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adarede · 1 year

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average day for average member of society:

wake up at 6am, eat liver and onions for breakfast. read a national daily newspaper and a provincial daily newspaper.

7am: go for a run, wearing a replica football team shirt, a man's base layer top, and tracksuit bottoms.

7.20am: have a shower. shave. die hair using permanent hair colourant. apply body moisturising lotion, deodorant, self-tanning product, face cream, perfume, mascara, liquid foundation, lip gloss, and nail varnish.

8am: take the car in for an MOT. have a new exhaust fitted in a fast-fit auto centre.

8.30: purchase a caravan

9am: go ten-pin bowling

10.10am: visit a DIY shop and purchase some butane gas, a sheet of MDF, a patio set, and some luxury vinyl tile flooring.

10.30am: go home and get started on a light spot of DIY, while enjoying a canned stout and an electronic cigarette.

11:45am: suddenly remember that today is your day with the kids, and call Geraldine the nanny in a panic. She reassures you that she collected Annie and Jasper at the normal time, and took them to the soft play centre. tell Geraldine to invoice you for the soft play centre fee, and let her know you'll meet her there at 12:15.

11:55: rush to the shops on your bicycle. purchase a selection of soft toys, a child's sit and ride toy, some disposable nappies, and a high chair (you can't remember if you already have one).

12:25pm: meet Geraldine and the kids at the soft play centre. apologise profusely for your tardiness and propose a hot pub lunch to make up for it.

12:30pm: call directory inquiries, asking for the number of the nearest pub, then call that pub to ask if they serve hot lunches. they do, so you make a reservation.

12:50pm: arrive at the red lion in Geraldine's car, with your bike balanced on the roof. bemuse the staff when you present your own high chair for Annie to sit in. Annie reminds you she is 4 now so can use a big girl chair.

enjoy a lovely hot pub lunch, with a draft bitter for yourself, a spirit-based drink for Geraldine, and both fizzy drinks and fruit juice for the kids.

2pm: ask Geraldine to drop you off home, since your car is still being serviced. Geraldine's car breaks down, so you call the AA (calling directory enquiries first, because you can never remember phone numbers. Geraldine looks disapproving, and you make a mental note not to mention you've called directory enquiries to get her number before too). give the kids the soft toys you brought earlier, and attempt to entertain Geraldine by doing tricks on your bicycle. "well, at least you brought your helmet, I suppose," is all Geraldine says, and plays games on her phone without looking at you. you pretend you didn't want her to in the first place, to maintain your dignity in front of your children.

3pm: take the opportunity to call your solicitor to make an appointment to update your will.

3:20pm: purchase dental insurance over the phone. this reminds you of your poor elderly mother in her nursing home, so you call the florist to arrange a delivery of flowers there.

4pm: the AA arrive, and luckily the car can be fixed on the spot. you make it home at 20 past 4.

4:30: the kids complain of being bored, so you take them to the pet shop down the road. they manage to convince you to purchase a hamster and a bag of dog treats; the latter is for feeding dogs in the park, they tell you. this inspires you to buy some wild bird seed as well, to feed the birds in your back garden. you make a mental note to buy the necessary materials to construct a bird table tomorrow morning.

5:15pm: you get home and start cooking dinner. the kids lose the hamster immediately upon getting it home, but they find it soon enough in the corner of your sleeping bag - you have it set up in the living room in order to be better prepared if burglars break in, since you anticipate them entering through your french window.

5.45pm: dinner is quiche, veggie sausages, a pre-packaged salad, and some instant mashed potato. Jasper informs you he is on an all-meat diet at the moment. you worry that he has been watching too much alpha male youtube; you thought youtube kids blocked that kind of thing. he is only 6, after all. you tell him that quiche is a kind of animal, and salad is meat too, since it's the flesh of a plant. Jasper starts crying, and you discover that he didn't know meat came from animals. None of this makes sense to you. You hear a scraping sound coming from the kitchen, and see that the hamster has been eating your newly laid vinyl flooring. You put the hamster, with a handful of muesli, in the cardboard box your latest wine delivery came in.

6:05pm: the kids have located the fromage frais in your fridge and have eaten 6 by the time you get back to the dining room

6:10pm: you corral the kids into the living room and put on a blu-ray to watch. the hamster slowly chews through the box in which it had been placed. you leave the kids to it while you go up to the attic to dig out an animal cage. in the attic, you see your action camera, interchangeable lens camera, and digital compact camera, and get lost in a reverie, imagining all the wonderful photographs you could take with them.

6:30pm: come downstairs again armed with the cage, an acoustic guitar, and a fishing rod, and retrieve the hamster from its latest location (dangerously close to chewing through an unused inkjet printer cartridge).

6:45pm: suddenly remember you still don't have a car, so purchase the necessary train tickets to take the kids back to their mum's house.

6:55pm: change into a formal jacket and trousers, a tie, and a hat; the dating agency called yesterday and you have a date tonight in london.

7:05pm: get the kids and the hamster out the door and take the bus to the station. give the kids a craft set each; you keep them by the door just in case of surprise journeys.

7:13pm: run to catch the train. due to skill and practice, you do not fall over as you sprint in your high heeled shoes.

7:47pm: get off the train, and take a taxi to drop the children off at their mother's house. leave the kids to give their mother the gift you purchased yesterday for her of a shower head and some knitting wool. ring the doorbell and get back in the taxi before anyone answers the door. you see the door open just as your taxi turns the corner at the end of the road.

8:03: catch the next train to london. arrive at 8.30 at king's cross, and take a taxi to the bar at which you are meeting your mystery date. touch up your make-up using your phone screen as a mirror.

8:40: stop at a tesco express to buy a cooked pastry based savoury snack, some hand-rolling tobacco, and a lamb shoulder. buy some condoms, and then, hedging your bets, buy some tampons too.

8:50pm: arrive at the bar, and weave your way through the crowd towards a woman standing alone with her back to you, wearing a cocktail dress. she turns, and you recognise Yorickina from the picture given to you by the agency. She smiles, evidently recognising you too.

"what are your hobbies," she immediately asks.

"i do enjoy package holidays covering a range of foreign destinations," you say, put on the spot. what is a hobby, anyway? "oh, and slimming."

Yorickina looks sceptically at your noticeable belly. you slightly lift your shirt, showing that beneath there is concealed your emergency supplies kit, which contains hair gel, gin, a greetings card, and a canned lager. in fact, despite appearances, you have a very trim figure.

"What's your favourite mode of transport," you ask Yorickina. "Oh, ferry, for sure," she replies. "Although I do enjoy travelling by coach".

You feel your heart speed up: could Yorickina be your perfect counterpart?

"May I buy you a drink," you ask. She accepts a double vodka, and you get yourself a draught cider. "i mostly spend time tending my horse," Yorickina continues, "but I also enjoy purchasing computer peripherals."

"Oh, but that's fascinating!" you exclaim. "I tend to spend most of my money on watersports equipment e.g. windsurfing equipment, but I also enjoy a spot of golf on the weekends."

You spend a very enjoyable couple of hours getting to know Yorickina, but before you know it, she says she has to go home. You convince her to stop by a kebab shop with you on your way back to the station. It has started to rain outside, but luckily Yorickina was carrying two umbrellas.

on the train ride home, you check your schedule for tomorrow. You have to pick up your car in the morning, and the surveyor is coming over to value your house in the afternoon. And once you have your car back, you will be able to collect your caravan and start planning your next holiday. You look up the cost of a marriage licence.

You get home at around 11.30pm, and settle into your armchair with a whisky, various selected popular brands of sweets, and a cigar. You read a couple of chapters of your e-book.

at around 12:15, you get up, brush your teeth and have another shower, and set up a duvet and pillow on your sofa (the sleeping bag on the floor is but a decoy). you send a flattering message to Yorickina, before turning off your phone and tucking yourself into bed. you blissfully drift off to sleep, dreaming of ultra low sulphur diesel and wide, empty toll roads.

#fanfiction #of the retail price index basket of goods #op

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oliviajames1122 · 2 years

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Why is the cost of living going up?

Inflation is at its highest rate for 10 years, having risen to 5.1% in the 12 months to November.

