Complete Question:
In the late 1990's, the unemployment rate dropped below the natural rate of unemployment. Firms with vacancies were having to pay higher wages to try and fill job openings. If inflation were to begin, it would most likely be described as:
A. Deficit pull inflation
B. Demand pull inflation
C. Cross deficit inflation
D. Cost push inflation
Answer:
Option D. Cost push inflation
Step-by-step explanation:
The inflation that is all because of increase in the prices of input labor, Material, Overhead, etc. Thus increase in the price of end product is an impact of increase in input cost and also because of decreased supply of product. The decrease in product supply is because only those firms produce products that have a competitive cost advantage.
In the current case, when the unemployment rate falls below the natural rate of employment then this means that the demand of the labor has increased and thus the salaries and wages of the employee will also increase. The new job opening will have to be filled by putting forward an attractive offer to recruit employees. This is cost push inflation, because the cost of the input has increased which will increase the cost of production and thus increasing the price of the end product.