap between stagnant wages and the rising cost of living.

  • The Rich: Can pivot to high-yield bonds or money market funds, earning 5% safely on their cash.
  • The Poor/Middle Class: See their credit card APR climb to 25% and their dream of homeownership evaporate as mortgage rates double.

Small Business vs. Corporate Capital

Large corporations like Apple or Amazon have "fortress balance sheets." They often hold massive cash reserves or have locked in long-term debt at 2% interest years ago. They are largely immune to rate hikes in the short term.

In contrast, the local hardware store or the tech startup relies on rolling lines of credit. When rates rise, these small engines of the economy stall. This allows massive corporations to swallow market share from smaller competitors who couldn't survive the cost of capital spike.

The Monetary Transmission Inequality Framework™

To understand how this happens every single time, we have to look at the four layers of how monetary policy actually moves through society.

Layer

Mechanism

Impact on Wealth Gap

1. Capital Layer

Asset Repricing

The wealthy buy the "dip" while others are forced to sell.

2. Credit Layer

Lending Contraction

Banks tighten standards; only the "already wealthy" get loans.

3. Labor Layer

Wage Suppression

Hiring freezes reduce worker bargaining power and income.

4. Time Horizon

Liquidity Survival

Wealth allows for long-term holding; poverty forces short-term losses.

The Systemic Glitch: While the Capital Layer eventually recovers (and usually exceeds) its previous highs, the Labor Layer often experiences permanent "scarring." Lost wages during a tightening cycle are rarely "made up" later.

Historical Evidence: 2008 and the 2022–2024 Cycle

We don't have to guess how this works; we've seen the movie before.

The 2008 Financial Crisis

Following the crash, central banks used Quantitative Easing (QE) to flood the market with liquidity. This caused a massive rally in asset prices (stocks and real estate). Because the top 10% own nearly 90% of the stock market, they saw their net worth skyrocket while real wages for the average worker remained flat for a decade.

The 2022-2024 Hikes

When inflation spiked post-COVID, the Fed hiked rates at the fastest pace in forty years. The result?

  • Housing: Mortgage rates hit 7%+, locking out first-time buyers.
  • Rent: Institutional investors (BlackRock, etc.) used their cash to buy single-family homes, turning potential homeowners into permanent renters.
  • Corporate Profits: Despite "inflation," corporate profit margins hit record highs.

The "fight" against inflation effectively protected the purchasing power of the dollar for those who already had millions of them, while making it harder for everyone else to acquire their first thousand.

Who Benefits From Higher Interest Rates?

It is a myth that "everyone loses" when rates go up. There are clear winners in a high-rate environment:

  1. Financial Institutions: Banks earn a wider "net interest margin" (the difference between what they pay you on savings and what they charge on loans).
  2. The "Cash Rich": If you have $10 million in cash, 5% interest gives you $500,000 a year in risk-free income. You are literally being paid to sit still.
  3. Hedge Funds and Private Equity: They wait for smaller companies to go bankrupt during the "credit crunch" so they can buy their assets for pennies on the dollar.

Counterarguments: Where the Textbooks Are Right

To be fair, hyperinflation is even worse for inequality than rate hikes. If the price of bread doubles every week, the poor who spend 100% of their income on essentials—face literal starvation.

The central bank's defense is that they are choosing the "lesser of two evils." They argue that by causing a small recession now, they prevent a total currency collapse later.

The Flaw in the Defense: Central banks often ignore "supply-side" inflation. If inflation is caused by a war in Europe or a microchip shortage, raising interest rates in America doesn't fix the supply chain. It just punishes the consumer until they stop buying things. This is like trying to fix a broken car engine by deflating the tires.

What This Means for You (2026 and Beyond)

As we move further into 2026, the "higher for longer" narrative has shifted the goalposts of the middle class. We are entering an era of "Financial Feudalism," where the ability to own property or start a business is dictated by your existing access to capital, not your talent or work ethic.

