Money What is inflation? Understanding why prices rise, what causes it and who it hurts most. October 13, 2022April 3, 2023 Olivia Munson and Elisabeth Buchwald, USA TODAY Comments Off on What is inflation? Understanding why prices rise, what causes it and who it hurts most. Inflation is a generalized raise in prices. It can be caused by several factors, such as excess spending in comparison to the product's availability.