How Consumer Spending Outruns Inflation and Confuses the Fed

The Macro Memo with Fexingo: Daily Conversations on Inflation, GDP, and Federal Reserve Policy · Jun 14, 2026 · 6m · transcript

Lucas and Luna dig into the widening gap between consumer confidence and actual spending. With inflation at 4.2% and real GDP growth just 1.6%, Americans are still swiping cards at a pace that has the Fed puzzled. They examine the May retail sales data, the savings rate drop, and what it means for the Fed's next move. Plus, they compare the current environment to the 1970s 'conundrum' that fooled policymakers for years. A focused look at why the consumer isn't reacting the way models predict.

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