President Donald Trump has been in workplace somewhat below two months, however the financial panorama seems vastly completely different than it did final yr. A commerce battle is heating up, the inventory market has proven growing volatility, fears of a recession are on the rise and a few client costs are skyrocketing.

Now almost $6 a dozen, the common value of eggs jumped nearly a greenback from January to February, shattering final month’s all-time excessive, in keeping with the newest information from the Client Worth Index. Floor beef costs are additionally at file highs, promoting for $5.74 per pound nationwide.

However whereas some costs are hovering, the price of many client items and providers has stayed a lot the identical with the change of administrations. Milk, bread, bananas and electrical energy have held regular month-over-month, and the common value of tomatoes has decreased fairly considerably.

Although many of those modifications will not be instantly linked to the White Home, they might quickly be, with new tariffs positive to have an effect on common costs on the grocery retailer and the pump.

The Tribune is monitoring 11 on a regular basis prices for Individuals — eggs, milk, bread, bananas, oranges, tomatoes, rooster, floor beef, gasoline, electrical energy and pure fuel — and the way they’re altering below the second Trump administration. This tracker is up to date month-to-month utilizing CPI information from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

To see the common U.S. value of a selected good, click on on the dropdown arrow beneath and choose the merchandise you want to view.

Eggs

Whether or not you want yours poached, hard-boiled, sunny-side up or scrambled, your eggs simply obtained pricier.

In February, the price of eggs went up by greater than 19%, due to a large outbreak of avian influenza. With whole flocks culled to forestall the unfold of the virus, the egg provide has been strained, resulting in shortages in shops and inflated prices for customers.

The common value for a dozen giant Grade A eggs is now $5.90 nationwide — a brand new file in keeping with CPI information. However in lots of Chicago-area grocery shops, egg costs exceed the nationwide common.

Milk

It’s not simply poultry flocks and wild birds which were affected by hen flu. In accordance with the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention, the virus has been reported in dairy cows since March 2024, and simply final month, a brand new sort of hen flu was detected in a herd in Nevada.

However in contrast to egg costs, the price of milk has remained unchanged. A gallon of contemporary, complete milk will set you again about $4.03 per gallon, in keeping with the nationwide common. That’s the identical as final month and down about 2% from December 2024, so not less than for now, hen flu has not critically disrupted milk manufacturing in dairy cows. Costs have been hovering round $4 for the final three years or so and haven’t dipped beneath $3.50 since April 2021.

Bread

One other pantry staple that noticed no change month-over-month was bread. In accordance with the nationwide common, white bread was about $1.93 per pound in February. Although the price has shifted minimally within the final 12 months, bread is priced larger than it was simply two or three years in the past — and about 40% larger than it was in 2020.

Bananas

One good that hasn’t seen a lot fluctuation lately: bananas. The price of bananas has remained reliably low — hovering at $0.62 per pound as of February. That’s the identical because it’s been going again 5 months. In actual fact, costs haven’t modified by greater than 5 cents in both course going again to February 2018.

Oranges

U.S. customers will likely be glad to know the worth of oranges is falling once more, dropping nearly 15% from October’s file excessive. Although costs are larger than regular, this pattern matches the everyday seasonality of the fruit market, with orange costs lowest within the winter months, then growing all through the spring and summer time and ultimately peaking in September or October annually.

The common price per pound for navel oranges is $1.54 nationwide.

Tomatoes

Although possibly not the very first thing you consider once you hear the time period “staple meals,” tomatoes are a necessary ingredient in all types of dishes, from pasta and pizza, to soups, salads and BLT sandwiches.

Within the U.S., the common value of field-grown tomatoes was $1.85 per pound as of February. That value is 20 cents decrease than the earlier month and down 13% year-over-year. However don’t learn an excessive amount of into this financial change within the tomato market. Like oranges, this swing is pretty commonplace, with tomato costs rising all through the harvesting season, peaking within the early winter months after which plummeting round January or February annually.

Hen

Hen costs have additionally been laborious hit by hen flu — although not as a lot as egg costs. The nationwide common crested above $2 per pound for contemporary, complete rooster for the primary time final yr and hit a file excessive of $2.08 in November.

Since then, the common value has been roughly the identical. In accordance with the newest CPI figures, rooster is $2.05 per pound.

Floor Beef

Unhealthy information for corned beef lovers: Your favourite sandwich might have simply gotten dearer. Excellent news for Catholics (and different barbecue aficionados): Lent got here on the proper time in your pocketbook.

The price of floor beef spiked from January to February, leaping almost 25 cents to an all-time excessive, in keeping with BLS information. The common value of 100% beef floor chuck is now $5.74 per pound — 10 cents greater than the earlier file set in August 2024.

That is possible because of a lot of elements. Along with a number of main floor beef remembers reported in latest months, the U.S. cattle stock is at a 25-year low, and extreme drought in components of the nation has additional diminished the feed provide, in keeping with the U.S. Division of Agriculture.

Extra lately, China and the European Union introduced new tariffs on beef, amongst different U.S. farm exports, hinting that this will not be the final time we see file costs in 2025.

Perhaps that is the yr to present vegetarianism a attempt?

Electrical energy

In February, the common value of electrical energy nationwide was roughly 18 cents per kilowatt-hour. Whereas that common has remained roughly the identical since Could of final yr, like the price of many different items and providers, there’s been a gradual improve within the value since 2020 — a charge of roughly 1 cent per yr.

Gasoline

Fuel costs are additionally trending up once more, with the price on the pump exhibiting slight will increase since December. The common value per gallon of standard unleaded is now $3.26. Nonetheless, that’s about 10 cents lower than it was this time final yr and considerably lower than the jaw-dropping costs many Individuals noticed three summers in the past.

Costs in Chicago, in the meantime, are about 7 cents larger than the nationwide common, sitting at $3.33 per gallon, in keeping with the U.S. Power Data Administration.

Pure Fuel

Piped utility fuel, or pure fuel, is one other expense that’s cooled from historic highs.

Common costs nationwide sit at $1.58 per therm. Whereas decrease than the worth spikes from mid-2022 to early 2023, pure fuel prices are nearly 40 cents larger than the 20-year common and noticed a slight improve month-over-month from January to February.