Friday, March 28, 2008

Why Chinese inflation is bad news for us, them....and pigs



Who cares about Chinese inflation? Well, I do. But not just because I happen to live in Beijing and bread is becoming a luxury product.
The Consumer Price Index hit a 12-year high of 8.7 last month. Stop yawning. This matters.
It's not just that the cost of living for 1.3 billion people is rising so fast that it could undo some of the dramatic improvements to living standards seen since China's economy took off - although that would be a decent enough reason to worry.
Inflation was one of the key drivers behind the unrest that spilled over into protests in Tiananmen Square in 1989. Instability in China means instability for the global economy, which would be unwelcome to say the least.
But, if you want a selfish reason to worry about it, think of the impact it would have if all the cheap Chinese goods currently lapped up by Europeans and Americans - clothes, electronics, household stuff - became significantly more expensive. With the Chinese seeking higher wages to keep up with inflation, the cost of exports will rise.
And as if that weren't enough...think of the poor swines. ["Oh won't somebody please think of the pigs!"] Pork prices are rocketing which means millions cannot afford a staple feature of China's typical diet.
All of this has bred a new form of crime: pig-jacking! Yep, that's right. According to Newsweek, people are kidnapping live little piggies en route to market, such is the soaring value of pig meat.
Remember though, we live in a global market so if the price of bread and pork soars here in China, it'll lead to further hikes in the West.
Better get those breakfast rolls while they're going...

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