You may not yet see it on your local grocery store shelves, but the people of China are already experiencing high inflation rates across the board.
In food markets around Shanghai, the price of meat and vegetables has risen by at least 50pc in the past year, sparking anger among poorer shoppers who spend up to half of their income on food.
In some parts of China, the price of basic foods has doubled and shoppers in the southern city of Shenzhen have even taken to skipping across the border to Hong Kong to buy their daily groceries. On the Chinese internet, the Chinese character “Zhang”, which means “inflate”, has been picked as the word of the year.
Now, a freezing winter is threatening to further push up food prices and global commodities such as copper have already broken through record levels, a combination that spells further inflation.
“If there is a recovery in the West, and global commodity prices continue to rise, that could feed problems in China,” said Li Wei, an economist at Standard Chartered, based in Shanghai. “I would not be surprised to see inflation touching 7pc or 8pc in the first half of the year.”
Source: Telegraph
Recovery, in Mr. Li Wei’s use of the term, can actually be defined as continuing prices rises in commodities and stocks – because in the U.S., that’s what our recovery essentially is. Fundamentally, things are much worse than they were in 2008. Look at employment, federal debt, state debt, mortgage defaults, falling home prices and drops in the revenues of private businesses.
Nothing has gotten better – but the stock market is up, your gas prices are up and soon the food on your local grocery store shelf will cost 10% – 50% more. None of this, of course, will be called inflation because it is not counted in our government’s official CPI numbers. So, while you may be paying $8 for a gallon of milk and $5 for a gallon of gas, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke will be talking about the threat of deflation and how further monetary expansion and quantitative easing is necessary to keep the system afloat.
There is no recovery in the traditional sense of the word. In this case, recovery equals inflationary price increases.
The Chinese understand what is happening and realize that a large portion of those rising prices is the result of monetary expansion in the United States, which has led to higher prices in commodities markets globally and large infusions of cash in Chinese asset markets. All that money that has supposedly been sitting in bank vaults not being lent to Americans is actually making its way into equities and commodities – hence the perception of “recovery.”
But this won’t last long, not without a serious economic breakdown somewhere:
At stake is the future of the global economy, according to Andy Xie, the former China economist at Morgan Stanley. Writing in Caixin, a Chinese magazine, he said that the two most likely candidates to trigger the next financial crisis are either the US’s sovereign debt or China’s inflation.
“You can describe the global economy as a race between the US and China to see who goes down first,”
Economic Assassin weighs in on the discussion in China Must Kill the Dollar:
China are now acting as their own worst enemy by playing along with demands of the U.S, all China need to do to resolve their current inflationary problems and stop them becoming any worse, they must un-peg the Yuan from the U.S Dollar and allow their currency to appreciate, there are only positive implications for China; They’re currency will appreciate and they will experience a temporary deflationary period which, combined with the rise in purchasing power of the Yuan, will allow the Chinese people to consume more.
The only loser will be the U.S, as there last remaining lifeline, remove themselves, I have no doubt that the Federal Reserve will do nothing but flick the printing press switch to the ‘on’ position.
China has already ‘de-pegged’ the dollar, though appreciation of their currency has been slow. With the onset of high inflation, however, that may change soon. In 2009, Peter Schiff warned that When China Pulls the Peg, Cardiac Arrest Will Follow in the USA:
While the peg certainly is responsible for much of the world’s problems, its abandonment would cause severe hardship in the United States. In fact, for the U.S., de-pegging would cause the economic equivalent of cardiac arrest. Our economy is currently on life support provided by an endless flow of debt financing from China.
How long can China go on funding our never ending need for borrowed money, and when will they finally stop? That is the question. Whether or not China pulls the plug is hard to predict, but all signs point to an eventual cancellation of our ChinEx Visa and significant depegging of the yuan from the dollar.
Inflation, double digit inflation and the likelihood of hyperinflation (and thus, economic collapse) may be in our very near future.
Zhang.
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Comments….. The price one has to pay for a robust economy. Let them eat cake!
Comments….. Inflation jumps in Europe as well.
