A variety of situations can lead to "normal" inflationary rates, such as demand outpacing production, manufacturers' cost of goods rising, or the Federal Reserve increasing the money supply. But a more dire situation and response may be required for inflation to turn into hyperinflation.  "[Hyperinflations] usually occur when a weak government attempts to fund its expenditures through printing money instead of other forms of taxation," says James Angel, associate professor of finance at Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business.  Often there's an initial trigger, such as a war, social uprising, or supply shock — an event that unexpectedly leads to a sudden increase or decrease in the supply of a good or service. The situation may be worsened when the government has debt in a foreign currency or the supply shock hits its export industries.