The jump in the cost of living, driven largely by rising fuel and energy costs, puts further pressure on households across the UK.

How will inflation affect me?

Inflation is the rate at which prices are rising. If the price of a bottle of milk is £1 and it rises by 5p, then milk inflation is 5%.

You may not notice price rises from month to month. But right now, prices are rising so quickly that average pay is not keeping up.

It means that the money people earn does not go as far.

In the year to November 2021, regular pay, excluding bonuses and adjusted for inflation, fell 1%.

There are workers in a few sectors - such as lorry drivers - who are in high demand, and whose wages are faster than prices many business listings.

And in April, the lowest-paid will see the National Living Wage rise by 6.6% to £9.50 an hour - which is higher than the current inflation rate.

But many people are seeing a noticeable drop in their "real" wages.

·Why are gas prices so high?

·Petrol prices: Are we paying too much at the pump?

Why are prices rising now?

The main reason is the rising global price of energy. This has meant higher energy and transport bills for businesses, many of whom pass on the extra costs to customers.

Supply problems and higher shipping costs also continue to hurt businesses.

Next, the High Street retailer has admitted its prices could rise by up to 6% this year to keep up with higher costs.

Staff shortages are a particular problem in the UK, due to Brexit and the pandemic, and are prompting some employers to raise wages.

However, this can itself contribute to inflation. Greggs, for instance, has raised the price of some foods in order to cover increased labor costs.

What else could affect the cost of living in 2022?

·A number of measures will hit UK households:

·Regulated rail fares in England will rise by 3.8% in March

·TV and broadband prices are also due to increase at that time

·In April, companies, workers, and the self-employed will start paying an additional 1.25% in National Insurance contributions under the Health and Social Care Levy

·The same month is likely to see substantial rises in gas and electricity bills

UK cost of living squeeze in 2022, says think tank

How is inflation measured?

Inflation is measured by a body called the Office for National Statistics (ONS) which notes the prices of hundreds of everyday items business listings.

These items are called the "basket of goods", and they're being constantly updated. For instance, in 2021 hand sanitizer and men's loungewear bottoms were added, but sandwiches bought at work were removed.

The ONS releases its measure of inflation each month, showing how much these prices have risen since the same date last year. This is known as the Consumer Prices Index (CPI).

What can be done to tackle inflation?

The Bank of England's traditional response to rising inflation is to raise interest rates.

That means anyone who has borrowed money could see their monthly payments go up, especially on mortgages tied to the Bank of England's rates.

The idea is that when borrowing is more expensive, people will have less money to spend. As a result, they will buy fewer things, and prices will stabilize in response.

But if inflation is caused by external forces, such as the global squeeze on energy prices, then this might not be the answer.

The government might choose instead to cut taxes for consumers on items that are rising quickly - such as VAT on energy bills.

Or, it might target support for those who need it most. It has been reported that it is considering expanding the Warm Homes discount scheme, for example, which offers those in receipt of certain benefits the option to apply for a one-off £140 payment.

Related Topics

·Inflation

·UK economy

#Many business listings #business lisitngs #free business listings #promote your business

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rapidpricer · 1 month

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Unveiling Global Price Differences for Grocery Retailing

Written By: Gargi Sarma

In today's worldwide market, pricing comparisons between nations are crucial for retailers as well as customers. Retailers may strategically place their items in different areas and optimize their pricing strategies to maximize profitability and remain competitive by having a thorough awareness of price discrepancies. However, consumers who compare costs across borders are better able to make informed judgments about what to buy and receive the most value for their money, whether they choose to shop locally or look into foreign options.

Figure 1: Overview of Groceries Index across Countries (2024)

To give businesses and consumers alike a thorough grasp of worldwide price discrepancies, this article seeks to offer insightful information about the importance of comparing costs across national borders. The topic for retailers will examine how to use market insights to optimize pricing strategies and boost competitiveness, delving into the strategic implications of price differentials.

Understanding Price Disparities:

Retailers must comprehend national pricing differences to manage their operations and pricing strategies in foreign markets. These differences are the result of several factors, each of which has a distinct impact on the retail environment:

Currency Exchange Rates: Changes in exchange rates affect retail prices and import expenses. To reduce currency-related risks, retailers need to make frequent price adjustments.

Tariffs and Taxes: International retail prices are impacted by both government taxes and tariffs. Retailers who want to maintain competitive pricing must be aware of and abide by local tax legislation.

Living Expenses: Differences in living expenses have an impact on retail prices and purchasing power. Retailers modify their pricing tactics to take local cost of living considerations into account.

Supply Chain Dynamics: Retail pricing is impacted by the complexity and efficiency of the supply chain. Retailers streamline their supply networks to cut expenses and guarantee on-time delivery.

Regulatory Disparities: Differences in regulations impact retail pricing and raise the cost of compliance. When entering new areas, retailers must manage the complexities of regulations.

The Impact of Globalization: Through convergence and divergence, globalization affects retail prices. Retailers modify their tactics to take advantage of economies of scale and serve a variety of markets.

Methodology for Comparing Prices:

Several approaches are employed when comparing pricing between nations to guarantee accurate and insightful comparisons. Gaining dependable insights into price differences requires a grasp of the strengths and limits of each methodology. Below is an explanation of the various pricing comparison methodologies:

Parity of Purchasing Power (PPP): By comparing the costs of goods and services across countries and adjusting exchange rates to equalize prices when stated in a common currency like the US dollar, PPP theory analyzes monetary values.

Price Index (e.g., Consumer Price Index): Indices such as the CPI monitor variations in the average price of a basket of goods and services over time, indicating trends in either deflation or inflation as well as shifts in the purchasing power of a country.

The Basket of Goods Method: This method provides information on relative affordability and market competitiveness by comparing the costs of a chosen set of goods and services across international borders. Retailers frequently use it to evaluate pricing tactics and make comparisons with rival businesses.

Case Studies and Examples:

Comparison of Prices for Selected Goods and Services Across Different Countries:

Food and Groceries

Figure 2: 10 Most Expensive Countries For Groceries (2022)

Figure 3: 10 Most Cheapest Countries For Groceries (2022)

USA: Brand, store type and location are some of the variables that affect food prices in the USA. When compared to other industrialized nations, the average cost of groceries in the USA is reasonable.

India: Because of its big agricultural sector and cheaper production costs, India typically has lower food prices than other nations. Prices, however, might differ greatly between rural and urban locations.

Mexico: A lot of reasonably priced food options are available in Mexico, especially for locally manufactured goods. Costs may be comparatively lower in Mexico than in other nations, which draws travellers on a tight budget.

Netherlands: Due to factors including high labor expenses, stringent regulations, and import tariffs, food prices in the Netherlands are often higher than in several other European countries. But there are other reasonably priced solutions out there, particularly in supermarkets.

Switzerland: The country is renowned for having a high cost of living, which includes comparatively high food prices. Switzerland has higher grocery costs due to several factors, including a small amount of arable land, hefty import taxes, and a strong currency.

Dubai: The cost of food varies in Dubai based on several variables, including store type, location, and the proportion of domestically and imported goods. Due to import duties, some products may be pricey, but others—especially locally-grown produce—may be reasonably priced.

Singapore: Land scarcity, high labor costs, and reliance on imports are some of the factors influencing Singapore's food prices. Although meal costs in Singapore are often higher than in its neighbors, there are some reasonably priced options, especially at hawker centers.

Australia: Due to reasons including geographic remoteness, high labor expenses, and stringent restrictions, food prices in Australia might be relatively high when compared to some other countries. But there are other reasonably priced solutions out there, particularly in local markets and supermarkets.

Figure 4: Price Level By Country

Healthcare services

USA: The United States of America has some of the highest healthcare expenditures in the world, primarily due to high administrative costs, costly medical procedures, and pharmaceutical pricing.

India: Compared to wealthy nations, healthcare services in India are typically more economical, with lower consultation, hospital, and prescription prices. India has a high rate of medical tourism because of its affordable healthcare alternatives.

