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Inflation And Its Effect On The Economy

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Inflation is the rate in which the prices and services are rising above zero percent, which involves a declining value in the power of currency. While deflation is when the inflation rate goes below zero, making it a negative inflation rate. “Inflation has a direct impact on the investment environment; a rising or declining inflation rate can shift the balance of investment returns between stock, bonds, and other alternatives” (Little, 2010). An economy having zero inflation will eventually result in deflation, which can be defined as a fall in the general price level. Economists tend to track and estimate the general price level using several different price indexes. One of the best-known price indexes to measure inflation is the consumer price index (CPI). In most developing countries, what considered being a healthy growth rate for the economy is have an annual interest rate of CPI around 2%. Inflation is used as a tool to maintain the level of general goods and services. Having remarkably high inflation can interfere with the operation of the financial market, and making the purchasing power of currency decreases. Also, it makes it more complicated for people to make good consumer decisions. Thus, making countries tend to target their inflation rate around CPI 2%, keeping the inflation rate low as possible, as it will keep the interest rate positive. Then again, having a small yearly increase in interest rate may result the prices to increase, but it does not

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