Monday April 02, 2007

Price inflation roars ahead

... and in related news, the price of an orange juice drink has gone up 33.33% at the coffeeshop at Block 29B Chai Chee Road. The price has gone up 50 cents from $1.50 - now, it costs an entire $2 note. Well, I don't know about you, but last I checked, my salary hasn't gone up 33.33% this year.

Here's the scoreboard so far :

Orange juice : up 33%
Soya-bean: up 25%
Tea: up 14.3%
Coffee : up 14.3%
Milo: up 12.5%

So much for the upcoming 2% GST rise. Out on the street, prices have already gone up, and they seem to be rising much higher than 2%. Talk about a pre-emptive strike by businesses!

But I would also contend that the inflationary pressure has always been there. Seen it coming, yes. "Inflate or die" - the old-timers, they wrote years ago, regarding the course that the accursed economists were taking. "Inflate or die", indeed, but at what cost?

During times like these, I can just *feel* the inflation monster outrunning me, 50% non-annualized portfolio gains notwithstanding. Whatever I do have, will have to work that much harder.

See also :

1. What else but more inflation
2. M3 is back
3. Food price inflation - a personal report

(2007-04-02 13:24:57 SGT) [Biz] Permalink

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