If You are a Worker:

Recognize that the "system" is currently optimized to keep your wages from outpacing inflation. Your best hedge isn't a savings account; it's specialized skills that remain in demand even during a credit contraction.

If You are an Investor:

Understand the Cantillon Effect the idea that those closest to the source of money (banks and major corporations) benefit first. Position yourself in assets that the government and central banks are incentivized to protect (infrastructure, essential tech, and scarce commodities).

FAQ:

Does raising interest rates hurt the poor more than the rich?

Yes. Lower-income households rely more on wage income and variable-interest debt (credit cards/payday loans). Rate hikes intentionally slow hiring to lower wages and increase borrowing costs. Meanwhile, the wealthy own assets that eventually rebound and have the cash reserves to avoid high-interest debt.

Who benefits most from higher interest rates?

The primary beneficiaries are banks, large-scale lenders, and wealthy individuals with significant cash reserves. These groups earn higher yields on their capital without the risk of labor or production. In a high-rate environment, "money makes money" more efficiently than "work makes money."

Are central banks making inequality worse?

Many leading economists, including Joseph Stiglitz, argue that modern monetary policy is a blunt instrument that exacerbates the wealth gap. By focusing solely on "inflation targeting" through rates, central banks ignore the distributional consequences of their actions, often bailing out the financial sector while letting the labor market "adjust."

Why do markets often rally when the Fed hints at pausing rate hikes?

Because markets (capital owners) are forward-looking. A pause in hikes suggests that the "Labor Layer" has been sufficiently suppressed and the next cycle of "easy money" is coming. The wealthy buy in early, capturing the gains before the average worker even feels the "recovery."

Is there an alternative to raising rates?

Yes, but they are politically difficult. Fiscal policy (taxing excess corporate profits or implementing targeted price controls) could cool inflation without crushing the labor market. However, central banks only have one tool the interest rate so they use it, regardless of the collateral damage to the wealth gap.

Summary Table: The Winners and Losers of Inflation Fighting

Feature

The Winners (Asset Owners)

The Losers (Wage Earners)

Income Source

Dividends, Interest, Rents

Hourly wages, Salaries

Debt Profile

Fixed-rate, long-term corporate debt

Variable-rate, consumer debt

Reaction to Hikes

Buy the dip with cash reserves

Cut spending, face job insecurity

Long-term Result

Increased ownership of the economy

Reduced purchasing power and savings

The Path Forward: Breaking the Cycle

The uncomfortable truth is that our current monetary system requires a "sacrificial lamb" to maintain the value of the currency. Historically, that lamb is the worker's paycheck.

To change this, we must move beyond the narrow view that inflation is just "too much money chasing too few goods." We have to ask: Who has the money, and who has the goods? Until monetary policy accounts for the transmission inequality, every "victory" over inflation will be a quiet defeat for the dream of a fair economy.

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How have interest rate changes impacted your ability to save or invest this year? Let's discuss in the comments below.

Last Updated: March 2026

Author: Strategic Macro Audit Team

Data Sources: Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED), Bank for International Settlements (BIS), Thomas Piketty’s Capital in the Twenty-First Century updates.

Interest Rates and Housing Affordability: Distributional Effects in 2026

The conventional wisdom of 2022 suggested that aggressive interest rate hikes would eventually "break" the housing market, cooling prices and restoring sanity for the average buyer. Fast forward to 2026, and the reality is far more complex. We aren’t seeing a traditional crash; we are witnessing a Great Redistribution.

While the "sticker price" of homes in some markets has softened, the actual cost of entry has hit a generational high. This isn’t a bug in the system—it’s a feature of how modern monetary policy interacts with a structurally undersupplied housing market.

The 2026 Snapshot: Who Wins and Who Loses?

