Most Americans may not realize popular tech hasn't been hit by China tariffs—yet.

(The Center Square) - After over ten straight weeks of price declines Washington state fuel prices are still among the highest in the nation and rank fourth among the 50 states.

Gas prices could rise after vote by California regulators

Indore's Siyaganj market is experiencing a surge in demand for groceries ahead of the wedding season, despite significant price increases in edible oils, pulses, and grains. Traders anticipate an 8-10% rise in business compared to the previous year, driven by bulk orders from caterers and increased individual purchases.

Britannia Industries reported a 10% drop in profit for the quarter ended September as surging housing costs and low income growth in urban areas led to a slowdown in demand for fast-moving consumer goods. While rural demand has been stable, urban demand has seen a significant downturn, mirroring global trends of consumer confidence returning but wages lagging behind inflation.

Driven by central bank purchases and geopolitical tensions, gold prices soared to 39 new all-time highs in 2024, marking the highest number in 45 years. The surge, influenced by strong Asian demand and US election anxieties, saw gold reach $2,734 per ounce, prompting predictions of further increases.

I don't want to get hosed buying a pretty label and sales pitch on the bottle. I don't mind buying more than one bottle to get a better price. I don't know what "should be" in good mayo but you do, that's why I came here for guidance. I know we all hate Amazon, plz go to the next question rather than telling me Bezos blows; I am aware.

For years, Matt Harris dreamed about building a treehouse out behind his back fence in Knoxville, Tenn. He never got around to it, though, until the pandemic hit. "It was just a matter of finding time," Harris says. "And that didn't come until everything kind of shut down for a little bit." When the coronavirus canceled youth sports for the season, Harris suddenly found his weekends free. And his children — ages 8, 7 and 4 — made a willing construction crew. "They were good measurers and markers of the wood," Harris says. "You don't let small children use power tools, necessarily. But in terms of things they could help [with], they were enthusiastic about it." As he set about buying supplies, Harris noticed a lot of other housebound families seemed to be working on their own projects. "There were definitely some days when we went to Lowe's where it looked like a swarm of locusts had come through," says Harris, an economist at the University of Tennessee. "I think the lumber industry

We look at the impact of inflation on the outcome of the presidential elections this week.

As Canada's inflation rate continues to slow, the same cannot be said for food prices. Groceries bought at stores are increasing at a pace of 11.4 per cent. And as some economists predict, there's reason to believe food prices could continue to climb because of currency and seasonal reasons. 

The rising cost of what sometimes seems to be everything has been one of the top stories this year. And the most expensive time of the year is now here. How have you gotten through the holidays in tough times previously, and what solutions have you come up with this year?

BENNELONG’S nation-leading house price increase showed people were suffering with high rents and the inability to on their own home, according to some election candidates.

Junk fees “are in line with deceptive and unfair trade practices because landlords are advertising a fake price to get consumers interested, but it’s not what they’re actually going to pay at the end of the day,” said state Rep. Javier Mabrey.

The popular train from Union Station will have more cars and run five days a week.

“Today I am pleased to report that the price at the pump for gasoline has fallen 5.2 cents from the price cap put in place in February 2022,” announced Premier and Minister of Finance David Burt. Premier Burt continued, “As a result of Russia’s war in Ukraine, consumers worldwide faced record-high gas prices; however, the […]

“The price at the pump for Gasoline as of Tuesday, May 16, 2023, is expected to remain at 234.1 cents/litre,” announced Premier and Minister of Finance David Burt. “This price is equal to the February 2022 level of 234.10 cents/litre, at which prices were capped for the last fourteen months while global prices soared.” Without […]

“The price at the pump for Gasoline as of Friday, June 16, 2023, will remain at 234.10 cents/litre,” announced Premier and Minister of Finance David Burt. “This price is equal to the February 2022 level of 234.10 cents/litre, at which prices were capped for the last fifteen months. “Diesel, for the third consecutive month, is […]

Years ago we were doing some work in the roofing business. In one study, we were working on the asphalt shingle roofing manufacturing business. At the time, this was a terrible business. Returns were low, growth rates were modest, at best, and there was a good deal of overcapacity in the industry. Then the industry caught a break. A shortage in asphalt developed. This shortage of asphalt rolled through the asphalt shingle plants and restricted their output. Immediately, prices jumped, returns became attractive and industry participants breathed a sigh of relief. Unfortunately, this asphalt shortage did not last very long. The industry shortly returned to its previous hostile condition. (See the Perspective, “What Ends Hostility?” on StrategyStreet.com.)

