Deflation, or negative inflation, happens when prices generally fall in an economy. This can be because the supply of goods is higher than the demand for those goods, but can also have to do with the buying power of money becoming greater.

What is deflation and when does it occur?

Deflation is when the general price levels in a country are falling—as opposed to inflation when prices rise. Deflation can be caused by an increase in productivity, a decrease in overall demand, or a decrease in the volume of credit in the economy.

Does a depression cause deflation?

During the Great Depression, deflation was the result of a collapsing financial sector and bank failures. The deflation that took place at the outset of the Great Depression was the most dramatic that the U.S. has ever experienced. Prices dropped an average of ten percent every year between the years of 1930 and 1933.