Why Your Raise Vanishes Before You Feel It

Episode 11 of Wages and Prices digs into the gap between headline wage growth and what workers actually take home. Lucas and Luna examine the latest data: average hourly earnings hit $37.40 in April, but the employment cost index and CPI show benefits and inflation eating real gains. They explore how slower turnover and smaller signing bonuses are flattening the wage curve, and why the disconnect between strong labor market stats and record low consumer sentiment makes sense. The hosts use real numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the most recent CPI release to explain the mechanics behind the frustration workers feel. No opinion—just the math of purchasing power in May 2026. #Wages #Prices #Inflation #RealWageGrowth #CPI #EmploymentCostIndex #LaborMarket #ConsumerSentiment #PurchasingPower #AverageHourlyEarnings #WorkerPay #FexingoBusiness #EconomicsPodcast #CostOfLiving #WageData #BureauOfLaborStatistics #Turnover #SigningBonuses Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo