---
title: "Inflation surge erodes wages as energy shock persists"
type: "News"
locale: "en"
url: "https://longbridge.com/en/news/286954032.md"
description: "April's inflation outpaced wage growth, ending three years of real wage increases and straining household budgets. The Iran war has caused oil supply issues, leading to a 28% annual rise in gasoline prices and broader cost increases. Upcoming earnings reports from Walmart, Target, Home Depot, and Lowe's will assess consumer resilience amid high prices."
datetime: "2026-05-19T18:33:18.000Z"
locales:
  - [zh-CN](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/news/286954032.md)
  - [en](https://longbridge.com/en/news/286954032.md)
  - [zh-HK](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/news/286954032.md)
---

# Inflation surge erodes wages as energy shock persists

Wages fall behind: April saw inflation rise faster than paychecks, ending a three-year run of real wage growth and squeezing household budgets. Energy drives surge: The Iran war’s impact on oil supply pushed gasoline prices up over 28% annually, fueling broad cost increases. Retail test ahead: Earnings from Walmart, Target, Home Depot, and Lowe’s this week will gauge consumer resilience under high prices.

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