So what can the Fed actually do about inflation?

The producer price index came out today and — no surprise — inflation is hitting the folks who make the products we buy, too. The Federal Reserve is meeting today, but what exactly can it do to address rising prices? Though the central bank can taper bond buying, raise interest rates and communicate its plans more, it still has little control over issues dominating the economy right now, like COVID-19 and supply chain woes. Plus: How the pandemic reinvigorated DIY home renovations, why buying a new car is likely to remain troublesome for a while, and why officials are concerned that there might not be enough water to go around in rural West Texas.