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IrelandMissing prices complicate Justin Wolfers's inflation reckoning
His October report breakdown connects shrinking purchasing power with a possible December rate increase.
Platypus Economics with Justin Wolfers
Story of Why this story? The channel's weekly summary: what went up this week, what is drawing views now, and where the channel stands among similar channels.
Inflation Is Back Up. And That's Not the Worst News.
Things we can learn from the video
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- 1:03Wolfers estimates missing October prices using a geometric average of September and November readings.
- 2:35Monthly headline prices rose 0.4%, while core prices rose 0.3%.
- 10:17Wage growth lagged inflation, leaving average real wages lower over the past year.
- 12:15Wolfers examines the possibility of a larger December interest-rate increase.
- 15:43Higher gasoline prices and airfares make Thanksgiving travel a bigger cost concern than dinner.
- 17:29A sponsored Stata demonstration shows how to perform inflation calculations.
Calculating annual inflation usually means comparing prices with the same month a year earlier. Justin Wolfers has an extra job: filling a hole left by a government shutdown, when the Bureau of Labor Statistics couldn't collect the prices he needs.
In "Inflation Is Back Up. And That's Not the Worst News.", he uses a geometric average of the neighboring months to estimate the missing comparison. His estimate puts annual inflation at about 4%. The distinction matters: he shows his working rather than presenting that annual rate as an ordinary official reading.
The upload has reached roughly 184,000 views, making it the most-watched of Platypus Economics with Justin Wolfers's fifteen new uploads. It also carries by far the strongest daily viewing momentum. Beyond the calculation, Wolfers explains that core inflation has accelerated and wage gains have fallen short of price increases. The video includes a sponsored Stata software demonstration.
That paycheck squeeze connects the week's inflation analysis with "The Jobs Report Looks Great. But There's a Catch." Stronger hiring doesn't automatically restore purchasing power, and Wolfers turns from the headline jobs result to the bargaining power an outside offer can give a worker.
Elsewhere, his MS NOW appearance, "Big Tech CEOs Are About to Face Some Very Uncomfortable Questions", argues that a congressional majority alone cannot readily undo presidential tariffs. It is the next-busiest upload by daily views.
The channel added subscribers over the week, while daily views are running at nearly twice their usual level. Among nearby educational channels, Drop A Pin is having a particularly busy week; Davy Holden is quieter than usual. For Wolfers, the distinctive thread is the gap between an encouraging economic headline and what a paycheck actually buys.
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- Subscribers
- 147,000 ▲ 5,000 this week
- Channel views, last 7 days
- 1,436,854
- Videos published this week
- 15
- Video published
- November 10, 2026
- Video views so far
- 183,931
- Views on its first day
- 152,711
The numbers
Here is the week in views and subscribers for Platypus Economics with Justin Wolfers.
💡 Test your knowledge
What does CPI stand for in an inflation report?
The Consumer Price Index measures changes in prices paid by consumers for a basket of goods and services.