Mexico: In comparison to the United States, Mexico provides reasonably priced healthcare services, with lower consultation fees, hospitalization charges, and drug pricing. Mexico is seeing an increase in medical tourism as well, especially for elective treatments.

Netherlands: With a sophisticated healthcare system and universal health coverage, healthcare prices in the Netherlands are reasonable when compared to those in several other European nations. Nonetheless, the cost of private healthcare services can often be high.

Switzerland: Due to variables including pricey medical equipment, high-quality healthcare infrastructure, and high salaries for medical professionals, Switzerland has some of the highest healthcare expenditures in the world.

Dubai: Depending on a number of variables, including the facility type, medical expertise, and insurance coverage, the cost of healthcare services in Dubai varies greatly. In comparison to Western nations, certain services might be more reasonably priced, while others might be more costly.

Singapore: In comparison to Western nations, Singapore provides excellent healthcare services at reasonably affordable prices. Residents can afford healthcare more easily because of government insurance programs and healthcare subsidies.

Australia: With a combination of public and private healthcare choices, healthcare prices in Australia are low when compared to some other wealthy nations. The government's Medicare program lowers individuals' out-of-pocket costs by offering subsidies for necessary medical services.

Regional Variances and Trends:

With an emphasis on retail pricing, the following examines regional price disparities and new developments in worldwide price patterns:

Figure 6: Average Cost of Meal For Two in 2020 (Source: Numbeo.com)

Asia-Pacific: Because of the region's varied economic development levels, disparities in infrastructure, and import/export expenses, there are notable pricing fluctuations in this area. For comparable commodities, industrialized economies like South Korea and Japan typically charge more than developing economies like Vietnam and India.

Europe: Because of economic unity brought forth by the European Union, price fluctuations within Europe are less than those in Asia-Pacific. Prices nevertheless vary due to disparities in taxation and living levels. Prices in Western European nations are often higher than those in Eastern European nations.

New Developments in International Price Trends:

Influence of e-commerce: Pricing competition and transparency are being increased by online retailers, which is reducing regional pricing differences for some products. Prices can still vary, though, due to things like local taxes and delivery expenses.

Impact of COVID-19: The pandemic generated transitory price changes and supply chain disruptions for a variety of items, especially those that had production issues or were strongly dependent on imports. While some prices have leveled off, persistent interruptions may have long-term effects on others.

Strategies for Retailers to Leverage Price Differences:

Cross-Border Shopping:

Retailers can leverage price differences by sourcing products from countries where production costs or taxes are lower.

Establishing partnerships with suppliers in different countries allows retailers to access a wider range of products at competitive prices.

By offering imported goods at lower prices compared to domestic alternatives, retailers can attract price-conscious consumers and gain a competitive edge in the market.

2. Online Shopping:

Online shopping enables retailers to reach customers beyond geographical boundaries, allowing them to tap into markets with favorable price differentials.

Setting up an e-commerce platform allows retailers to offer products at competitive prices to international customers, leveraging lower production costs or tax advantages in certain regions.

Dynamic pricing algorithms can be employed to adjust prices based on real-time market conditions, optimizing profitability while remaining competitive in the global marketplace.

3. Market Localization:

Retailers can tailor pricing strategies to local market conditions, taking into account factors such as consumer purchasing power, competitive landscape, and regulatory environment.

Offering region-specific promotions, discounts, and pricing strategies helps retailers appeal to local preferences and capture market share effectively.

Localization efforts extend beyond pricing to include product assortment, marketing campaigns, and customer service, fostering a deeper connection with target audiences.

4. Strategic Alliances and Partnerships:

Collaborating with local businesses or distributors in target markets allows retailers to leverage their expertise and networks to navigate regulatory complexities and distribution channels.

Strategic alliances enable retailers to access market insights, infrastructure, and resources that may otherwise be inaccessible or costly to develop independently.

By forming partnerships with trusted local partners, retailers can establish a stronger presence in international markets and leverage price differences to their advantage.

5. Data-Driven Pricing Optimization:

Utilizing data analytics and predictive modeling enables retailers to identify pricing opportunities and optimize pricing strategies based on market demand, competitor pricing, and consumer behavior.

Implementing dynamic pricing algorithms allows retailers to adjust prices in real-time, responding to changes in market conditions, inventory levels, and competitive dynamics.

By leveraging data-driven insights, retailers can maximize profitability while remaining responsive to price differentials and market trends.

Retailers can leverage price differences through cross-border shopping, online shopping, market localization, strategic alliances, and data-driven pricing optimization. By adopting these strategies, retailers can enhance competitiveness, expand market reach, and capitalize on opportunities presented by global price differentials.

Conclusion:

Retailers must compare prices across national borders to maximize profitability, improve competitiveness, and optimize their pricing strategies in the global economy. Retailers can find ways to take advantage of cheaper production costs, attractive exchange rates, and market-specific factors by carefully analyzing price differentials. Retailers may effectively navigate international marketplaces and take advantage of price gaps by using strategies including data-driven pricing optimization, market localization, cross-border shopping, online shopping, and strategic alliances. Retailers may improve their market position, increase their client base, and promote sustainable growth in an increasingly interconnected world by comprehending and taking advantage of worldwide price disparities.

About RapidPricer

RapidPricer helps automate pricing and promotions for retailers. The company has capabilities in retail pricing, artificial intelligence and deep learning to compute merchandising actions for real-time execution in a retail environment.

Contact info:

Website: https://www.rapidpricer.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rapidpricer/

Email: [email protected]

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stockmarketanalysis · 3 months

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Understanding Market Indicators: Types and Significance

Introduction:

Market indicators serve as critical tools for investors, traders, and analysts to gauge the overall health and direction of financial markets. These indicators encompass a wide range of metrics, spanning from economic data to technical analysis tools. Understanding these indicators and their types is essential for making informed decisions in the ever-changing landscape of global markets.

Types of Market Indicators:

Economic Indicators: Economic indicators reflect the overall performance and health of a country's economy. They provide insights into factors such as employment, inflation, consumer spending, and production. Key economic indicators include:

Gross Domestic Product (GDP): Measures the total value of goods and services produced within a country's borders.

Unemployment Rate: Indicates the percentage of the labor force that is unemployed and actively seeking employment.

Consumer Price Index (CPI): Tracks changes in the prices of a basket of goods and services over time, serving as a measure of inflation.

Retail Sales: Reflects the total sales of retail goods and services within a specific period, indicating consumer spending trends.

Financial Indicators: Financial indicators focus on the performance of individual companies or sectors within the market. These indicators help investors assess the financial strength and profitability of businesses. Examples include:

Earnings Per Share (EPS): Represents the portion of a company's profit allocated to each outstanding share of common stock.

Price-to-Earnings (P/E) Ratio: Compares a company's current stock price to its earnings per share, providing insights into its valuation.

Debt-to-Equity Ratio: Measures a company's leverage by comparing its debt to its equity, indicating its financial risk.

Dividend Yield: Indicates the percentage of a company's annual dividend relative to its share price, offering insights into shareholder returns.

Technical Indicators: Technical indicators rely on historical price and volume data to analyze market trends and predict future price movements. These indicators are widely used by traders to identify potential entry and exit points. Some common technical indicators include:

Moving Averages: Smooth out price data to identify trends by calculating the average price over a specified period.

Relative Strength Index (RSI): Measures the magnitude of recent price changes to determine overbought or oversold conditions in a market.

Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD): Consists of two moving averages that help identify changes in momentum and potential trend reversals.

Bollinger Bands: Plot bands above and below a simple moving average to depict price volatility and potential reversal points.

Significance of Market Indicators:

Market indicators play a crucial role in guiding investment decisions and portfolio management strategies. By analyzing these indicators, investors can:

Assess the overall economic environment and identify potential risks and opportunities.

Make informed decisions regarding asset allocation and diversification based on market conditions.

Anticipate changes in market trends and adjust their trading strategies accordingly.

Evaluate the financial health and performance of individual companies, aiding in stock selection and valuation.

Manage risk effectively by monitoring key indicators that signal potential market downturns or corrections.

