Category: Blog

The rate at which prices increase can affect many facets of the economy, from influencing people’s purchasing power to lowering or raising interest rates on debt. Understanding and properly managing inflation is a key element of a healthy, growing economy.

Inflation is measured through price indices created by government agencies such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the US Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis, among others. The Consumer Price Index, or CPI, is one such index that reports the average change in the prices paid by urban consumers on a selection of items over time. It is often used to determine eligibility for government assistance, provide cost-of-living adjustments to workers and to adjust benefits for programs such as Social Security.

More granular price data is available through the Personal Consumption Expenditures or PCE index, which takes into account more categories of spending and also uses business surveys to determine a broader range of prices. Another measure of inflation, the Gross Domestic Product (or GDP) price index, incorporates prices for all goods and services produced in the country as well as the cost of imported goods and services into a year-over-year calculation of real, or inflation-adjusted, GDP.

Inflation can cause people’s paychecks to stretch less and less, and it can also devalue assets like a savings account balance or the value of a home. To help better understand what’s behind inflation, Select spoke to Michael Gapen, head of U.S. economics research at Bank of America, who pointed to several causes for recent high levels of inflation.

In journalism, the term special report refers to an in-depth piece that investigates a specific subject. Often, these articles are about controversial topics that require a high level of knowledge and expertise to write about effectively. They are generally accompanied by illustrations and other visual representations to increase credibility. They should be clearly structured and concise, and they must avoid jargons and terminologies that may not be understood by the target audience.

Research reports are scholarly documents that present the findings of an analytical, qualitative or quantitative study to a scholarly audience. They are an important component of the scientific method because they allow researchers to share their discoveries and insights with others. Research reports should begin with an introduction section that highlights existing research knowledge in the area of investigation and pinpoints areas that are still unexplored. It should also outline the aims of the researcher’s systematic investigation.

The program Special Report is a news and current affairs show that follows major political stories out of Washington, DC. The show first premiered in 1996, and it was originally anchored by Brit Hume before Bret Baier took over the role in 2007. The show is known for its investigative reporting and thorough coverage of important events that impact Americans and the world.

A special report is a financial statement that deviates from the standard format prescribed by Generally Accepted Auditing Standards. It can cover particular sections, accounts or items of the statement and can be performed independently from or alongside a regular financial audit. For example, a company may prepare a special report to comply with contractual agreements or regulatory provisions that do not apply to a normal financial statement.

The market trend is the overall direction an asset or market is moving over a long period of time. The trend can be upward, downward, or sideways. Market trends are used by traders and investors to identify buying or selling opportunities and make informed decisions about their investments. Trends are commonly analyzed using technical indicators and chart patterns, like trend lines that connect two or more price points and have an incline to indicate support or resistance.

Market trends can also be categorized by duration, like short-term shifts or long-term movements, and by pattern, like seasonal variations. For example, an upward trend may manifest as consistent growth in sales, which suggests a growing consumer demand for your products or services. Conversely, a downward trend could signal a decline in sales or a slowing of consumer demand, which requires you to adapt your marketing strategy to shift focus.

Keeping track of emerging trends is vital for businesses, but it can be challenging to spot the next big shifts before they’re everywhere. Relying on gut feelings or hunches can lead to misguided campaigns and missed opportunities. But with a little bit of structure, you can develop a process that allows you to stay ahead of the curve and understand what’s driving consumers’ behavior in real-time so you can take action before it’s too late.

The best way to identify trends is by listening to your audience. For instance, if you’re noticing a trend towards organic ingredients or eco-friendly packaging, you can learn more about why customers are making these changes by reading online reviews and comments. This information can help you determine what pain points your product or service is solving for them and how to position your offering accordingly.

Economic growth is the increase in the value of a country’s output of goods and services. This can occur because the country produces more of a good, or because a good’s price rises. The country can also experience economic growth if the quality of its goods or services improves.