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Inflation-Jumps-in-nytimes-130499028.html;_ylt=AsOkxtbyRQJ2NQZftSl7H_67YWsA;_ylu=X3oDMTE2bmRqbGQwBHBvcwMxMQRzZWMDdG9wU3RvcmllcwRzbGsDd2hhdHlvdXNob3Vs?x=0&sec=topStories&pos=7&asset=&ccode=
Comments….. Actually, let them eat rice cakes
Tough reality… our own prices have been creeping. It has been hard for retailers to pass along price increases during Holiday shopping, but my local grocery store has less choices and lower quality vegies and meats. Milk is up, gas is up and my power bill did not go down when natural gas tanked – now its going up… point is that Inflation is here. I’ve been stocking up on daily use items – filling my storage. Buy all the specials you can and in quantity.
When real inflation hits, jobless youths seek out your stuff. We are seeing steady increases in petty and major crimes in our nearby larger city plus 4 nightly murders in a row since the weekend. It won’t be zombies that rush your door, it will be a mugger in the mall parking lot or in your garage…
And if Mushroom posts, its a call for help because he has a teenie beanie weenie
where i shop for food i see no inflation. prices wander around a little bit - but i don’t see any steady increase.
automobile parts and supplies are another story. a 5 gallon jug of mobil 1 ep 5w-30 cost me $28 at walmart today. i bought another 8 denso iridium spark plus that cost a little more yhan 1 year ago .
i get food at publix - a lot of it 2 for 1. no inflation here either.
all this inflation talk is dishonest communist-progressive propaganda.Â
It’s cheaper for China to buy soft commodities & futures then try to grown their own. To grow your own takes water, fertilizer, energy, capital, equipment & knowledge. Think about that for a while. Our politicians knew this day would come. It’s in the play book of world chess. China is not ready to take over the world money responsibilities, nor do they want to yet…..  China has increased the requirements for their bank reserves again. De-pegging & interest rates rates will be next while they quietly push their people to invest in PM’s. We live in interesting times & he who blinks first. North Korean common people are starving. Heavy on beans, pasta & rice for staples. Think you have enough? You will regret not buying more. PM’s should have been purchased many years ago when it wasn’t. Think, think…… What is cheap now? What is undervalued????? Think like W. Buffet use to think “before”. He’s been buying choo choo trains. Maybe that Smart car that gets 44 mpg that costs less than $20 to fill is pretty smart right now before “many” will not be able to afford it while there are a few on the lot to be sold. Have you been over seas Golden Fox? The diesel Smart car that is sold over seas & in Canada gets over 70 mpg. Maybe you should spin that on your head. LOL It is our third “extra” car. Do you remember the 70’s when diesel VW used rabbits were going for a premium?Â
Comments…..
hey mush, come on down here to Burnet, Texas. We have two, thats right two, cupcakes for 4.75.
you guys…hello?…mushroom is only FUNNING you – he’s speaking as if – when we were little kids – we would call it OPPOSITE DAY – and he’s obviously prepping and knows full well what’s going on!!!
mushroom you crack me up…by stating as true what is obviously untrue, you get your point across to those of us who are paying a bit of attention…and make some points that seem more – pointed – when you state how smart our “leaders” are being harvard educated and all – but I don’t get the “crisp ten dollar bills” part. What is it about ten dollar bills that wold be superior to – say, fives or twenties…?
and you enjoy stirring things up, don’t you??
I noticed that there is no inflation in cans of tuna fish, but the quantity of product is lower. Cans of mushrooms are effected the same way: same price, lower quantity. There is a noticeable jump in price of gasoline. Clothes are still a bargain. Bullets are still cheap, and firearms are the deal of the century.
It’s difficult to determine when the “big” jump in price will occur. I would wager a guess that it will only happen when the dollar tanks. All the retail marketers will be loathe to jack prices significantly higher until they have to, for their survival as a business.
I would hate to guess if 2011 is the year of the big hyper-inflation. I just don’t know. All I know is that nothing is going down in price.
michelle, I gave mushroom credit at first, but frankly he is as smart as a bag of hammers. ignore him. he has every opportunity to contribute to a blog where very concerned Americans can seek ideas, news, enlightenment and solace.  He chooses to tinkle down his own leg.
