Sticky Inflation: Expert Reveals “Best Assets” To Handle Upcoming Tumble

The CPI for July was revealed to be at a less than expected 8.5%. The crypto and broader markets witnessed an immediate rally. However, experts are now starting to sound the alarm about “sticky inflation”.

Michael Ashton, Managing Principal at Enduring Investments LLC, is considered an expert on inflation. In an interview with Kitco News, Ashton reveals that the low CPI data resulted from flexible items like airfare and apparel.

On the other hand, Ashton reveals that the sticky parts of the economy like rent, continue to see skyrocketing prices. According to him, the sticky inflation index continues to accelerate. As a result, he believes the US economy is nowhere near peak inflation. 

The Affect Of Inflation On Crypto

The Consumer Price Index resulted in a strong crypto rally. The bullish movement saw Bitcoin cross the $25K mark. Similarly, Ethereum crossed the $2,000 mark as a result of strong market sentiment.

The US Bureau Of Labor Statistics released the CPI on a monthly basis. CPI is a strong indicator of inflation in the economy. The Federal Reserve curbs high inflation through Quantitative Tightening and interest rate hikes. 

In June, a higher than expected CPI resulted in an extremely hawkish Fed. As a result, the crypto and stock markets saw a significant slide. Bitcoin suffered its worst financial quarter in over a decade.

However, with a lesser than expected CPI this time around, the market rallied expecting the Fed to pivot from its hawkish stance.

Inflation-Proof Assets To Prepare Against Turbulence

Michael Ashton believes that there are not very many safe inflation hedges because of the lack of inflation for a long time. However, he strongly advises against investing in stocks or bonds. Therefore, crypto, which is correlated with stocks, can also have the same issues.

Ashton believes that investors should buy I Series savings bonds. He also advised investments in “real assets”. These assets include precious metals, real estate, energy, and agriculture.