Inflation is bad, work from home sad, FIFA World Cup tix NOT deal to be had

June 12, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

The latest consumer price index shows that prices rose 4.2% in the past year, marking the highest inflation reading in three years and a sharp reversal from just three months ago when the number stood at 2.4%. Meanwhile, new research quantifies a hidden cost of remote work: an extra 1.1 hours spent alone each day, with measurable effects on mental health. And if you were hoping to catch a World Cup match this summer, there are still 24,000 unsold tickets as of midweek — but you will pay dearly for them.

Inflation is back, and it is biting

The headline number is 4.2%, drawn from the consumer price index. That means the average American’s cost of living has risen 4.2% compared to a year ago, and it has been three years since inflation was this high. The speed of the increase matters: just three months ago, before the Iran war, inflation was at 2.4%. Most of the recent jump comes from rising gas and fuel prices.

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What you'll learn

1 (00:11) **Episode Introduction** - Adrian Ma introduces the episode with two special guests: Steven Visaha (NPR personal finance) and Mary Childs (host of "Mary in America")
2 (02:16) **Inflation Hits 4.2%** - Adrian Ma kicks off with the latest CPI showing a 4.2% year-over-year price increase
3 (04:57) **Remote Workers Lose 1.1 Hours of Social Time Per Day** - Mary Childs presents a study on remote work's impact on well-being
4 (07:23) **24,000 World Cup Tickets Still Unsold** - Steven Visaha reports on slow ticket sales for the FIFA World Cup
5 (10:10) **Wrap-Up and Credits** - Hosts share personal plans (Steven plans to buy tickets last-minute for Croatia games) and the episode credits roll
6 Standout Quotes
7 "I love the numbers, right? You know what I really love? I love the inflation." - President Trump, on the 4.2% CPI report

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

It’s Indicators of the Week (now on YouTube!). It’s our weekly look at some of the most fascinating economic numbers from the news.

On today’s episode: Inflation is back, working from home is making us sad, and World Cup ticket sales are NOT hitting their goooooaaaaaaaaaaaaaaal!!

Fact checking by Emma Ferrara and Cooper Katz McKim.

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—Who is the World Cup for anymore?

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