Inflation Data Confirms Persistent Risk to Black and Minority-Owned Businesses

WASHINGTON - May 15, 2025 - PRLog -- Creative Investment Research today released a revised analysis of the April 2025 Producer Price Index (PPI) and its implications for Black and minority-owned businesses. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported a 0.5% decline in the PPI for final demand, but further examination reveals that this aggregate figure conceals severe sector-specific cost pressures — particularly in construction and services — that continue to burden small, minority-owned firms.

Meanwhile, independent labor market reporting has confirmed that Black women lost over 106,000 jobs in April 2025, the largest single-month decline among all demographic groups. These losses have been directly tied to federal policy changes enacted under the Trump administration.

"The economic narrative presented by this administration is dishonest, unethical, and harmful," said economist William Michael Cunningham, founder of Creative Investment Research. "The headline inflation data is being manipulated to paint a picture of recovery, while Black communities — especially Black women — are being economically decimated."

Download the Analysis: April 2025 PPI Minority Business Impact. https://www.impactinvesting.online/2025/05/april-2025-ppi...

Key Economic Findings:

Retail & Wholesale: PPI margins fell 1.6%, a sign of profit pressure rather than true cost relief. Minority-owned retailers still face rising wholesale input costs.

Food & Hospitality: Food prices declined 1.0%, yet minority-owned restaurants continue to struggle with volatile ingredient and labor costs.

Transportation & Logistics: PPI for transportation services dropped 0.4%, offering modest relief for Black and Hispanic-owned delivery firms.

Construction & Manufacturing: PPI for goods excluding food and energy increased 0.4%, confirming continued material inflation affecting minority construction businesses.

Healthcare & Services: PPI rose 0.3% for outpatient care, showing that essential services remain unaffordable for many and costly to provide.

Labor Market Red Flags: In addition to skewed inflation data, a wave of reporting highlights a targeted economic collapse among Black women:

Shine My Crown: https://shinemycrown.com/the-threat-is-real-baby-black-wo...

Windy City Word: https://windycityword.com/black-women-decimated-by-job-loss-in-trump-economy/

BIN News: https://www.binnews.com/content/2025-05-14-black-women-lost-most-jobs-among-all-workers-in-april-report/

Black Enterprise: https://www.blackenterprise.com/black-women-loss-extra-106000-jobs-april-unemployment/

These outlets report that over 106,000 Black women lost employment in April 2025, a staggering figure obscured by a manipulated jobs report that claimed a gain of 175,000 new positions.

Call to Action - Creative Investment Research urges:
Independent audits of BLS inflation and employment data
Federal reinstatement of DEI standards and targeted business support
Increased capital access to Black- and minority-owned businesses, especially women-led firms.