Who among the following will benefit from inflation?
Answer Details
Inflation refers to the increase in prices of goods and services over time. This can result in a decrease in the purchasing power of money.
Out of the options given, debtors are the ones who can benefit from inflation. This is because inflation leads to a decrease in the value of money, which can effectively reduce the real value of debt. For instance, if a debtor took out a loan of $1000, with an interest rate of 5%, and there is a 3% inflation rate, then the real interest rate on the loan will be only 2%. Therefore, the debtor pays back the loan with money that is worth less than the money that was borrowed.
On the other hand, savers and creditors are negatively affected by inflation because the real value of their savings and investments decrease as the purchasing power of money decreases. Pensioners who rely on fixed incomes and savings may also be negatively impacted by inflation if the cost of living increases faster than their income.