The Hindu Editorial (Prudence prevails) – Feb 10, 2024

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The Hindu Editorial (Prudence prevails) – Feb 10, 2024:

prudence (noun) – cautiousness, carefulness, wariness, circumspection; good judgement/management.
financial prudence (noun) – careful management of finances/funds/capital.
prevail (verb) – exist, be in existence, be present, be prevalent.
monetary policy (noun) – monetary policy refers to the use of monetary instruments under the control of the central bank to regulate magnitudes such as interest rates, money supply, and availability of credit with a view to achieving the ultimate objective of economic policy mentioned in the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934.
disinflationary (adjective) – relating to the reduction in the rate of inflation.
price gain (noun) – a general increase in the price of something.
The monetary policy committee (MPC) (noun) – it is a six-member panel that is expected to bring “value and transparency” to rate-setting decisions. It will feature three members from the RBI — the Governor, a Deputy Governor and another official — and three independent members to be selected by the Government. The MPC will meet four times a year to decide on monetary policy by a majority vote.
prudently (adverb) – carefully, cautiously, sensibly, wisely, thoughtfully, judiciously, well-advisedly.
opt (verb) – choose, select, decide on, go for.
persist (verb) – continue, carry on, go on, keep going.
objective (noun) – intention, idea, purpose, target.
inflation (noun) – simply meaning “cost of living”; increase of price level of goods & services and vice versa decrease of currency value.
progressively (adverb) – steadily, gradually, in step by step manner.
align (verb) – place, position, set, situate.
benchmark (noun) – standard, base/basis, point of reference, criterion, ideal.
benchmark interest rate (noun) – a minimal/minimum interest rate set and published by commercial banks for accumulating interest on different credit types.
stick (verb) – be or remain in a particular stance or situation.
stance (noun) – position, standpoint, perspective, approach.
withdrawal of accommodation (noun) – An accommodative stance means the central bank is prepared to expand the money supply to boost economic growth. Withdrawal of accommodation means reducing the money supply in the system which will rein in inflation further.
unambiguously (adverb) – absolutely, explicitly, directly, clearly, categorically, conclusively, unconditionally, unqualifiedly, unequivocally.
so as to (phrase) – in order to , with the aim of, in an effort to.
anchor (verb) – impart/give a firm base/foundation/basis.
expectation (noun) – prediction, indication, projection, prognosis, speculation, forecast, calculation (of future events or trends).
repetitive (adjective) – recurrent, recurring, unchanging, unvarying; monotonous, tedious, boring, uninteresting, mundane.
price shocks (noun) – price shocks are times when the prices for something have drastically increased or decreased over a short span of time.
disinflation (noun) – decrease in the rate of inflation.
rationale (noun) – reason, cause, grounds, explanation, justification.
repo rate (noun) – it is the rate at which the central bank of a country (RBI in case of India) lends money to commercial banks in the event of any shortfall of funds.
observe (verb) – comment, remark, say, mention.
momentum (noun) – the increase in the rate of growth of something; strength, impetus.
uncertainty (noun) – unpredictability, unreliability, riskiness/precariousness.
impinge on (verb) – affect, influence, have an effect on; infringe, intrude on, encroach on, impinge on, violate.
headline inflation (noun) – it is a measure of the total inflation within an economy, including commodities such as food and energy prices.
core inflation (noun) – it is a measure of the total inflation within an economy, excluding commodities such as food and energy prices (which change frequently).
trajectory (noun) – track/course, route, path, direction, approach.
tangible (adjective) – real, actual, solid, concrete, substantial, well defined.
Inflationary/price pressures (noun) – the demand and supply-side pressures that can cause a rise in the general price level; cost-push inflation, hot-economy, deficit finance.
generalise (verb) – make something applicable to all broadly/generally.
consideration (noun) – factor, issue, point, matter, aspect.
backdrop (noun) – situation, scenario, context.
Retail or Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation (noun) – The change in the price index of the basket of consumer goods and services over a period of time is referred to as CPI-based inflation or retail inflation.
ease (verb) – lessen, reduce, diminish.
rebound (verb) – recover, revive, rally, pick up, come back (in value of something after decline).
gauge (verb) – measure, calculate, determine.
Consumer Food Price Index (CFPI) (noun) – a measure of change in retail prices of food products consumed by a defined population group in a given area with reference to a base year.
sizeable (adjective) – considerable, substantial, significant, appreciable.
basis point (BPS) (noun) – a unit of measure used in finance to describe the percentage change in the value or rate of a financial instrument. One basis point is equivalent to 0.01% (1/100th of a percent). Used for measuring change in interest rate/yield.
vex (verb) – annoy, anger, irk,, irritate, frustrate, dissatisfy, discourage.
reflect (verb) – indicate, show, display, demonstrate, represent, exhibit.
bulletin (noun) – official communication, official announcement, communiqué, message, statement, report, press release, missive, advisory.
pointedly (adverb) – in a way that is very easy to see; purposely, deliberately, self-evidently, expressly, directly, unambiguously, unquestionably.
sought past tense of seek (verb) – try, aim, attempt.
empirical (adjective) – factual, actual, real, verifiable, practical, pragmatic, hands-on, experimental.
assertion (noun) – statement, declaration, opinion, affirmation, pronouncement; upholding, insistence.
mimic (verb) – replicate, imitate, simulate, emulate, copy, mimic, recreate, follow.
given (preposition) – considering, taking into account, bearing in mind.
basket (noun) – a group of something (taxes, investments, commodities, etc.).
potential (noun) – prospects, potentiality, capability.
ripple (verb) – spread through.
undermine (verb) – weaken, subvert, sabotage, damage.
price stability (noun) – no (drastic) change in the price of goods and services in an economy over a period of time. It implies avoiding both prolonged inflation and deflation.
de-anchoring (noun) – it means that short-term price shocks can change long-term expectations.
quarter (noun) – a period of three months (considered as one-fourth of a year).
a small comfort (noun phrase) – a small thing that gives some relief or reassurance in a difficult/bad situation.
kharif sowing/crops (noun) – monsoon crops; seeds sowing in the beginning (Jun) of the monsoon and harvesting at the end of the season (Oct) in the South Asia.
rabi sowing/crops (noun) – winter crops; seeds sowing in the beginning (Nov) of the winter and harvesting at the end of the season (Apr) in the South Asia.
sowing (noun) – an act of seeding a plant or crop.
Department of Consumer Affairs (noun) – Department of Consumer Affairs is one of the two Departments under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution. It was constituted as a separate Department in June 1997 as it was considered necessary to have a separate Department to give a fillip to the nascent consumer movement in the country.
year-on-year (adjective) – year over year (for comparison).
steadfast (adjective) – resolute, firm, dedicated, committed, insistent, determined, relentless.
resolve (noun) – determination, willpower, firmness, resolution, courage.
durably (adverb) – long-lastingly, strongly, permanently.
dampen (verb) – lessen, decrease, diminish, reduce, lower.
thereby (adverb) – as a result of that.