The dollar is going down, housing is going down, stocks are “falling” up, solar energy/KW is going down, electronics & computer memory costs are going down, used RV’s are going down, used boats are going down, cheap generators/KW are going down, rents are going down.
we have shit load of dead birds and fish over here we can send them…
think we will get the straight story on that one from our…”government scientists?
or will they blow the BS up our skirts?
the high altitude hail, lightning..fireworks etc…BS?
is it from the Chemtrails? is it from the Corexit that was sprayed for days and days on the gulf sublimenting into our rain water?
are we all next to start dieing off because of some careless governmental fuck up?
birds are the first to suffer..but its definetly a sign of some sort..
and we better get to the bottom of what “they” are doing ..even if its told to us that its “natural”
poisoned..by..the corperation?
will we have sutablle food here in the USA? once this shit gets into our crops? and ground water?
are we already seeing its first affects?
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_odd_dead_birds
theres more sories ,and more deaths than these 3 that i have seen reported, and the “reasons” they are giving are a joke..
fish too
sorry didnt know where else to get this out on this board..
but it is some what food realted
Comments….. Regarding cans of mushrooms. Be sure to read the label where it was canned. Most canned mushrooms are canned in CHINA. If the product is cheap, dimes to donuts it was canned in China. I wouldn’t buy any food product packaged or canned or processed from China. I bet mushscroom is eating crap from China.
Comments….. Another great get, Mr Slavo. Keep up the good work.
hi michelle. thank you…
Did they just say, “Last call” for cheap imported products?
Anonymous at 7:20 pm said, “Do you remember the 70’s when diesel VW used rabbits were going for a premium?”
But did the cost for repair or replacement parts negate the gasoline savings?
VRF said, “but it is some what food realted”
Yes it is.
The food chain.
Some links are like gold.
Others, not-so-much.
However, all links have value, some more than others?
Or is that, one man’s treasure is another man’s crop eating, mouse with wings?
Maybe the birds and the fish ate the wrong type of mosquito or, “something”?
Genetically Modified Mosquitos
http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig11/turberville1.1.1.html
I have to wonder about these bird/fish dieoffs.
Are they causing a problem that they already have the solution for…say in the manner that the socalled patriot act was ready a few days after 911?
It could be something else but its hard not to wonder.
Ever wonder why they use the phrase “canary in the coal mine”.
You know that this kind of stuff is headed our way very soon. Â This is the reason most of us prep and stock up on food. Â It is a great way to hedge the price increases on food and staples that we know is coming.
Comments…..RebelYell, the North won. We freed your slaves. You have a few marbles missing bubba. ITs your fat arse that is caused your trailer toilet to fall through the floor.
It was never about the slaves. That was just for the little people to die over.
I think (hope) that anyone visiting this site fully understands that high to hyper inflation is comming to Amerka. I say “Amerika” because the Republic is dead, what we have is an Empire in decline.
Look read again what John Williams of ShadowStats wrote a few weeks ago  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeGeJOzS9Po&feature=related
Watch his video interview againa and again. No one is talking to and interviewing people like Mr. Williams because the main stream media is totally controlled. It is ONLY though sites like this (and others) that we can learn what is really going on.
People prep, prep and get your retreat in order.
