Ok, that's an extrapolation, but there is where i'm living. The guy said it was worldwide demand thing that was also pumping up the prices - especially steel.

If it's a worldwide thing - let's search it - this article says it is - then that flows through to a whole lot of industries - with the public bearing the brunt.

This could be the first bite of inflation from the Funny Monetry Theory. Things get suddenly more expensive - thereby decreasing the value of your money.