Beyoncé fans argue that their favorite artist is the center of the universe and, well, it’s getting harder to disagree every day.
Case in point: Government agency Sweden Statistics released numbers this week showing Swedish inflation exceeding expectations.
You may think Beyoncé isn’t at the heart of this Swedish economic data; you would be very wrong.
Wait, Beyoncé really sent a whole-ass nation’s inflation numbers off target?
That’s what Danske Bank economists told the Financial Times, yes. Let’s explain:
- Last month, the singer kicked off her hotly anticipated world tour in Stockholm, playing two sold-out shows in front of 46k attendees each night.
- With ticket prices far more reasonable in Sweden compared to later tour dates — tickets that were running $2k+ in New York and Los Angeles were going for under $200 in Stockholm, per Vulture — hordes of international fans swooped in.
- Economists say the accompanying surge in hotel prices led to an estimated 0.2% rise in Sweden’s inflation rate.
The Riksbank, one of the final western central banks to fight inflation by raising interest rates, forecast a figure of 8.1% for May. Beyoncé’s, uh, halo effect helped the overall number land at 8.2%.
So, this means Beyoncé runs Sweden now?
Basically, yes — but technically, no. If only because there’s another Boss already.
Bruce Springsteen’s three-night run in Gothenburg later this month is worrying Swedish economic forecasters — Swedbank told FT the shows may similarly catapult the nation’s inflation numbers.
