The Hindu Editorial (Last mile woes) – Sep 14, 2024

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The Hindu Editorial (Last mile woes) – Sep 13, 2024:

last mile (noun) – last stage/phase/step in a process, particularly of a customer buying goods.
woe (noun) – trouble, difficulty, problem, tribulation, distress, heartbreak, anguish, affliction, grief, pain.
inflation (noun) – simply meaning “cost of living”; increase of price level of goods & services and vice versa decrease of currency value.
undermine (verb) – weaken, subvert, sabotage, damage.
momentum (noun) – the increase in the rate of growth of something; strength, impetus.
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.
Wholesale or Wholesale price Index (WPI) inflation (noun) – The change in the price index of the basket of wholesale goods (and no services) over a period of time is referred to as WPI-based inflation or wholesale inflation.
index (noun) – an (economic) data figure reflecting something (e.g. price/quantity) compared with a standard or base value; pointer, indicator.
National Statistical Office (NSO) (noun) – The Ministry of Statistics and the Department of Programme Implementation has two wings, one relating to Statistics and the other Programme Implementation. The Statistics Wing called the National Statistical Office (NSO) gives considerable importance to coverage and quality aspects of statistics released in the country. The statistics released are based on administrative sources, surveys and censuses conducted by the Center and State Governments and non-official sources and studies.
highlight (verb) – emphasize, draw attention on, underline, underscore.
durable (adjective) – strong, stable, substantial, lasting, long-lasting, persisting, continuing.
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.
provisional (adjective) – temporary, short-term, interim, transitional.
year-on-year (adjective) – year over year (for comparison).
price gain (noun) – a general increase in the price of something.
headline rate (noun) – a basic rate of inflation, taxation, etc., before distorting factors have been removed.
Consumer Price Index (CPI) (noun) – The CPI looks at the basket of consumer goods and services and it measures the change in price of this basket over a period of time. To put it simply, the CPI monitors retail prices at a certain level for a particular commodity.
quicken (verb) – accelerate, step up, increase, surge, rise.
marginally (adverb) – slightly, somewhat, to some degree.
rebound (noun) – rally, upturn, recovery, improvement, resurgence (after decline).
led to past & past participle of lead to (verb) – result in, cause, bring on, bring about, give rise to.
acceleration (noun) – increase, rise.
constituent (noun) – component, element, ingredient, part.
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.
surge (verb) – rise or increase suddenly.
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.
spur (verb) – stimulate, encourage, prompt, galvanize.
widely (adverb) – extensively; in many places; by many people
moderation (noun) – reduction, lessening, decrease, easing.
notwithstanding (preposition) – despite, in spite of, regardless of.
experience (verb) – undergo, go through.
surge (noun) – sudden increase or rise of something.
post (verb) – register, record.
disinflation (noun) – decrease in the rate of inflation.
pulses (noun) – edible seeds (chickpeas, lentils, beans). (dals).
cereal (noun) – a grain or plants that produce it (for example-wheat, maize, rice & etc.).
straight (adjective) – successive, consecutive, continuous.
log (verb) – achieve, attain; register, record.
reading (noun) – figure, indication, record, measurement.
disconcertingly (adverb) – unsettlingly, disturbingly, worryingly.
food inflation (noun) – the condition of an increase in the wholesale price index of a necessary food item relative to the general index or the consumer price index (CPI) is referred to as food inflation. In layman’s language, it is basically the rise in the cost of an essential food item relative to the previous price.
rebound (verb) – recover, revive, rally, pick up, come back (in value of something after decline).
stuttering (adjective) – relating to something which progresses/develops in an irregular way.
private consumption or consumption expenditure (noun) – the spending by households (consumers) on goods and services, excluding new housing.
agrarian (adjective) – relating to agriculture, farmland, or rural areas; rural, agricultural.
hinterland (noun) – remote areas of a country away from the coastal areas/the banks of major rivers.
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.
hit (noun) – affect badly, damage, ruin.
adversely (adverb) – unfavourably, disadvantageously, badly.
resurgence (noun) – recovery, revival, rebound, resurrection, renaissance, re-emergence.
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).
headline inflation (noun) – it is a measure of the total inflation within an economy, including commodities such as food and energy prices.
measure (noun) – an indication of the degree, extent, or quality of something; certain amount, degree, quantity.
strip out (phrasal verb) – remove, take out, separate.
volatile (adjective) – turbulent, unstable, unsteady, uncertain.
inch up (verb) – to move/increase/rise very slowly.
snap (verb) – break, split.
decelerating (adjective) – slowing, reducing, diminishing, lessening.
streak (noun) – (a continuous) period, spell, run, 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.
marked (adjective) – noticeable, distinct, clear, glaring, obvious, considerable, significant.
output-charge inflation (noun) – it measures changes in the prices of products as they “leave the factory gate” before being sent to wholesalers and retailers. Producer prices include the profit margin that businesses make on their products.
add to (phrase) – increase, intensify, heighten; aggravate, worsen, make worse, compound.
spatial (adjective) – relating to space/area.
temporal (adjective) – time-related.
volatility (noun) – unpredictability, instability, unreliability.
outlook (noun) – prospects, chances, possibilities, expectations, future.
muddy (verb) – make unclear, blur, confuse, obscure, mix up, make dirty.
traverse (verb) – travel across, travel over, travel through, go across, pass through, navigate.
broader superlative adjective of broad (adjective) – comprehensive, extensive, wide, wide-ranging, broad-ranging.
reassuringly (adjective) – optimistically, favourably, encouragingly, promisingly, hopefully.
acknowledge (verb) – accept, recognize, realize.
authorities (noun) – officials, officialdom, the people in charge, the bureaucracy.
could not afford/cannot afford/can ill afford (phrase) – if you cannot afford to do something, you must prevent it from happening because it would be embarrassing and cause problems (if it happens).
look the other way (phrase) – to deliberately ignore something bad/unpleasant that is happening and not try to deal with it or stop it from happening.