·         The Contrarian Reality: High interest rates didn't "fix" affordability; they gated it. By suppressing new supply through the Mortgage Lock-In Effect, rates kept prices artificially buoyant while doubling the monthly carrying costs for new entrants.

·         Distributional Losers: First-time buyers and "renters by necessity" are facing the brunt of the Housing Transmission Inequality Loop (HTIL).

·         Distributional Winners: Debt-free cash buyers, institutional investors with massive dry powder, and "Locked-in" homeowners who are effectively subsidized by 2%–3% vintage mortgages.

Why High Interest Rates Didn’t Fix Affordability

For decades, the inverse relationship between interest rates and house prices was treated as an economic law: when rates go up, prices must come down.

In 2026, we’ve learned that this law only works if supply is elastic. In our current macro environment, supply is anything but. When central banks hiked rates to combat inflation, they inadvertently froze the secondary market.

Potential sellers who would usually trade up or downsize looked at their existing 3% mortgage and compared it to a new 7% offer. The math didn't hold. They stayed put. This "supply strike" canceled out the "demand destruction" caused by higher rates, leaving prices stubbornly high while the cost of borrowing skyrocketed.

The result? A market where the "monthly payment" affordability is at its worst level in forty years, even as "nominal prices" appear to plateau.

The Mortgage Lock-In Effect: A Golden Handcuff for the Middle Class

The "Mortgage Lock-In Effect" is perhaps the most significant structural barrier in the 2026 housing market. It has created a two-tier society:

1.    The Insulated: Homeowners who secured long-term, low-interest fixed rates between 2012 and 2021. For them, inflation is actually a gift; it erodes the real value of their debt while their asset value remains protected by supply scarcity.

2.    The Exposed: Everyone else.

This lock-in hasn't just stopped sales; it has distorted labor mobility. People can no longer afford to move for better jobs because the "cost of moving" includes losing a subsidized mortgage and taking on a market-rate one. This friction reduces economic efficiency and deepens the divide between the "haves" and "have-nots" of the previous decade's debt cycle.

The Housing Transmission Inequality Loop (HTIL)

To understand why the gap is widening, we have to look at the HTIL Framework. This proprietary model explains how monetary tightening, intended to cool the economy, actually exacerbates housing inequality through five distinct stages:

Stage

Mechanism

Impact on Affordability

1. Rate Hikes

Central banks raise the cost of capital to fight inflation.

New buyer purchasing power drops by 30-40%.

2. Supply Freeze

Existing owners refuse to sell (Lock-In Effect).

Transaction volume hits historic lows; inventory vanishes.

3. Price Resilience

Scarcity keeps nominal prices high despite low demand.

The "entry price" remains out of reach for middle-earners.

4. Rental Compression

Failed buyers are forced back into the rental market.

Rent inflation persists as demand for "roofs over heads" is inelastic.

5. Wealth Divergence

Asset holders' equity grows; non-holders' savings erode.

The wealth gap becomes a permanent structural feature.

Renters vs. Buyers vs. Investors in 2026

The distributional effects are not felt equally across demographics.

The First-Time Buyer’s Paradox

In 2026, the first-time buyer is in a "pincer movement." They face high rents, which make it impossible to save for a down payment, and high interest rates, which minimize the house they can actually afford. For many in the 24–35 age bracket, the dream of ownership has shifted from "when" to "if."

The Rise of the "Cash-Rich" Investor

While the mom-and-pop landlord might be struggling with refinancing costs, institutional investors and ultra-high-net-worth individuals are thriving. They don't care about mortgage rates because they don't use mortgages or at least, not the kind you and I use. They are buying the dip in volume, further consolidating housing into a "financialized" asset class rather than a social utility.

The Renter’s Trap

High interest rates have a "pass-through" effect on renters. As would-be buyers stay in apartments longer, vacancy rates remain near record lows. Landlords, facing higher maintenance and insurance costs, pass those expenses directly to tenants. In 2026, renting is no longer a "cheaper alternative" to buying; it’s a capital sinkhole.

