TRANSCRIPT

In Episode 135 of Cents of Things, Jeff Kikel and Ron Lang break down a wide range of economic and market signals — from AI productivity gains to employment strength and a surprising inflation tool that may be telling a different story than the official CPI numbers. 📊 This week’s discussion includes: AI ROI expectations from major companies Why software stocks have pulled back Historical market pullbacks & presidential cycle trends A surprisingly strong private payroll report Jobless claims vs. unemployment data Retail sales and employment cost data A deep dive into TruFlation vs. CPI — and whether inflation is actually cooling faster than reported Plus, “This Week in History” covers everything from the 1825 presidential election decided by the House to McCarthyism, the Beatles, and the official naming of COVID-19. If you want context instead of headlines, this episode delivers. 👉 Subscribe for weekly market insights 👉 Comment and let us know what inflation looks like where you live 00:00 – Episode Introduction 01:00 – Overview: AI ROI, Jobs & Inflation 02:00 – This Week in History 03:30 – John Quincy Adams & House-Decided Election 04:30 – Teddy Bears & Theodore Roosevelt 05:00 – Daylight Saving Time Origins 06:00 – McCarthyism & Historical Lessons 08:30 – Beatles on Ed Sullivan 09:30 – Super Bowl & Market Humor 10:30 – Software Sector Selloff Explained 13:00 – Retail Investors vs Wall Street 14:00 – Understanding Market Pullbacks 16:00 – Presidential Cycle & Midterm Year Trends 18:00 – AI Productivity & Corporate ROI 21:00 – Strong Private Payroll Data 23:00 – Jobless Claims vs Unemployment 25:00 – Retail Sales & Government Data Issues 27:00 – Introducing TruFlation vs CPI 29:00 – Why CPI May Be Lagging Reality 31:00 – Housing Data Distortion in Inflation 33:00 – Final Thoughts & Wrap-Up