t seemed like just yesterday that the economy was humming, with employment accelerating, orders flowing and consumers releasing pent-up buying demand after two years of pandemic lockdowns and other disruptions. Now, with the Russian invasion of Ukraine and surging gasoline prices, that outlook doesn't look so reliably sunny as before.

Did you know people are Googling the word "Inflation" at a record-breaking rate? If the economic uncertainty of the past year has you scratching your head as well, here's what you need to know about inflation and your investments.

Stocks have been up — but unemployment has also risen. Why is that? Here, we break down the major differences between the stock market and the economy.