Conclusion:

Market indicators serve as valuable tools for investors and traders to navigate the complex and dynamic world of financial markets. Whether analyzing economic data, financial metrics, or technical signals, understanding the various types of indicators and their significance is essential for making informed decisions and achieving long-term investment success. By incorporating market indicators into their decision-making process, individuals can better manage risk, identify opportunities, and ultimately achieve their financial goals.

#finance #investing stocks #stock trading #stock #stock market

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yaso711 · 10 months

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Dollar eases ahead of Fed minutes; sterling rises despite CPI fall

TradeMax Global Markets

The dollar edged lower in early European trade on Wednesday, paring recent gains ahead of the release of the minutes of the last Federal Reserve meeting, while sterling rose despite a sharp slowdown in UK inflation.

The U.S. dollar index , which tracks the greenback against a basket of six other currencies, was down 0.1% at 102.962 by 03:00 ET (07:00 GMT ), not far from a 1.5-month high of 103.46 earlier in the week. .

Dollar dips ahead of Fed minutes The dollar was higher on Tuesday after stronger-than-expected U.S. retail sales data for July showed resilience among U.S. consumers despite higher prices for household goods such as food and fuel due to inflation.

That further fueled debate over the Fed's next interest rate move, with most still expecting the central bank to pause on further rate hikes when it next meets in September.

The next big clue to what officials are thinking about the direction of interest rates will come from the July meeting minutes later in the meeting, with traders appearing keen to enter the meeting with a more neutral stance, hence the dollar sell-off today.

TMGM

UK inflation falls sharply but remains high GBP/USD rose 0.2% to 1.2730 despite UK inflation slowing in July to its slowest annual rate since February 2022. The headline annual rate fell to 6.8 percent from 7.9 percent in June and was down further from a 41-year high of 11.1 percent in October.

That would be welcomed by the BoE, but it still leaves inflation more than three times above its medium-term target of 2%, so further rate hikes seem likely.

Elsewhere, data on Tuesday showed that UK base wages rose by a record 7.8% in June, adding to longer-term inflationary pressures even after 14 straight rate hikes.

Euro edges higher ahead of GDP release EUR/USD rose 0.2% to 1.0924 ahead of the second quarter growth data for the euro zone. The figures are expected to show that gross domestic product rose 0.3% in the quarter, a slight improvement from flat growth in the previous quarter.

However, industrial production is expected to have fallen 0.1% month-on-month in June to 4.2% year-on-year, suggesting the region's industrial base remains under pressure.

Elsewhere, data showed that house prices in China fell in July, raising more concerns about a malaise in the country's property sector.

USD/JPY fell 0.1 percent to 145.38, with the yen growing numbers helped by Tuesday's strength, but remained not far from its recent nine-month low against the greenback.

The yen broke through the 145 level this week, which is expected to attract Japanese government intervention to support the yen's depreciation.

#usd #rmb

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reasoningdaily · 1 year

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As they were in 2021, egg prices in the US were exceptionally high in November and December 2022. This was due to several major factors, and there hasn’t been much change in these factors so far in 2023. Poultry World has the latest on the many factors causing huge increases in the retail price of US eggs and looks at what’s ahead.

In November, US consumers started noticing an exceptional increase in the price of table eggs and major media outlets reported that the national average price for a dozen hit US$ 3.59, up from US$ 1.72 a year earlier.

At that point, high prices were being driven up to some extent by holiday festivities and baking demands, but most of the price increase was due to the continued upswings in feed, fuel and labour costs (i.e., inflation). In addition, supply was obviously limited due to the widespread outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) across the US. These outbreaks have so far resulted in over 58 million birds being culled.

The national flock is recovering, and Nathan Jervey, spokesperson at the American Egg Board (AEB) industry association, reports: “The US Department of Agriculture estimates that at the start of February, we were sitting at 303 million. We typically have 320 million laying hens at any given time”. That’s a current difference of about 9%. So although farms are getting back to normal, US egg supplies have also been negatively affected in at least 2 states due to fires.

Forsman Farms in Minnesota, an operation that sold more than 3 million eggs a day to some of the largest retailers in the US, was hit by fire in May 2022. In January 2023, Hillendale Farms, Connecticut’s largest supplier of eggs, went up in flames resulting in the death of about 100,000 hens, with cage-free mandates from California and Massachusetts also adding to the tight supply situation.

A closer look

As indicated, some of the factors causing these high egg prices in the US include rising feed, fuel and labour costs. There are also higher packaging costs and supply chain constraints. But which of these are likely to be most impactful and which could ease for any reason, going forward this year?

“As each farming operation is different and located in different parts of the country, it would be inappropriate for me to hazard a guess as to how each element factors into the cost for consumers,” explains Jervey. “Along those same lines, I can’t speak to them easing but can say that inflation is cooling, as noted by the consumer price index (CPI).”

The CPI is a measure of the average change over time in the prices paid by urban consumers for a market basket of consumer goods and services. In December, the CPI dropped by 0.1% after the seasonal adjustment, while, without seasonal adjustment, it had risen by 6.5% over the last 12 months.

AEB cannot predict the price of eggs this year, but Jervey says: “Demand has remained high, as evidenced by the retail volume of shell eggs remaining constant year-over-year.”

As to whether more HPAI outbreaks will affect prices, Jervey says, “it’s hard to say” and reiterates: “Prices reflect several factors. The good news is that our farms are recovering quickly.”

An agricultural economist’s view

Dr Jada Thompson, an agricultural economist at the University of Arkansas, has been closely following egg price developments. While she noted that egg price relief might come from egg farmers steadily replacing their lost flocks, she also observes that: “Feed, fuel and labour are all still higher than 2021 levels. Feed prices were up by about 13-23% year-over-year for corn and soybeans [in 2022]. That is a substantial part of the cost of producing an egg. These factors will continue to affect egg prices.”

However, at the same time, Thompson expects egg prices in 2023 to drop below the higher prices seen in 2021 and in November-December 2022. “I don’t think we’ll hit the 2021 lower prices with the higher feed, fuel and labour costs,” she says. “The issue is that we will likely have more HPAI outbreaks, but it seems the industry is working on pre-emptive supply planning to try to ease some of the potential supply shocks. Only time will tell how many birds will be impacted or the effect on prices this year.”

Thompson reminds us that this particular HPAI strain is troublesome because of its longevity. “If it affects the poultry industry, and specifically the layer industry, like it did last year, we would likely see shorter supplies which would drive the price up,” she explains.

“The silver lining is that with replenishment efforts working double time to try to get layers back on track, there may be hope that if the layer industry can keep a bit ahead of HPAI this year, this will limit the pricing impact,” she added.

#eggs #egg prices #egg prices soar #Egg prices: sky high – but why? - Poultry World

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binimom · 1 year

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Relationship between US CPI and Bitcoin

The US Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Bitcoin have been two hot topics in the financial world.

What is CPI?

CPI stands for Consumer Price Ndex, commonly referred to as the Consumer Price Index. CPI measures changes in the price of a commodity, while Bitcoin is a digital currency that is gaining popularity as an alternative asset class. Many experts have debated the relationship between the two and some have suggested that there may be a correlation between the two.

One argument for the relationship between CPI and Bitcoin is It's just that inflation can drive up the price of Bitcoin. As inflation rises, investors may see Bitcoin as a potential hedge against inflation. This is because Bitcoin's supply is finite, making it less vulnerable to the effects of inflation. As a result, when inflation rises, some investors may consider Bitcoin as a way to protect their assets.

However, others argue that the correlation between CPI and Bitcoin is not always clear-cut. This is because Bitcoin is affected by various factors such as market sentiment and geopolitical events. This is because it is a relatively new and highly volatile asset. CPI also measures only price changes in a basket of goods and services; This may not necessarily reflect the full extent of inflation. Also, the relationship between CPI and Bitcoin is not always consistent. At the beginning of 2021, Bitcoin saw a significant increase in value even though the CPI remained relatively stable. This suggests that other factors, such as increased institutional adoption and increased retail interest, may have played a larger role in the rise in Bitcoin price.