Will Rate Cuts Restore Affordability?

As we look toward potential easing cycles in late 2026 and 2027, there is a temptation to be optimistic. But caution is warranted.

If central banks cut rates without a massive influx of new housing supply, we might see a "Snap-Back Effect." The massive pent-up demand from the last four years could rush back into the market all at once. With supply still constrained by the Lock-In Effect and slow construction starts, a 1% drop in rates could easily be offset by a 10% jump in home prices.

True affordability in 2026 isn't about the nominal interest rate; it’s about the spread between wages and total housing costs. Until supply-side constraints (zoning, labor shortages, and material costs) are addressed, rate cuts may simply fuel another round of asset price inflation.

Scenario Modeling: Your Path Forward

Depending on your current position, the strategy for 2026 differs:

·         The Locked-in Homeowner: Your mortgage is your greatest asset. In an inflationary environment, holding a low-interest fixed debt is a hedge. Avoid refinancing or moving unless absolutely necessary.

·         The Hopeful Buyer: Focus on "Rate-Resilient" markets. Look for emerging urban centers where supply is being actively built. Consider "house hacking" or co-buying arrangements to offset the monthly carrying costs.

·         The Investor: Shift focus from capital appreciation to yield. The rental market is where the demand is stickiest. Look for distressed sellers who are forced to exit due to variable-rate commercial debt.

FAQ: Understanding the 2026 Housing Landscape

Why are houses still expensive despite high interest rates?

While higher rates reduced what people could afford to pay, they also caused a "supply shock." Current homeowners are unwilling to sell and give up their low-interest mortgages from years ago. This lack of inventory keeps prices high even though there are fewer buyers in the market.

Who actually benefits from high mortgage rates?

Existing homeowners with low, fixed-rate mortgages benefit the most, as their housing costs remain stable while inflation eats away the "real" value of their debt. Additionally, cash-heavy investors benefit because they face less competition from traditional buyers who rely on financing.

Will house prices crash in 2026?

A "crash" requires a wave of forced selling. Since most homeowners have significant equity and fixed low rates, we aren't seeing the mass foreclosures typical of 2008. Instead of a crash, we are seeing a "frozen" market with low volume and price stagnation.

How do interest rates affect renters?

When interest rates stay high, many people who would have bought a home remain in the rental market. This increased demand for rentals keeps prices high, making it harder for tenants to save for a future home purchase.

Is it better to buy now or wait for rate cuts?

This depends on your local market. Waiting for rate cuts may seem smart, but if everyone else is also waiting, a drop in rates could trigger a bidding war that drives prices higher than what you "saved" on the interest rate.

Final Thoughts: The New Era of Housing

Housing affordability in 2026 is no longer a simple matter of supply and demand. It is a story of monetary divergence. We are moving into an era where housing is less about "shelter" and more about "position."

The distributional effects we’ve discussed the widening gap between the "locked-in" and the "locked-out" represent a fundamental shift in the social contract. Navigating this market requires more than just a savings account; it requires a deep understanding of the macro forces at play.

Is your current housing strategy optimized for the 2026 reality? To help you navigate these shifts, I've developed a tool to help you see past the headlines.

[Try the 2026 Housing Affordability & Distributional Impact Calculator]

Plug in your current rent or mortgage, your local market data, and see how different rate scenarios will affect your net wealth over the next five years.

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Why Monetary Policy Makes Inequality Worse Than Most People Think

Monetary policy exacerbates inequality because money is not neutral; it enters the economy through a specific sequence. This process, known as the Cantillon Effect, ensures that those closest to the source of new money large financial institutions and asset owners capture its purchasing power before prices rise. By the time this liquidity reaches wage earners and cash savers, inflation has already eroded its value. Modern central banking prioritizes asset price channels over labor markets, effectively subsidizing wealth accumulation while the "inflation tax" degrades the purchasing power of the working class.