A nation’s capacity to produce can be measured by its GDP, which is calculated as consumer spending plus business investment plus government spending plus net exports. A nation can have a GDP grow at a rate that is quarterly, half-yearly or annual. An annual rate is the average of a quarter’s growth over four quarters.

Short-term economic growth can come from factors such as a recovery from a recession or temporary stimulus measures by a government (such as lowering interest rates to encourage borrowing). Such growth does not add new resources or improve the productivity of existing resources, and it must be sustained by increases in demand to avoid causing prices to rise too quickly.

Long-term growth in the economy can come from many different things, including technological advances, a growing population, and improvements in the labor force’s skills and knowledge, called human capital. Economies of scale and improved resource allocation can also help. For example, a factory can make more waffles with the same amount of physical capital if it has more workers and equipment.

Economic growth has brought benefits to many people, and it is a goal for governments and international organizations. However, inequality has also increased in some advanced economies and remains high in others still developing. This type of inequality is concerning because it can strain social cohesion and the ability of the economy to continue growing.

A news outlet is a source of news that distributes information to a mass audience. These outlets can be found in various media formats such as newspapers, television, radio, and the internet. They play an important role in shaping public opinion on critical societal issues. However, they may be prone to media bias, which is the perceived or actual partiality of journalists and other news producers within the mass media.

News articles are generally written by professional journalists, often with a degree and training in journalism or a related field. They also abide by journalistic codes of ethics. In addition to news articles, most outlets publish editorials and/or political cartoons, and some have a dedicated “opinion” section.

Occasionally, news articles do not include a byline (author credit), particularly with very short pieces. This is usually a red flag indicating that the article should be checked carefully to ensure it’s accurate.

While journalists aspire to be objective, it is impossible for them to be entirely neutral. As a result, they sometimes frame stories to align with their own viewpoints. This can impact the credibility of a story and influence the public’s perception of important societal issues.

A growing number of Americans are getting their news online rather than from traditional mass media sources such as television, newspapers, and radio. In fact, about a third of adults say they often get their news from news websites or apps, social media, or search engines. A smaller share of adults say they often get their news from podcasts, email newsletters, or artificial intelligence chatbots.

Corporate earnings are a key piece of information for market participants, whether they’re investors, consumers, or interested in how the economy is performing. While there are many different metrics that can be considered in analyzing earnings reports, the most important are a company’s net income, revenue trends, and earnings per share (EPS).

The difference between revenues and expenses is a company’s net income. Revenues are the amount of money that a company receives for services rendered or sales of products. A company’s costs include things like the cost of goods sold, operating expenses, and taxes. Generally, a company’s net income will include one-time gains or losses that can temporarily inflate or deflate reported earnings. To avoid overreacting to these fluctuations, it’s often best to look at adjusted earnings, which exclude such items.

Companies can choose to reinvest their net income or pass it on to shareholders in the form of dividends and share buybacks. The latter option can have the effect of reducing the number of outstanding shares in a company, which can boost EPS growth. However, it’s important to understand that this type of “earnings engineering” doesn’t necessarily mean fraud or manipulation. In some cases, the way that companies account for the wear and tear on their assets (called depreciation) may end up understating real expenses over time, which can make a company appear more profitable than it really is.

In addition to revealing financial results, earnings reports also provide a glimpse into future expectations. This can give investors a sense of whether a company’s growth potential is sustainable or not. During earnings season, companies frequently release forward guidance and other special announcements that can drive immediate market reactions.

As the United States continues its airstrikes against Iran, it’s worth revisiting the term “regime change.” The dictionary definition is straightforward: It’s overthrowing a foreign government and replacing it with one more in line with the views or interests of an outside power.

The scholarly literature paints a grim picture of the typical regime-change mission. Almost all scholars agree that it is hard to succeed and often sabotages future stability in the target country. It’s a mission that, at best, creates only limited progress toward achieving the original goals and, at worst, spirals into an endless state-building project. The scholarly consensus also underscores the danger that these missions may encourage more covert operations from other powers to pursue their own interests, which will only serve to undermine America’s ability to advance its own.

