The Hindu Editorial (Election overhang) – Aug 05 2024

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The Hindu Editorial (Election overhang) – Aug 05, 2024:

overhang (noun) – a situation which is lingering, indecisive and it is also having (a negative effect).
inflation (noun) – simply meaning “cost of living”; increase of price level of goods & services and vice versa decrease of currency value.
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.
broaden (noun) – spread out, widen, extend, intensify.
core sector/industries (noun) – the eight industries comprising electricity, steel, refinery products, crude oil, coal, cement, natural gas and fertilizers are classified as core sector industries.
infrastructure (noun) – the basic physical or organisational structure or framework that a country or organization needs in order to function properly. For a whole nation, it includes all the physical systems such as buildings, roads & railways networks, utilities, etc.
largely (adverb) – mostly, mainly, generally.
dampen (verb) – lessen, decrease, diminish, reduce, lower.
slowdown (noun) – decline, reduction, slumping, decrease.
state spending (noun) – government spending; public expenditure.
lead to (verb) – result in, cause, bring on, bring about, give rise to.
heatwave (noun) – (a long period of) hot weather, hotness, humidity.
add to (verb) – increase, intensify, heighten, escalate, exacerbate, make worse, aggravate.
provisional data (noun) – preliminary data that may not yet be complete.
Index of Eight Core Industries (ICI) (noun) – The monthly Index of Eight Core Industries (ICI) is a production volume index. ICI measures collective and individual performance of production in selected eight core industries. It is compiled and released by Office of the Economic Adviser (OEA), Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP), and Ministry of Commerce & Industry.
index (noun) – an (economic) data figure reflecting something (e.g. price/quantity) compared with a standard or base value; pointer, indicator.
suffer (verb) – experience, undergo, receive, go through, face, encounter.
deceleration (noun) – slowing down, easing off, reduction, diminishing, lessening.
contract (verb) – decline, decrease, diminish, reduce.
refinery (noun) – a factory for refining something, as metal, sugar, or petroleum.
weight (noun) – larger number, bulk, lion’s share.
year-on-year (adjective) – year over year (for comparison).
shrank past tense of shrink (verb) – lessen, reduce, decrease.
expansion (noun) – increase, growth.
halve (verb) – reduce by half (50%).
pace (noun) – speed, rate.
ease (verb) – lessen, diminish, subside, abate.
debilitating (adjective) – weakening, disabling, exhausting, undermining, impairing, paralyzing, immobilizing.
meteorological (adjective) – relating to the branch of science that deals with phenomena (events) of the atmosphere or weather.
India Meteorological Department (IMD) (noun) – an agency under the Ministry of Earth Sciences of the Government of India which is responsible for m
peg at (verb) – fix, set, hold, limit (a price, rate, or amount) at a particular level.
sap (verb) – reduce, lessen, lower, undermine, weaken gradually.
traction (noun) – progress and momentum; grip, purchase.
amid (preposition) – in the middle of, surrounded by; during.
scorching (adjective) – extremely hot; searing, blistering, flaming, blazing, burning.
slide (verb) – slip, fall, drop, decrease, slump.
preceding (adjective) – previous, prior, earlier.
depress (verb) – slow down, lessen, diminish, sap, weaken.
silver lining (noun) – consoling and hopeful aspect of a difficult/unpleasant situation.
accelerate (verb) – increase, rise, escalate.
contemporaneous (adjective) – happening in the same period of time; existing, occurring, or originating at the same period of time.
Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) (noun) – Purchasing Managers’ Index or PMI is an economic indicator, which is derived after monthly surveys of different companies. The index shows trends in both the manufacturing and services sector. The index helps in determining whether the market conditions, as seen by purchasing managers, is expanding, contracting or staying the same. It is used to provide information regarding the current and future business conditions.
signal (verb) – indicate, suggest, signify, denote, reveal.
marginally (adverb) – slightly, somewhat, to some degree.
S&P Global Inc. (noun) – an American publicly traded corporation headquartered in Manhattan, New York City. Its primary areas of business are financial information and analytics; S&P Global, Inc. engages in the provision of transparent and independent ratings, benchmarks, analytics and data to the capital and commodity markets worldwide. It operates through the following segments: Ratings, Market Intelligence, Platts and Indices.
marginal (adjective) – slight, minimal, small, minute.
slowing (noun) – reduction, deceleration.
disconcerting (adjective) – upsetting, discomfiting, disturbing, unsettling, disquieting, troubling.
findings (noun) – conclusion arrived at (as a result of an inquiry/investigation).
steepest superlative adjective of steep (adjective) – sudden, sharp, rapid.
outlook (noun) – chances, possibilities, expectations, prospects, future.
far from (phrase) – not, not at all, nowhere near.
reassuring (adjective) – optimistic, favourable, encouraging, promising, hopeful.
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.
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.
stance (noun) – point of view, viewpoint, position, policy, opinion.
have one’s task cut out (phrase) – be faced with a tough task/work to do; faced with a lot of hard work to accomplish something.
can ill-afford (phrase) – to prevent something from happening because it would be embarrassing and cause problems (if it happens).
drop one’s guard (phrase) – to become less careful, to become less vigilant, to become less alert.
tame (verb) – curb, control, moderate, mitigate. reduce, lessen.