In conclusion, the relationship between the US CPI and Bitcoin is complex and may be influenced by a variety of economic and market factors. While some experts believe that inflation can increase the price of Bitcoin, Other experts argue that the correlation between the two isn't always clear. As with all investments, traders and investors need to stay informed of the latest developments in the market and It's important to do your own research before making a decision. The correlation between the US Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Bitcoin continues to be discussed among experts, It will be interesting to see how the relationship between the two develops over time.

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kirklandmccain81 · 1 year

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On-line Gift Stores

Thousands regarding online gift retailers are available in the Internet. They provide gift ideas and presents for adult men, women, kids, babies, and the entire family, and intended for all occasions plus special events like celebrations or celebrations, wedding anniversaries, and birthdays,. These internet vendors offer superior quality and high-demand items, ongoing sale products at discount and even reasonable prices, and free gifts and trials. They also provide unparalleled customer assistance and security warranties, ensuring you can easily shop safely throughout their stores and that you don't have in order to worry about the security of your credit score card information. They also grant free shipping at a minimal purchase create work with of such settlement alternatives as bank cards, money orders, PayPal, check, cash, PayDirect, or C2it. There are online gift retailers that are ideal for animal and pet enthusiasts. Some sell helpful residence organization aids and even decorations, tableware, barware, cookware, indoor in addition to outdoor furniture, and creative and distinctive furniture to enhance your lifestyle. You can also find gift items just like collectibles, unique personalized and customized getaway gifts, uncommon goods and creatively designed items, practical plus personal accessories, released and entertainment products, bath and body products, educational products, writing instruments, baby gifts and toddler toys, heirloom art work, romantic gifts, in addition to gift baskets. Gift card Many also sell mouth-watering food items and even party food and even finger-food appetizers. If you can't get what you're looking for, you might send an e mail of your product or service request to these kinds of stores, so that they will tasks things to suit the needs. There is also an electronic mall numerous various stores and only a single checkout to make the shopping enjoyable and even easy. You might also request a new catalog or index of all on-line gift stores by simply browsing over the particular Internet. Do the own research and even analysis before buying from online gift idea stores so a person are certain to get quality items at reasonable prices.

#Gift

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aakarshita04 · 1 year

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How Inflation Works in the UK

Inflation in the United Kingdom is a hot topic. Whether it's about food prices, energy prices, or even house prices, the issue is one that has a lot of people talking. It's also one that has people wondering how inflation works, and what the forecasts are for it in the future. Fortunately, it's easy to find answers to these questions.

House price inflation

House price inflation in the UK has been increasing since the financial crisis. This has been partly thanks to hundreds of billions of pounds of new money that the banks had injected into the economy before the crisis, but also due to high borrowing costs and a lack of supply.

The UK economy is teetering on the edge of recession. And it looks as though the housing market might be on the verge of a downturn. According to Nationwide, a major mortgage lender, household budgets are likely to be squeezed in the coming months, which could hamper house price increases.

The UK economy is largely dependent on a strong housing market, but a weak one is likely to hit many sectors. Although the UK has been on a steady rise since the financial crisis, it looks as though the rate of growth is slowing down, with the cost of living expected to get worse.

Food prices

Food prices in the UK are rising at the fastest rate in the last 40 years, according to the Office for National Statistics. In August, food inflation hit 10.6 per cent. The rate is expected to remain high through the rest of the year.

Andy King, the consumer price inflation production manager at the ONS, explains that the price rises are a result of a number of factors. For example, energy costs are rising, and the war in Ukraine has increased the cost of manufacturing and transportation.

He also says that the EU has become less competitive, meaning that British produce will be affected. This has led to an increase in the cost of staples such as meat and dairy.

As a result, food prices in the UK have risen by an average of 13% over the past three years. However, there are some foods which are still cheaper in the UK than their international counterparts.

Energy prices

The UK inflation rate hit a 41-year high of 11.1% in October, fueled by colossal increases in energy prices. In response to the price rises, the government has launched a plan to protect households from rising bills.

The Energy Price Guarantee is designed to shield the average household from paying PS2,500 or more on its energy bills each year. It will also ensure that businesses pay the same for a period of six months. However, the level of the guarantee will change from April 2023, increasing the price cap from PS2,500 to PS3,000 for a typical household.

Energy prices continue to rise, and the UK inflation rate has reached a 41-year high. The increase is due to increased wholesale and retail gas and electricity prices. This will lead to lower real wages and reduce real GDP.

Consumer price index (CPI)

The Consumer Price Index is a measure of inflation in the UK. It is calculated monthly and measures the change in price of a basket of goods. A separate index is also produced for age groups and demographics.

In July, the biggest jump in food prices in 40 years helped to push British inflation back into double digits for the first time since 2008. Energy costs meanwhile continued to drive up household bills.

Although the Consumer Price Index is a great indicator of inflation, there are some important differences between the CPI and the Retail Price Index. RPI was the standard measure of inflation in the UK for many years, but it's being phased out.

The consumer price index is a measure of inflation that's calculated by the Office for National Statistics. It's not a precise measurement, but it's better than nothing.

Forecasts

The UK economy shrank during the third quarter. Despite the recent easing of price pressures, the economy is still facing the threat of further recession.

While inflation rates in the US and Europe are calming down, Britain's Consumer Price Index (CPI) is expected to rise to more than 12% by the end of the year. This could mean significant base rate increases from the Bank of England.

However, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) forecasts that the CPI will slow to a 3.8% rate by the fourth quarter of 2023. Core services inflation, which excludes volatile components, is projected to sit at slightly over 6% YoY.

In the meantime, the UK's food and non-alcoholic beverages price index has risen for fifteen consecutive months, and the annual rate of CPIH inflation is now the highest since 1990.

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tparadox · 1 year

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This is a helpful explanation of Bob Cratchit's salary:

In Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol, Ebenezer Scrooge paid his clerk Bob Cratchit 15 shillings a week. What is the present-day equivalent of those 15 shillings? The MeasuringWorth comparator gives two answers.

In 2020, the real wage value of 15 shillings from 1843 is £75.28. In 2020, the relative labour earnings value of 15 shillings from 1843 is £611.30

...

The real wage is computed using a retail consumer price index of a basket of goods and services. In principle, by inflating the collection of goods (e.g., a goose) the average family could buy with 15 shillings, the index says that would be similar to a collection of goods an average family in today’s London could buy with £75.28. This is a totally unrealistic number!

... The relative labour earnings is computed using an index of average earnings paid to workers. Thus, the “relative” wage of a worker who earned 15 shillings a week in 1843 is £611.30 today. At 52 weeks of work, that would correspond to about £32,000 a year. Bob Cratchit was responsible for maintaining Scrooge’s account books. The average UK accountant today earns a salary of £62,042 per year; the average bookkeeper, £26,848 per year. While Cratchit’s job may not have required a CPA, it involved much more than the tasks required of the average bookkeeper today. The fact Scrooge was paying Cratchit an amount slightly above that of an average bookkeeper speaks to Scrooge’s miserliness.

#dickens december

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wholesaletrading · 2 years

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What is wholesale price index (WPI) based inflation?

The Wholesale Price Index (WPI), which measures changes in average wholesale prices for goods, is a measure of the change in commodity prices. This refers to commodities sold in bulk and traded between entities or businesses rather than interests purchased by consumers. WPI is not a reliable indicator of inflation because it doesn't consider the cost of services and does not reflect the actual consumer price situation.

WPI's purpose is to examine the price movements of goods, which reflect demand and supply in industry, construction, and manufacturing. WPI's index basket categorizes commodities into primary articles, fuel, power and manufactured products.

Wholesale Price Index WPI can also measure microeconomic conditions in the economy. It estimates inflation at the wholesale transaction level. This is useful for all sectors of the economy. WPI also allows the government to intervene quickly to prevent inflation from reaching retail prices.

The government can use WPI-based inflation to prepare fiscal, trade and other economic policies. It is used by policymakers, statisticians, accountants, and business organizations to create price adjustment clauses. Inflationary pressure is indicated by a rise to measure the extent of wholesale inflation; WPI calculates the increase.

For so long, inflation in the United States was low enough that rapid price rises might have seemed like an old thing for generations of Americans. Between 1991 and 2019, the average annual inflation was 2.3% per month. Only four occasions did it exceed 5.0%.

