How Your Raise Is Finally Beating the Cost of Imported Goods

Wages and Prices with Fexingo: Cost of Living, Pay Raises, and Workers' Purchasing Power · Jul 21, 2026 · 6m · transcript

In Episode 125 of Wages and Prices, Lucas and Luna dig into the latest import price data — a surprise gain in June that pushed costs of Chinese goods to their highest since 2008. They explore why a worker's raise is finally outpacing these higher import prices, using the real numbers: average hourly earnings at $37.60, CPI down to 332.6, and the 10-year breakeven inflation rate at 2.25%. The hosts break down the mechanics of how wage growth, a strong dollar, and shifting trade flows are combining to give workers more purchasing power on imported goods — from electronics to clothing. They…