High Gas Prices Are Just the Start of a Much Deeper Energy Crunch

When a major oil shock hits, most Americans notice it first at the pump. That’s exactly what’s happening now. Since the February 28 attack on Iran and the subsequent disruption of tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, U. S. gasoline and diesel prices have moved sharply higher.

Grocery prices are beginning to follow, as transportation costs ripple through the system. The March inflation report came in much hotter than expected. For many Americans, that’s where the story seems to end.