Ask AP: Pitched Baseball Speeds, Grocery Prices

And they still expect their costs to rise. General Mills Inc., the maker of Cheerios and Yoplait yogurt, expects its ingredient costs to increase 9 percent this year. That's after a 7 percent hike in 2008, when it raised its retail prices 2 percent to 3 percent.

On the other hand, prices probably won't get much higher, since food makers are feeling pressure at the grocery store as consumers trade down to less expensive brands. Analysts say that means there will be more promotions and slower price increases as food companies fight for market share.

Emily Fredrix

AP Food Industry Writer

Milwaukee

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When I bought my house in 1999, every mortgage lender I comparison-shopped with required monthly PMI payments, unless I put at least 20 percent down on my home. I was told that this "insurance" protected the lenders in case I defaulted on my loan, and it was very expensive.

Why didn't the PMIs on all the bad loans that were made in the last decade take care of all the bad lenders?