The Wholesale Price Index (WPI) measures the average price change of commodities for bulk sales at the early stages of transactions. WPI's index basket includes items that fall under three main groups: Primary Articles (Fuel and Power), Manufactured Products (Fuel and Power), and Secondary Articles (Primary Articles). Prices are calculated ex-factory price for manufactured goods, ex-mandi price of agricultural commodities, and ex-mines price for minerals. The WPI basket calculates the net imports adjusted value of each item. WPI basket does not cover services.

Advantages

This represents the economic growth or decline in general. The reasons for this can be found by performing micro-level scrutiny.

Most countries base their 5-year plans on the inflation rates calculated with the WPI.

It allows the business to adjust its budget to account for inflation.

The government can compare the products of different industries to help it draft policies to improve underperforming areas and gain insight into the various sectors that can be consolidated and built.

Enterprises can analyze and compare their performance against other products and take industry-wide steps to improve and grow.

Disadvantages

WPI only considers the effect of a small sample of goods. There is always an inherent danger to the business.

It is the population. Therefore, the total inflation may not be correct as it does not reflect the actual people.

Different countries use different products for calculating the WPI. It is therefore not always comparable with other countries.

It is not the best benchmark for countries dominated by service sectors.

As COVID-19 began to spread, it was at least twice as high in 37 of these 44 countries as the annual inflation rate was in the first quarter of this year than in the same period in 2020. In 16 countries, the first quarter inflation rate was more than four times what it was two years ago.

No matter the country's inflation level, all countries show variations. They have varying levels of inflation: low levels in the first quarter of 2020, falling or flat rates through the remainder of 2020, many governments severely curtailed economic activity, and then rising rates in mid to late 2021 as the world struggles to return to normal.

#wpi inflation #wholesale price index #listtrader #wholesale trading

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mbdailynews · 2 years

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Stocks Slide As Investors Worry About Slowing Economic Growth

Dow industrials drop about 700 points in early trading to start the week. U.S. stocks fell in early trading as worries about slowing economic growth overshadowed optimism about the possibility of the U.S. rolling back tariffs on some Chinese products. The S&P 500 fell 1.9% Tuesday to start the trading week after the U.S. stock and bond markets were closed for the Independence Day holiday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 2.3%, or about 700 points, and the tech-focused Nasdaq Composite Index declined 0.8%. U.S. stocks tend to perform well in July, history shows, but this year investors say they are bracing for more pain ahead. Traders are focused on stubborn inflation that has forced central banks around the world to aggressively tighten monetary policy. Economic data showing declines in metrics ranging from factory output to retail spending have exacerbated concerns that the U.S. economy could tumble into a recession. Tuesday’s pullback in stocks sent investors flocking to assets perceived as safer. Gold prices declined slightly, while the WSJ Dollar Index, which measures the greenback against a basket of 16 currencies, advanced about 0.9%. Get New York Times Digital Subscription 3 Years The euro, in contrast, slipped about 1.7%, falling to a nearly 20-year low on concerns that the eurozone may be nearing an energy shock that could tip the bloc into recession. The euro most recently traded at $1.0251, putting it within striking distance of reaching parity. Early Tuesday, reports that President Biden is expected to roll back some tariffs on Chinese imports initially provided stocks some reprieve from a volatile stretch for markets, sending futures higher in premarket trading on hopes that the changes could help rein in inflation. But as the session continued, futures turned negative and selling pressure deepened as concerns over economic growth dominated again. “The market is desperate for good news,” said Florian Ielpo, head of macro at Lombard Odier Investment Managers. It has become increasingly difficult to offset investors’ growing fears, he said: Even with the possibility of a rollback of tariffs on the horizon, he said, investors are asking how it might address mounting recession fears and inflation. Elsewhere in markets, volatility was widespread. European gas prices rose to the highest level since March as oil workers in Norway went on strike, reducing output from Europe’s second-biggest gas supplier after Russia at a time when energy markets are already squeezed. Brent crude, meanwhile, the international benchmark for oil prices, fell about 5.7% to $107.08 a barrel. In the bond market, meanwhile, the yield on the benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury note declined. It recently traded at 2.836%, down from 2.901% Friday. Buy Bloomberg Digital Subscription 5 Years Investors this week are awaiting the Friday release of the June jobs report, which will better shed insight into the trajectory of the U.S. economy. So far, the job market has shown little signs of faltering this year—offering one encouraging sign for the economy—even as other data in recent weeks have pointed to an economic slowdown. Money-managers and strategists will also be monitoring developments surrounding the Biden administration’s plans for tariffs and what impact it could have on inflation and the economy. On Tuesday, Chinese Vice Premier Liu He and U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen spoke by videoconference about topics including the tariffs, marking the first time the two policy makers have spoken since October 2021. Economists say removing Chinese tariffs isn’t likely to have a dramatic impact on inflation. And any rollback may not mark a fundamental change in the U.S.-China relationship or the countries’ economic outlooks, some investors said. “The size of the tariff reduction may not fundamentally change the U.S. inflation or China export outlooks,” said Frank Benzimra, head of Asia equity strategy at Société Générale. Investors might be focused on other tensions between the two countries, such as export and investment restrictions, he added. In early trading in New York, fears of an economic slowdown dragged travel stocks and banks lower. Cruise line Carnival lost 3.5% and JPMorgan Chase declined 2.6%. Subscribe To Wall Street Journal Newspaper | WSJ Newspaper | WSJ Print Save 30% Off Shares of Tesla fell 2.4% after the electric-car maker said Saturday that its vehicle deliveries fell quarter-over-quarter for the first time in more than two years after the company had to temporarily shut down its largest factory, in Shanghai, because of local Covid-19 restrictions. Overseas, the pan-continental Stoxx Europe 600 fell 1.4%. Shares of Uniper SE, one of Europe’s largest utility companies, fell more than 5.8% as it continues bailout talks with the German government amid strains from dwindling natural-gas supplies from Russia. In Asia, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index added 0.1%. Japan’s Nikkei 225 gained 1%. Read the full article

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brightwanderer · 5 years

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Untitled Stardew Omens Fic (10)

(Index)

Summer 6

Crowley has only stopped into Pierre's to pick up a couple of basics and maybe, possibly, to see if there's any of that chocolate Aziraphale likes. For no reason. Definitely not to stash it away somewhere so the next time Aziraphale forgets he's run out until after the store's closed, Crowley can produce it with a flourish. Nope.

The last thing he wants or needs is to find himself in the middle of Small Town Drama, and initially he tries to tune it out. He's encountered Morris, manager of the local Joja Mart, exactly once, and that was enough for Crowley to know everything about him at a glance and resolve to avoid him entirely in the future. Now the unpleasant little man is sauntering around Pierre's, examining the shelves and commenting loudly on the superior quality and lower prices to be found in his own establishment. There are a few other people in the store, notably Leah and Jodi hovering near the fresh vegetables and Gus stocking up on ingredients. They all look uncomfortable, but Crowley can see Jodi glancing at the scrap of paper where she writes her weekly budget, biting her lip as Morris airily mentions a Saturday Sale on lentils.

It's utterly obnoxious and Crowley has half a mind to pick a fight with the wanker, but he grits his teeth and keeps browsing and pretends not to be listening, at least until Morris pauses by a special display near the till.

"What's this?" Morris asks sharply, scowling at the neat arrangement of jars.

"Coconut oil," Pierre replies, not even trying to hide his smug expression. "Local product, straight from the Calico Desert. And I know you don't stock that at Joja Mart, because the supplier has an exclusive contract with my store."

Crowley smirks to himself, impressed by Pierre's little coup. Morris's expression darkens into a disproportionate rage, then clears suddenly into a nasty smile.

"Well, then, I'll just have to buy these up, won't I?"

Pierre blinks. "All of them?"

"Indeed, all of them. If anyone wants some, they'll have to come to Joja Mart. They'll pay a little more, but it'll be worth it if they learn to come to me first."

"I won't sell them to you."

"If you don't, I'll just have to go straight to your supplier. I'm sure they'll see the good sense of contracting with a much more profitable and reliable retailer—"

"You can't do that," Crowley pipes up. He leans casually against the shelves, his shopping basket dangling loosely from one hand. "Can't do either of those things, actually."