A shortage in any component, or labor, will restrict industry capacity and tend to raise prices. A labor shortage is, in part, responsible for some of the high prices in mining today. Miners work in areas that are often hard to reach. They also are skilled employees. The run-up in commodity prices, especially those related to ores such as silver, gold and copper, has increased the demand for these skilled miners. In addition, the mining industry faces competition for skilled workers from the oil and natural gas industries, which are also growing.

Mining companies are now going to great lengths to attract and retain these skilled workers. Some of these miners are now earning 25% more in compensation than they were a year ago. Some companies are flying workers to and from remote mines. For example, BHP Billiton plans to fly 500 workers from Brisbane, about 500 miles away, to a coal mine site that they are opening and then fly them back home after a couple of weeks.

If this commodity boom continues, the industry’s total capacity will be determined more by labor availability than by its more traditional measures of capacity. (See “Audio Tip #117: Capacity Constraints and Pricing” on StrategyStreet.com.)

Current prices are now a deal, get them while you can or cancel your subscription in protest. Many vendors have already increased prices.

 

 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2023/08/31/time-to-cancel-playstation-plus-as-sony-quietly-raises-prices-through-the-roof/?sh=e43dfc0c9ac6

 

In an echo of the US, the current vice-president is up against an ex-president in the 7 December vote.

Drinkers at a Soho pub have to pay more for late-night pints as part of a dynamic pricing policy.

The best early Black Friday MacBook deals include all-time low prices on the latest MacBook Air models.

The PlayStation 5 Pro hits shops on Thursday with a price tag that has raised eyebrows among gamers, but growing sticker shocks in the tech industry have yet to deter consumers.

Prices, Products and Priorities: Meeting Refugees’ Energy Needs in Burkina Faso and Kenya Other resource sysadmin 24 January 2018

As the number of displaced people increases, and aid budgets come under further pressure, the imperative to identify cost-effective and sustainable solutions for delivering energy to refugees is more pressing than ever.

This paper examines the issue of energy and displacement in detail, using insights from refugees in camps in Burkina Faso and Kenya. It seeks to promote a better understanding of their energy needs, priorities and preferences, and explores how increased access to energy might help to achieve lasting impact in the two camps surveyed. The paper is based on primary research from the Goudoubo camp in Burkina Faso and the Kakuma I camp in Kenya, but the analysis and conclusions are pertinent in the wider context of camps for forcibly displaced people.

Summary points

• There is a low level of energy access in the refugee camps of Kakuma I and Goudoubo, which contributes to poverty and hampers relief and development efforts. Trying to meet basic cooking, lighting and phone-charging needs is costly for refugees, consuming a significant share of stretched monthly budgets.
• The predominant cooking solution consists of basic improved cookstoves burning wood and charcoal. The ‘three-stone fire’ method also remains commonplace. Three out of five families in Kakuma I report health problems due to smoke from cookstoves.
• Street lighting is a high priority for residents, due to concerns about security and safety in camps. In Goudoubo, 86 per cent of survey respondents said that more household members would go out after dark if there were better public lighting.
• A significant proportion of refugees would pay for cleaner and more efficient energy technologies, but many lack the financial resources required, and the development of markets for such products remains partially contingent on sustained financial support.
• There is a need for a diversity of energy technologies that give varying levels and qualities of service; a ‘one size fits all’ approach is inappropriate if universal access to sustainable energy is to be achieved.
• Clean cookstoves and fuels (LPG, ethanol, biogas, etc.) are in high demand, but require much greater investment if they are to be introduced at scale. Solid biomass and improved cookstoves will continue to be important cooking solutions in Kakuma I and Goudoubo, as well as in other refugee camps. A shift to more efficient cooking can be achieved at little or no extra cost for the significant proportion of people who still cook on three-stone fires.
• Users of quality-verified household solar products spend dramatically less on light and power than do people using inferior technologies. Strong brand recognition and a high willingness to pay indicate a large market and a significant opportunity for the solar private sector.
• Centralized electricity supply solutions – mini-grids or grid connections – are more economic than multiple standalone diesel generators. The current piecemeal and ad hoc approach, with each facility managing its own power supply, is inherently wasteful. Greater coordination among humanitarian clusters is required so that centralized solutions can be assessed, designed, financed and implemented.
• Collecting data on energy expenditure and use, as well as quantification of the wide ranging impacts of improved technologies, is necessary to build a compelling case for investment in electricity infrastructure. In addition, engaging refugees on their needs, preferences and willingness to pay can improve the sustainability and impact of energy interventions.
• Private-sector and market development approaches offer long-term, cost-effective solutions for refugees and can also benefit host communities. As the number of displaced people in the world increases, and as aid budgets come under further pressure, the imperative to identify cost-effective and sustainable solutions is more pressing than ever.