The Invisible Hand in Your Pocket

You’ve done everything right. You secured the degree, climbed the corporate ladder, and optimized your 401(k). Yet, despite the "strong" economic data blinking on your screen, the goalposts for financial independence seem to move ten yards back for every five you gain.

This isn't just a "vibecession" or bad luck. It is the mathematical byproduct of how central banks, like the Federal Reserve or the ECB, manage the world's money. While mainstream media debates whether interest rates should be 4.25% or 4.5%, they ignore the elephant in the room: Monetary policy is a massive, invisible engine of wealth redistribution.

To understand why the gap between the "haves" and "have-nots" is widening, we have to stop looking at money as a static pool and start looking at it as a river. Where you stand on the banks of that river determines whether you thrive or drown.

How New Money Actually Enters the Economy

Most people imagine money creation as a helicopter drop an equal distribution of cash to every citizen. If that were true, monetary policy would be neutral. However, in our modern financial system, money is created through credit expansion and Quantitative Easing (QE).

When a central bank expands its balance sheet, it doesn't send checks to households. It buys assets (typically government bonds or mortgage-backed securities) from primary dealers the world’s largest banks.

This creates a "waterfall effect." The new liquidity hits the financial sector first. These institutions use the capital to buy stocks, real estate, and other financial instruments. This surge in demand drives up asset prices long before the "real economy" (the place where you buy groceries and pay rent) feels a thing. By the time that money trickles down to a construction worker’s paycheck or a teacher’s salary, the price of a starter home has already jumped 20%.

The Proprietary Framework: The Monetary Access Ladder™

To visualize this inequality, we developed The Monetary Access Ladder™. It describes your proximity to the "money spigot" and explains why some people get rich in their sleep while others work harder for less.

1.    The Source (Central Banks): The creators of liquidity.

2.    The Gatekeepers (Primary Dealers & Banks): The first recipients. They earn fees and trade on the initial wave of liquidity.

3.    The Asset Class (Investors & Hedge Funds): They capture the Asset Price Inflation fueled by low rates.

4.    The Corporate Tier: Large firms that can borrow cheaply to buy back shares, inflating their own valuations.

5.    The Wage Tier: Knowledge workers and laborers whose income is "sticky" and slow to adjust.

6.    The Basement (Cash Savers & Fixed Income): Those holding depreciating currency while costs of living skyrocket.

In this ladder, wealth is redistributed from the bottom rungs to the top rungs, not by decree, but by sequence of access.

The Cantillon Effect in Modern Disguise

Named after the 18th-century economist Richard Cantillon, this principle states that the first recipient of new money benefits by spending it while prices are still low. As that money circulates, it bids up prices. The last recipients the poor and the retired are forced to buy goods at inflated prices with "old" money that hasn't seen a corresponding increase in value.

In 2026, the Cantillon Effect wears a digital suit. During the post-2008 era and the COVID-19 stimulus cycles, we saw central bank balance sheets explode. The result?

·         S&P 500: Record highs.

·         Real Estate: Pricing out an entire generation.

·         Wages: Lagging significantly behind the cost of "non-discretionary" items like healthcare and education.

This is financial repression. By keeping interest rates below the "real" inflation rate, central banks effectively transfer wealth from creditors (savers) to debtors (the government and large corporations).

Why Rate Hikes Don’t Fix Inequality

When inflation gets too high, central banks pivot to "tightening"—raising interest rates. But does this help the average person? Rarely.

High rates increase the cost of credit for small businesses and first-time homebuyers. Meanwhile, the ultra-wealthy who already own their assets outright or have locked in long-term, low-interest debt are largely insulated. In fact, high rates often allow those with massive cash reserves to buy up distressed assets at a discount when the "wage tier" can no longer afford their mortgages.

