Inflation expectations
How fast people, firms or investors think prices will rise in the future. Central banks watch them because wage demands and price setting follow them, so expectations that drift up can make high inflation last.
Example
In October 2026, US households expected prices to rise 4.7% over the next year and 3.5% a year over the next five to ten years, according to the University of Michigan’s survey, both the highest since May.
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