Pick Your Poison: Inflation, Deflation, Stagflation

Analysts see possible scenarios for each of these to strike the U.S. economy. Stay alert and invest accordingly.

Will the real 'flation please stand up?

Experts are arguing about where the U.S. economy is heading as the global financial system tries to right itself. Is it on the path to inflation, deflation, or, worse, stagflation? Rising unemployment and excess production capacity are making it hard for the U.S. economy to climb out of recession. And that, in turn, is putting a strain on pricing power and wage growth—raising fears of deflation, which develops when a broad decline in prices amid falling demand feeds further price-cutting.

But what happens if the Federal Reserve's efforts to jump-start the economy take effect? Stimulus to the tune of $787 billion is supposed to rev up economic engines. Prices could climb too high as too much money chases after available goods and services—the classic formula for inflation...

Yahoo! Finance: Pick Your Poison: Inflation, Deflation, Stagflation