That word “Zhang” sounds like a combination of Shazaam and Dang! I can also think of some other words to describe how inflation is screwing everyone. You work hard and save and then what you have is eaten away by inflation. It’s just wrong! Can’t believe that Bernanke admitted to inflation being a tax and considering the dollar has lost 97% of it’s value since the FED was created it’s a hefty tax on americans in addition to all the other taxes we already pay. We are being taxed to death and most people seem to be still asleep. We are like slaves to the government. If you are rich you are a prosperous slave, but, aside from ruling class, all slaves nonetheless. I hate to say it but I almost welcome the only thing that will possibly wake americans up to what our government and the FED have been doing for so many years and that’s going to be major inflation, high prices and people stuggeling just to survive. Hello, wake up! The progressive scumbags in our government and the MSM will continue to blame Bush to the gullible public but more people will wake up with hard times.  I believe these are symptoms of the judgements of a godless America. Individually I think we can find hope but don’t know if system can be saved.  Is judgement a bad thing? Well, I guess that depends on if you are the type of person that finds himself in court in order to make a case for the truth or you are one that would do or say anything to just get what you want at other’s expense. I trust our rightous judge in the end will be “savior” for some but also one that imposes a sentence to others.  I think I bring this up to say that it’s our choice how we end and how we live. I am grateful that my future is assured through Jesus. Now I just have to figure out what to do today.Â
Good article, and very time appropriate. TPTB has us all in a vice, or more aptly a balloon shaped like a dumbbell. You squeeze one end and the other expands under tension until finally bursting. This was how our economies were set up almost 100 years ago, mainly by the architects of the Federal Reserve. Either China deals with rampant inflation, or they pull the plug on the dollar. Eventually there is 1 winner and 1 loser.
And although I still don’t get how all the money the banks were hoarding has been released into the economy, that still doesn’t change the fact that prices are rising across the board for energy and foodstuffs.
The particular taxing part of all this (pun intended) is that the net effect of all this deleveraging and debt default is crushing the man on the St by driving up his taxes on just about anything. Case in point, even though I’ve prepared almost 3 years ago for what is to come, I am most worried now about making my property tax payment, which is due yet again to rise 10% or more. Health care premium increases continue to negate whatever I get for a raise every year (when I am lucky enough to get one), and meanwhile every single activity my kids are involved with wants more and more money from us parents just to keep the status quo.
Eventually something must give, and I feel I am at the end of my rope. But I also would feel bad sitting in a home with one light bulb and not allowing my kids to do anything but those things that don’t cost anything (good luck trying to find them).
But enough rambling. We all know it is coming. It is just a matter of when.
My Concern is what are we going to look like when food inflation hits the US. We are already struggling here http://www.dailyjobcuts.com . So I think this will just be another blow to the economy
Comments…..Mike
My Concern is what are we going to look like when food inflation hits the US. We are already struggling here http://www.dailyjobcuts.com . So I think this will just be another blow to the economy.
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I visit that place everyday – it gives me somewhat of a temperature as to what industries are laying off, and what industries are closing their doors. Looks like retail is closing stores like Macy’s, Amercombie and Fitch, restaurants, etc. Those are usually the places where people spend money. It looks like every industry is getting hit. I don’tbelieveanything the media is saying. I know some 99’ers who just got their last check, I asked what their plans were and they said :look for a job.” I asked them why they hadn’t been doing that from the get go. “I needed a break.” “The free money was too good pass up.” One of them is my sister who is close to 58, heavy smoker who looks like death warmed over. Her husband is out of work as well. She sat around for 99 weeks and now has to look for a job. IMHO she’s unemployable.
@Ted, Ya the north won so they say….and freed the slaves..except they then proceded to violate the constitution openly and to enslave everyone of us under the system we now see crumbling around us….cant say I see anything to brag about in that,we all lost,America north and south lost.
Is the Renminbi peg one of the last things keeping western currencies alive? The developed world’s largest export seems to have become inflation. With few exceptions the west is following expansionary monetary policies and running large current account deficits, most often with China. China in turn seeks to maintain its peg against inherently weak western currencies by accumulating foreign exchange reserves and printing the local currency – the Renminbi. Though increasingly demonized in the western media, the Renminbi peg has acted as an inflation-importing mechanism – without which inflation would be rising even faster in the west due to our profligate monetary and fiscal policies. When China decides to loosen or eliminate the peg – inflation in west will surely receive an unwelcome boost. In the meantime, China is balancing the utility of using the Renminbi peg to fuel domestic industrialization against the cost of importing western, primarily US, inflation that impoverishes Chinese citizens with an artificially devalued currency. The Chinese government is beginning to face the domestic inflation problems inherent in its strategy and is trying to take steps to reduce that inflation without adjusting the peg – akin to trying to have your cake and eat it too. It remains to be seen how this turns out.