U.S. May Be Settling Into an Era of Persistent Inflation, Strategist Warns

Jim Bianco, head of Bianco Research, believes the U.S. economy has transitioned into a new inflationary chapter—one that could be here to stay.
In a recent interview, he explained why he sees the current climate as fundamentally different from the pre-2020 era.
Bianco highlighted recent remarks from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who questioned the logic of issuing long-term debt at today’s interest rates. To Bianco, this isn’t a sign of dysfunction in the bond market—it’s a reflection of shifting economic conditions.
According to the strategist, inflation has structurally changed since the pandemic, and it’s unlikely to return to the Fed’s preferred 2% target anytime soon. Instead, Bianco argues, core inflation could hover in the 3–4% range going forward. This implies a normalization of interest rates around 5%, reshaping expectations for borrowers, investors, and policymakers alike.
He cautioned that while this doesn’t spell runaway inflation, it does signal the end of the low-rate era. The broader risk, he suggested, lies in markets and institutions adjusting too slowly to this elevated baseline.