Morris whirls on him with a glare that could curdle milk and is clearly intended to intimidate. Crowley's seen better, much better. Crowley's been glared at by the best. Morris doesn't even come close.

"I beg your pardon?" Morris snaps. "This is a private conversation."

"That you're having at top volume in the middle of the general store."

Crowley tips his glasses down just a tiny fraction, peers over them at Morris, then pushes them back up, like what he sees doesn't interest him. It's a trick that's served him well over the years. It does a delightful job now of making Morris's face turn an unsightly puce.

"Regardless," Morris hisses, "it's none of your damn business, and you don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't I?" Crowley can't help it, he's enjoying himself now. He hates to admit it, but he's missed this, putting someone on the spot and needling them into a foolish opening, then taking them apart piece by piece. "You're an official representative of the Joja Corporation Acquisitions and Supply Department, are you?"

The way Morris falters is glorious.

"What?"

"I mean, you can buy the stuff, I suppose," Crowley goes on with a shrug. "If Pierre feels like selling it to you. But you can't put it on your shelves. That'd be selling outside merchandise without a proper Acquisitions Licence, that would. And that's a great big breach of regulations, kind of thing they come down hard on. Remember what happened to the Mineral Town branch?"

Morris clenches his fists and takes a step towards Crowley. There's practically steam coming out of his ears.

"Well," he spits, then pauses like he hasn't quite thought this far ahead, which only seems to make him angrier. "Well, I'll just have a word with head office, then, about the supplier—"

"Wouldn't recommend it. The Acquisitions bunch work on commission. They'll see it as trespassing on their turf. Not to mention, come on, tiny little local supplier like that, no way they can keep up with the demand from a chain like Joja. Acquistions'll laugh you right out of the room and then—" Crowley grins like a snake, "—they'll put a note on your file."

Oh yeah, there it is, the moment. The moment where Morris realises he's outmatched, outwitted, and outclassed. The moment where he realises he's in way out of his depth. The moment where he has to decide whether to beat a retreat with what dignity he can muster, or to lose what's left of his cool. Crowley loves this moment more than he loves the buzz of his first glass of wine, and right now he can enjoy it guilt-free, in the face of an opponent who deserves nothing less than complete humiliation.

"You," Morris snarls, "should learn to keep your nose out of other people's business."

With a flounce that would make an opera singer proud, he storms out of the shop. Crowley turns to watch him go, raising a hand in a mocking little wave, only to freeze when he sees Aziraphale hovering by the door, staring at him. Crowley has absolutely no idea how long he's been there, how much of it he heard.

"Well," says Pierre, and Crowley swings guiltily around, only to find that Pierre is positively beaming at him. "Mr Crowley, can I offer you a discount today?"

#untitled stardew omens fic #stardew omens #good omens #crowley #aziraphale #fanfic #my fic

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blessyourhondahurley · 5 years

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October 9 - Blame It on the Quinoa

This little fic pushes me past 100,000 total words posted to AO3!!

[also on AO3]

If anyone asked, Dean was prepared to blame it on the quinoa. They'd raised the price again at Whole Foods, he would say, and so he'd stopped in to comparison shop. As a cover story, it was perfect, because it wasn't even a lie, exactly. Whole Foods really had jacked the price up by almost a dollar a pound. But let's be clear: Dean Smith can afford to pay an extra dollar a pound for his quinoa. He only eats it on his cheat days, anyway. He isn't in Namaste Lit Natural Foods to pinch pennies; there's something else here that he'd like to pinch much more.

As it turns out, the time he'd put into working out his cover story was wasted; no one gives him a second look as he wanders the store. That doesn't change how conspicuous and awkward he feels, browsing an aisle full of healing crystals and stones in his Gucci drill jacket and wool jacquard pants. He spends another few minutes looking around, and he actually does put some quinoa in his basket because the price is, in fact, staggeringly low.

He rounds the corner from essential oils and is heading into homeopathics when he finally sees him – the real reason Dean's in this store today. The man's attention is focused on the shelf he's methodically restocking, a furrow on his brow where he's concentrating on lining up the tiny boxes in even rows. Dean has ample time to let his eyes roam as he closes the distance between them.

He's wearing pale gray sweatpants today, loose ones that cuff right below his knee. He's topped that with a soft-looking t-shirt in dark cranberry that boasts a collar so stretched out, it hangs off one of his shoulders. There are Birkenstocks on his feet, because of course there are. The outfit is much less revealing than the tight yoga pants and cropped tank top he'd been wearing the last time they'd encountered each other, but it's just as flattering. Dean suspects that that body would look dynamite in a Hefty bag.

Dean's feet have carried him close enough now to speak. But when he tries to think of a witty conversational gambit, his mind goes aggressively blank. Not wanting to waste his chance (or his trip), he clears his throat, and offers up his most charming smile when those blue eyes turn his way.

The dazzling eyes stay neutral, though, without a flicker of recognition in them. What comes out of those delicious-looking lips is pure Generic Retail Worker Voice. “Can I help you find something, sir?”

Dean's stomach drops down through his body and lodges itself in his Ferragamo loafers. He'd thought when they'd talked after hot yoga last week that the two of them had had a connection, that there'd been a little eye-magic. How could he have misread the signals so completely?

Then the man's face changes, and his eyes light up, and he grins, and Dean has a mood swing so sudden and so absolute that it leaves him kind of dizzy. “Sorry,” he says with a little laugh. “I was stuck in work mode for a second there. Hello, Dean.”

“H-hey, Cas,” he stammers in reply, cheeks flushing with equal parts relief and attraction.

“Fancy seeing you here. What brings you into my humble little shop today, Mr. Smith?”

In sharp contrast to the impersonal tone of moments before, his voice is now lilting and flirty. Dean still can't remember how to string together a coherent sentence. “Quinoa,” he offers, hoisting his basket dumbly.

“Ah,” Cas replies. He nods and leans closer, boosting the intimacy of the conversation to an almost incendiary level. “Have you tried the freekeh?” he murmurs conspiratorially. “It's got more protein, and twice as much fiber as quinoa. Lower on the glycemic index, too. It's not gluten-free, though, if that's a concern?”

Considering the fact that Cas is talking to him about superfoods, there is no reason for Dean to be as turned on as he is right now. But they're standing so close, and Cas smells so good, and his voice is a low, sexy rumble. Dean's got a truly terrible “get freekeh with you” pun just raring to jump out of his mouth, but he chokes it back and forces himself to calm.

“I haven't tried it,” he manages eventually. “But it sounds intriguing. Would you like to get coffee sometime, and you can tell me more?”

“I have some leftover freekeh risotto in my fridge right now, actually. It's got some mushrooms and asparagus in it, I can grate a little Parmigiano Reggiano on top, it's fantastic. Maybe you could stop by this evening, bring a bottle of wine?” He looks at Dean from under his lashes, and there's no question that risotto is not the only thing he's offering tonight.

In his mind, Dean is shaking his ass and pumping his fist in triumph, but he clamps a lid on it, and keeps his external cool. “I'd like that,” he says with as much suaveness as he can muster.

Cas whips out his phone. They exchange numbers, and Cas texts him his address. “See you around 7?” he prompts sweetly.

It's Dean's turn to grin. “Can't wait.”

#destiel #destiel fanfic #destiel au #dean smith #endverse!cas

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superaakash24 · 5 years

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Top 9 Applications of Machine Learning in Real World

uture of Machine Learning “ A Learning Machine is any device Whose actions are influenced by past experience.” - N.Jhon.Nilsson

Machine Learning is a science to make the machine capable of taking the decision itself. These systems also have the ability to learn from past experience or analyze historical data. It provides results according to its experience.

Here, we will explore Machine Learning Applications. These Applications of Machine Learning shows the area or scope of Machine Learning.

So, let’s start Machine learning Applications.

Machine Learning Applications

As we move forward into the digital age, One of the modern innovations we’ve seen is the creation of Machine Learning. This incredible form of artificial intelligence is already being used in various industries and professions. For Example, Image and Speech Recognition, Medical Diagnosis, Prediction, Classification, Learning Associations, Statistical Arbitrage, Extraction, Regression. Today we’re looking at all these Machine Learning Applications in today’s modern world.