Regime-change missions are hampered by ignorance: The outsiders who intervene typically have little knowledge about the society they’re entering and what it will take to develop a new order that can be trusted. They’ll likely not understand how to build institutions that will have the popular support they need to survive and grow, nor do they know what the local culture can handle.

Attempts to topple foreign governments for parochial reasons are never wise, but the American people deserve to have their leaders backed by a solid intellectual foundation for their policy decisions. The two common mindsets that fuel regime change should be abandoned: the belief that it can create substantial change with minimal effort, and the view that a government must be toppled if it fails to promote certain ideas or interests.

A news bulletin is a short radio news broadcast – often on the hour or half hour – which provides the bare facts of news stories before more depth is added in a full programme. A bulletin may be a single news story read by the newsreader or a series of stories with an audio clip (either a straight read from the newsreader or a 20- or 25-second audio clip). Composing a news bulletin requires both journalistic writing skills and editing skills – sourcing, selecting, checking and prioritising stories.

A key aspect of a news bulletin is clarity. It is crucial that the audience can understand what is being reported, especially as they cannot rewind or take notes whilst listening. This requires a simple editorial rule: short, clear sentences. Avoiding jargon is also important, as it can be difficult for listeners to follow. The use of sound bites can help with this, as they are more engaging and provide first-hand evidence. However, they should not be used for filler and the newsreader should ensure that all clips have an editorial reason to be included.

The news bulletin is a valuable opportunity for a radio station to highlight local events and issues that affect the community. It should be a balanced and digestible mix of information, which nourishes and prepares the audience for the day ahead. It is worth considering the demographics of the audience and ensuring that the content is relevant to them; political stories should be highlighted as to how they affect their daily lives rather than being focused solely on politics.

An exclusive report has become a buzzword in the PR industry, but it requires careful thought and planning to execute well. It means pitching the news to one journalist or media outlet and giving them sole access to an announcement until it reaches a wider audience — usually via embargo. Joseph and Prewett agree that it’s best to use this strategy sparingly, and only for genuinely newsworthy announcements.

To do this, carefully select the journalists or media outlets that align with your audience and goals, and research their editorial focus and previous coverage. Also, it’s important to be prepared to quickly supply the journalist with any high-resolution images or other documentation that expedites the reporting process. And finally, don’t forget to clearly communicate that this is an exclusive offer in your pitch email.

While exclusives flatter reporters and pique interest, they don’t guarantee that the story will get picked up or shared. “Journalists are up against the gun on timing to turn around stories, and too short a window may require them to pass on the exclusive, even if it is something they want to report on,” Prewett says.

And if you do decide to go down this route, Prewett advises to have back-up stories ready to be pitched to a broader media audience in the event that the journalist isn’t able to secure an exclusive report. This way, you won’t leave the door open for a competitor to grab your exclusive and run with it.

Breaking news is the term for new, urgent information about events that are developing or just occurred, often requiring immediate reporting. These developments capture the public’s attention and may include disasters, political upheavals or other significant occurrences that have the potential to affect large numbers of people. Breaking news stories often interrupt regular programming and are updated frequently as more details become available.

When breaking news, journalists must consider how to balance the need for speed with the need to accurately report and avoid sensationalism. They also must take care not to report the names of victims of injury or death until family members have been notified and confirmed. This can be a challenging task in chaotic and confusing situations such as mass shootings, natural disasters or ongoing investigations.

NPs also face the challenge of breaking bad news to patients and families. While many aspects of delivering this type of difficult message cannot be predicted, using an established communication template or protocol can help to instill quality and empathy into the process.

Ahead of time, assess the person who is receiving your news and determine how they might be feeling about it (e.g., they might already be aware that something is wrong, or they might be in shock). You should also decide what to tell them and how much you are willing and able to share. It might be helpful to prepare yourself for the conversation by taking some time to yourself, exercising, having a cup of coffee or doing some other self-care activity.