News brief

Vice President Harris to preview proposal to curb high food and housing prices. Vice President Kamala Harris is zeroing in on high food and housing prices as her campaign reportedly prepares to preview an economic policy speech in North Carolina the evening of Aug. 16. She’s promising to push for a federal ban on price gouging on groceries as she looks to address one of voters’ top concerns. Ms. Harris plans to use federal resources to promote the construction of 3 million new housing units if elected, pass legislation to slow rent increases, and provide $25,000 in down-payment assistance for first-time homebuyers. 

With inflation high on voters’ priority list, Kamala Harris is proposing steps to keep food prices in check. What’s behind grocery prices, how high is inflation, and can a ban on price gouging help?

Gains in real wages often happen during relatively rare bursts. For a while, it looked like one of those accelerations in worker buying power was underway after the pandemic. But an uptick in inflation threatens it.