These are the real world Machine Learning Applications, let’s see them one by one-

1. Image Recognition

It is one of the most common machine learning applications. There are many situations where you can classify the object as a digital image. For digital images, the measurements describe the outputs of each pixel in the image.

In the case of a black and white image, the intensity of each pixel serves as one measurement. So if a black and white image has N*N pixels, the total number of pixels and hence measurement is N2.

Let’s discuss ANN in Machine Learning

In the coloured image, each pixel considered as providing 3 measurements of the intensities of 3 main colour components ie RGB. So N*N coloured image there are 3 N2 measurements.

For face detection – The categories might be face versus no face present. There might be a separate category for each person in a database of several individuals.

For character recognition – We can segment a piece of writing into smaller images, each containing a single character. The categories might consist of the 26 letters of the English alphabet, the 10 digits, and some special characters.

2. Speech Recognition

Speech recognition (SR) is the translation of spoken words into text. It is also known as “automatic speech recognition” (ASR), “computer speech recognition”, or “speech to text” (STT).

In speech recognition, a software application recognizes spoken words. The measurements in this Machine Learning application might be a set of numbers that represent the speech signal. We can segment the signal into portions that contain distinct words or phonemes. In each segment, we can represent the speech signal by the intensities or energy in different time-frequency bands.

Although the details of signal representation are outside the scope of this program, we can represent the signal by a set of real values.

Do you know about Artificial Neural Network Model

Speech recognition, Machine Learning applications include voice user interfaces. Voice user interfaces are such as voice dialing, call routing, domotic appliance control. It can also use as simple data entry, preparation of structured documents, speech-to-text processing, and plane.

3. Medical Diagnosis

ML provides methods, techniques, and tools that can help in solving diagnostic and prognostic problems in a variety of medical domains. It is being used for the analysis of the importance of clinical parameters and of their combinations for prognosis, e.g. prediction of disease progression, for the extraction of medical knowledge for outcomes research, for therapy planning and support, and for overall patient management. ML is also being used for data analysis, such as detection of regularities in the data by appropriately dealing with imperfect data, interpretation of continuous data used in the Intensive Care Unit, and for intelligent alarming resulting in effective and efficient monitoring.

It is argued that the successful implementation of ML methods can help the integration of computer-based systems in the healthcare environment providing opportunities to facilitate and enhance the work of medical experts and ultimately to improve the efficiency and quality of medical care.

Let’s take a tour of Neural Network Algorithms

In medical diagnosis, the main interest is in establishing the existence of a disease followed by its accurate identification. There is a separate category for each disease under consideration and one category for cases where no disease is present. Here, machine learning improves the accuracy of medical diagnosis by analyzing data of patients.

The measurements in this Machine Learning applications are typically the results of certain medical tests (example blood pressure, temperature and various blood tests) or medical diagnostics (such as medical images), presence/absence/intensity of various symptoms and basic physical information about the patient(age, sex, weight etc). On the basis of the results of these measurements, the doctors narrow down on the disease inflicting the patient.

4. Statistical Arbitrage

In finance, statistical arbitrage refers to automated trading strategies that are typical of a short-term and involve a large number of securities. In such strategies, the user tries to implement a trading algorithm for a set of securities on the basis of quantities such as historical correlations and general economic variables. These measurements can be cast as a classification or estimation problem. The basic assumption is that prices will move towards a historical average.

Do you know about Kernel Functions

We apply machine learning methods to obtain an index arbitrage strategy. In particular, we employ linear regression and support vector regression (SVR)onto the prices of an exchange-traded fund and a stream of stocks. By using principal component analysis (PCA) in reducing the dimension of feature space, we observe the benefit and note the issues in the application of SVR. To generate trading signals, we model the residuals from the previous regression as a mean reverting process.

In the case of classification, the categories might be sold, buy or do nothing for each security. I the case of estimation one might try to predict the expected return of each security over a future time horizon. In this case, one typically needs to use the estimates of the expected return to make a trading decision(buy, sell, etc.)

5. Learning Associations

Learning association is the process of developing insights into various associations between products. A good example is how seemingly unrelated products may reveal an association to one another. When analyzed in relation to buying behaviors of customers.

Let’s discuss Deep learning and Neural Networks in Machine Learning

One application of machine learning- Often studying the association between the products people buy, which is also known as basket analysis. If a buyer buys ‘X’, would he or she force to buy ‘Y’ because of a relationship that can identify between them? This leads to the relationship that exists between fish and chips etc. when new products launch in the market a Knowing these relationships it develops a new relationship. Knowing these relationships could help in suggesting the associated product to the customer. For a higher likelihood of the customer buying it, It can also help in bundling products for a better package.

This learning of associations between products by a machine is learning associations. Once we found an association by examining a large amount of sales data, Big Data analysts. It can develop a rule to derive a probability test in learning a conditional probability.

6. Classification

Classification is a process of placing each individual from the population under study in many classes. This is identified as independent variables.

Have a look at Convolutional Neural Networks Architecture

Classification helps analysts to use measurements of an object to identify the category to which that object belongs. To establish an efficient rule, analysts use data. Data consists of many examples of objects with their correct classification.

For example, before a bank decides to disburse a loan, it assesses customers on their ability to repay the loan. By considering factors such as customer’s earning, age, savings and financial history we can do it. This information is taken from the past data of the loan. Hence, Seeker uses to create a relationship between customer attributes and related risks.

7. Prediction

Consider the example of a bank computing the probability of any of loan applicants faulting the loan repayment. To compute the probability of the fault, the system will first need to classify the available data in certain groups. It is described by a set of rules prescribed by the analysts.

Let’s revise Recurrent Neural Networks

Once we do the classification, as per need we can compute the probability. These probability computations can compute across all sectors for varied purposes

The current prediction is one of the hottest machine learning algorithms. Let’s take an example of retail, earlier we were able to get insights like sales report last month / year / 5-years / Diwali / Christmas. These type of reporting is called as historical reporting. But currently business is more interested in finding out what will be my sales next month / year / Diwali, etc. So that business can take a required decision (related to procurement, stocks, etc.) on time.

8. Extraction

Information Extraction (IE) is another application of machine learning. It is the process of extracting structured information from unstructured data. For example web pages, articles, blogs, business reports, and e-mails. The relational database maintains the output produced by the information extraction.

The process of extraction takes input as a set of documents and produces a structured data. This output is in a summarized form such as an excel sheet and table in a relational database.

Nowadays extraction is becoming a key in the big data industry.

As we know that the huge volume of data is getting generated out of which most of the data is unstructured. The first key challenge is handling unstructured data. Now conversion of unstructured data to structured form based on some pattern so that the same can stored in RDBMS.

Apart from this in current days data collection mechanism is also getting change. Earlier we collected data in batches like End-of-Day (EOD), but now business wants the data as soon as it is getting generated, i.e. in real time.

9. Regression

We can apply Machine learning to regression as well.

Assume that x= x1, x2, x3, … xn are the input variables and y is the outcome variable. In this case, we can use machine learning technology to produce the output (y) on the basis of the input variables (x). You can use a model to express the relationship between various parameters as below:

Have a look at Advantages and Disadvantages of Machine Learning

Y=g(x) where g is a function that depends on specific characteristics of the model. In regression, we can use the principle of machine learning to optimize the parameters. To cut the approximation error and calculate the closest possible outcome.

We can also use Machine learning for function optimization. We can choose to alter the inputs to get a better model. This gives a new and improved model to work with. This is known as response surface design.

So, this was all about Machine Learning Applications. Hope you like our explanation.

3. Conclusion

In conclusion, Machine learning is an incredible breakthrough in the field of artificial intelligence. While it does have some frightening implications when you think about it, these Machine Learning Applications are several of the many ways this technology can improve our lives. In the next few years Future of Machine Learning will be very bright.

If you found any other Machine Learning applications, So, please let us know in the comments!

#machine learning #machine learning application #deeplearning #artificial intelligence

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