They are not random fluctuations. Federal Reserve policy had a lot to do with both food prices & the financial system.

Read libertarian economic literature to understand how the US and world economy have been fundamentally warped by the credit bubble unleashed by the Fed - LTCM debacle led to Nasdaq bubble, fighting the Nasdaq bust led to the housing bubble and so on.

Even the start-up flip-it mindset in the valley has roots similar to the housing flip-it mindset everywhere.