Latest / Wages and Prices with Fexingo: Cost of Living, Pay Raises, and Workers' Purchasing Power
Why Your Paycheck Grows But You Feel Poorer
In this episode of Wages and Prices, Lucas and Luna examine the disconnect between rising median weekly earnings and persistent household budget pressure. With average hourly earnings at $37.80 and core PCE inflation holding at 130.5 in August 2026, we drill into why wage growth feels invisible for many workers. The conversation explores how sector-specific job losses, particularly among men, and the lagging effect of price increases on essential services create a purchasing power gap that headline numbers miss. We look at the Employment Cost Index data from April 2026 to understand…
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