Monday, September 1, 2008

Consumables

Consumables
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Goods used by individuals and businesses that must be replaced
regularly because they wear out or are used up. Consumables
can also be defined as the components of an end product that
are used up or permanently altered in the process of
manufacturing, such as semiconductor wafers and basic chemicals.


Investopedia Says:
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Stocks of companies that make consumables are considered to
be relative safe harbors for equity investors when the economy
shows signs of weakness. The reasoning is simple: people will
always need to purchase groceries, clothes and gas no matter
what is going on in the broad economy.

Many of the items measured in the basket of goods used to
calculate the Consumer Price Index (CPI) are consumables;
inflation in these items is closely watched because it can
lower the discretionary income people have to spend on items
such as cars, vacations and entertainment.

Baby Boomer

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A person who was born between 1946 and 1964. The baby boomer
generation makes up a substantial portion of the North American
population. Representing nearly 20% of the American public,
baby boomers have a significant impact on the economy. As a
result, baby boomers are often the focus of marketing campaigns
and business plans.


Investopedia Says:
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After the end of World War II, birth rates across the world
spiked. The explosion of new infants became known as the baby
boom. During the boom, an estimated 77 million babies were born
in the United States alone! The large increase in population
produced a substantial rise in demand for consumer goods,
stimulating the post-war economy.

Peak Oil

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A hypothetical date referring to the world's peak crude oil
production, whereby following this day, production rates will
begin to diminish. This concept is derived from geophysicist
Marion King Hubbert's "peak theory", which proclaims that oil
production follows a bell-shaped curve.


Investopedia Says:
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Because oil is a non-replenishing resource, there is a
limit to how much the world can extract and refine. Peak
oil is the day that oil production reaches a maximum and
will subsequently begin to decline until full depletion is
ultimately reached.

Staycation

What Does it Mean?

A vacation spent at or near your own home, rather than traveling to another location. People take staycations for many reasons, including but not limited to, saving money, avoiding travel, and taking advantage of and enjoying what is available in their own city.

Patronage Dividend

A dividend or distribution that a co-operative pays to its members or investors. Patronage dividends are given based on a proportion of profit made by the business. Once this amount is figured out the dividend is calculated according to how much each member has used the co-op's services. Tax rules view these profits essentially as an overcharge, which can be returned to patrons and deducted from the co-op's taxable income.