The Bank for International Settlements(BIS) has noted in several papers that while aggressive hikes may cool the CPI (Consumer Price Index), they often cement wealth gaps by triggering unemployment among the lowest-income brackets first.

Asset Inflation vs. Wage Reality

The disconnect between Wall Street and Main Street is a feature, not a bug. Central banks use a mechanism called the Wealth Effect. The theory suggests that by boosting the stock market, people will feel richer and spend more, stimulating the economy.

The problem? The top 10% of households own roughly 90% of the stock market.

When the Fed "supports the market," they are directly subsidizing the net worth of the top decile. The "wage reality" for the bottom 50% is dictated by wage stickiness. Salaries are adjusted once a year (if you're lucky), while the price of Bitcoin, Nvidia stock, or a multi-family apartment complex updates in real-time.

"Monetary policy is a blunt tool that hits the most vulnerable with the most force."  Economic sentiment often ignored in central bank press conferences.

Who Benefits First And Who Pays Last

To truly understand the "why," we must look at liquidity channels.

·         The Beneficiaries: Tech founders with VC backing, real estate developers with institutional lines of credit, and governments that can inflate away their massive debts.

·         The Payers: The young professional trying to save for a down payment in a "debased" currency. The pensioner whose fixed income buys 30% less than it did five years ago.

This isn't just about "rich vs. poor." It’s about insiders vs. outsiders. If you earn your living through a W-2 salary, you are an outsider to the monetary system. If you earn your living through capital gains and credit arbitrage, you are an insider.

What This Means for Individuals

If you realize the system is tilted, you have three choices:

1.    Political Disengagement: Recognizing that regardless of the party in power, the central bank’s mandate remains focused on "market stability" (code for protecting the Access Ladder).

2.    Geographic Arbitrage: Moving to jurisdictions where the cost of living hasn't been fully financialized.

3.    Asset Migration: Shifting from "cash-heavy" positions to "hard assets" or equities that act as a hedge against the inevitable debasement of the currency.

Understanding the distributional effects of inflation is the first step toward personal financial sovereignty. You cannot win a game if you don't realize the rules are designed to favor the house.

FAQ

Does monetary policy always increase inequality?

Strictly speaking, yes. Because money is issued as debt through the banking system, it inherently favors those with the highest creditworthiness (the wealthy). This creates a cycle where those with assets get cheaper access to more capital, while those without assets pay a premium to borrow.

Who benefits most from QE?

The primary beneficiaries are asset owners and financial institutions. Quantitative Easing increases the demand for bonds and stocks, driving up their prices. Since the wealthiest portion of the population owns the vast majority of these assets, their net worth increases exponentially compared to those who rely solely on labor.

Can central banks reduce inequality?

While central banks often claim their "maximum employment" mandate helps the poor, their tools are too blunt. They can stimulate demand, but they cannot control where the money flows. Without structural fiscal reform (taxation and spending changes by the government), monetary policy will almost always remain a regressive force.

Authority Signals & References

·         The Cantillon Effect: Historical economic theory regarding the non-neutrality of money.

·         BIS Working Papers: Research indicating that prolonged low-interest-rate environments contribute to wealth concentration.

·         Federal Reserve Distributional Financial Accounts: Data showing the widening gap in asset ownership over the last two decades.

·         Thomas Piketty (Capital in the Twenty-First Century): Discussion on the rate of return on capital ($r$) vs. economic growth ($g$).

Take Control of Your Economic Future

The veil is lifting. The "economic anxiety" you feel isn't a personal failure it is a logical response to a system that devalues your time while inflating the assets of the elite. You can no longer afford to be a passive observer of macroeconomics.

The game is rigged, but your strategy doesn't have to be. Join our community of over 50,000 "Access Ladder" defectors. We provide the deep-dive research, the mental models, and the contrarian insights you need to protect your family's wealth from the hidden tax of monetary policy.

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Why Isn't the Fed's Rate Cutting Working Faster in 2026?

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