Donald Trump may have won the presidency at the kitchen table.

But Americans are still struggling to put food on it.

Despite his promises to vanquish inflation, the financial squeeze on households shows no signs of letting up.

In fact, some experts warn that Trump’s policies might inadvertently fan the flames of rising prices.

And the average American's wallet is undoubtedly feeling the pinch:

• A whopping 59% of people can't cover a $1,000 emergency expense with savings, up from 56% last year, according to Bankrate.

That’s because everyday Americans are living paycheck to paycheck, with inflation and high interest rates gobbling up our ability to save.

So let’s talk numbers…

Your Rundown for Friday, January 31, 2025...

Trump’s Epic Task

Since January 2021, egg prices have skyrocketed 148%... ground beef is up 41%... and even a humble loaf of bread costs 24% more.

It's no wonder then that 73% of folks blame inflation, high interest rates or income changes for their savings struggles.

Albeit, on day one, Trump issued an executive order for “emergency price relief.”

His plan? Slash housing costs, cut healthcare expenses and ditch climate policies that jack up fuel and food prices.

But economists are skeptical. Trump's policies aimed at lowering prices might just do the opposite.

• Proposed tax cuts could boost consumer spending and, you got it, trigger more inflation.

• Trump’s mass deportations might lead to labor shortages, pushing wages (and prices) higher.

• And his proposed tariffs could actually drive up consumer prices.

Tariffs of up to 60% on Chinese goods and at least 10% on all imports could hit American wallets hard.

And it's not just imports — domestic production could feel the squeeze too, as U.S. factories often rely on imported materials.

The Yale Budget Lab estimates Trump’s tariffs could initially drive up consumer prices by 5.1%.

The bottom line? Trump himself admits it's “very hard” to bring prices down once they’re up!

Now, most Americans question Trump’s ability to bring down costs…

A survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research finds only about 2 in 10 Americans are extremely or very confident Trump can lower grocery, housing or healthcare expenses.

With almost 60% of U.S. households unable to cover a $1,000 emergency, inflation isn’t just an abstract economic indicator.

It’s a kitchen table crisis.

As Trump commences the first 100 days of his second term, the question remains: Can he turn campaign promises into reality?

Or will his policies serve up an even bigger helping of inflation?

Market Rundown for Friday, Jan. 31, 2025

The S&P 500 futures are up 0.53% to 6,071.17.

Oil’s up 0.18% to $72.86 for a barrel of WTI.

Gold is up 0.17% to $2,827.80 per ounce.

And Bitcoin’s down 0.08% to $104,635.70.