inflation

Wall Street racked up more losses Friday, as worries mounted that the Federal Reserve and other central banks are willing to bring on a recession if that’s what it takes to crush inflation. The S&P 500 fell 1.1%, its third straight drop. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 0.8% and the Nasdaq composite lost 1%. The major indexes marked their second straight weekly loss.

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq composite each fell 0.7%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 0.9%. Smaller company stocks fell even more, pulling the Russell 2000 index 1.2% lower. The indexes marked their first losing week in the last three.

The S&P 500 ended 0.1% lower after having been down as much as 1.2% earlier in the day. The Nasdaq composite also trimmed its deficit, falling 0.2%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average eked out a 0.1% gain. The indexes all notched gains for the week.

A late-afternoon rally on Wall Street helped stocks close higher Friday, though the major indexes still wound up finishing lower for the week after several days of bumpy trading. The S&P 500 rose 0.5% after wavering between small gains and losses for much of the day. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.6% and the Nasdaq composite ended essentially flat after swinging between a 1% gain and an 0.8% drop.

As the U.S. grapples with inflation set into motion by the pandemic, the war in Ukraine has exacerbated the problem. All is not lost, however. A top D.C. economist helps unravel the complicated factors surrounding inflation by examining the history and causes of, and cures for, what may feel like an economy spiraling out of control.