Egg prices are soaring, breaking new records as the bird flu outbreak grows. Why it matters: No food item has been as much of an inflation poster child like eggs, and their prices often give a clue about the economic environment.

The price of wholesale eggs have skyrocketed across the United States amid the ongoing outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), also known as bird flu. Wholesale prices for large eggs hit $5.

Egg prices across northern Nevada have soared in recent weeks, mirroring a recent nationwide trend driven by holiday demand and the avian flu.A News 4-Fox 11 cr

California egg prices continue to climb due to ongoing outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza. December's statewide average for a dozen large shell eggs reached nearly $9, per a U.S. Department of Agriculture report.