Chatham House is a part of the Moving Energy Initiative, a consortium working towards clean energy for refugees. For more information visit movingenergy.earth

Click here to access the presentation by QU Dongyu.

 

The barometer for world food commodity prices declined for the fifth consecutive month in August, as quotations for most benchmark items dropped, according to a new report released today by [...]

More than 50 Norman Wells residents gathered at the Royal Canadian Legion on Thursday night to voice frustrations over high heating fuel prices.

Proposed tariffs under the Trump administration could trigger considerable price increases for consumer electronics in the United States, though Apple may be able to weather the storm.

During his first time in office, President Donald Trump's trade war with China resulted in price increases. While there were threats that Apple's products would be dinged by tariffs, Tim Cook's regular Trump talks helped Apple avoid being hurt by the import charges.

For Trump's second term in office, it seems that a similar situation could happen again, with Chinese imports being hit with high tariffs. However, this time Apple is in a much better position.


Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Global food prices rose in September at their fastest rate since March 2022, with sugar prices surging as dry weather and fires damaged Brazilian sugarcane crops, the Food and Agriculture Organization said Friday.

The latest investment insights and market developments.

Blue Ribbon and Snowflake owner Premier's interim earnings rose by almost a third on Tuesday as the group benefited from a focus on margin management, cost savings and continued investment in its assets.

The world prices rose to the highest level in the past 18 months in October, revealed UN.

While commerce apps are charging a high price for coconut, the local vendors viral ad is gaining traction for a low price.

Dover, Del—Natural gas prices have spiked in the past six months and are up more than 30 percent since the end of August 2021. This is largely due to increased U.S. demand and the ongoing energy crisis in Europe. According to the Energy Information Administration, about 43 percent of Delaware households rely on natural gas […]

Dover, Del.—Natural gas prices have continued to increase this year and are up nearly 60 percent year to date. This is largely due to increased U.S. demand and the ongoing energy crisis in Europe. According to the Energy Information Administration, about 42 percent of Delaware households rely on natural gas for home heating. “Due to […]

Samsung is running some Black Friday deals for its foldables like the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Flip 6, so what are you waiting for?

The post Grab the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Flip 6 at incredible Black Friday prices! appeared first on Phandroid.

Global energy prices have eased, but Australian farmers will continue to pay elevated prices for fertiliser and diesel.

With prices rising, Nigerians are becoming creative. Thrift shopping is booming, offering affordable options. Gibson Emeka from Abuja looks at how this market is becoming a lifeline for many in Nigeria.

The plunge in oil prices has had a significant effect on Russia, Iran and Venezuela, and is changing those countries' geopolitical calculus.

Francis Ndege isn’t sure if his customers in Africa’s largest slum can afford to keep buying rice from him. Prices for rice grown in Kenya soared a while ago because of higher fertilizer prices and a yearslong drought in the Horn of Africa that has reduced production. Cheap rice imported from India had filled the gap, feeding many of the hundreds of thousands of residents in Nairobi's Kibera slum who survive on less than $2 a day. But that is changing. The price of a 25-kilogram (55-pound) bag of rice has risen by a fifth since June. Wholesalers are yet to receive new stocks since India, the world's largest exporter of rice by far, said last month that it would ban some rice shipments. It's an effort by the world’s most populous nation to control domestic prices ahead of a key election year — but it’s left a yawning gap of around 9.5 million metric tons (10.4 tons) of rice that people around the world need, roughly a fifth of global exports. “I’m really hoping the imports keep coming,” said Ndege, 51, who's sold rice for 30 years. He isn’t the only one. Global food security is already under threat since Russia halted an agreement allowing Ukraine to export wheat and the El Nino weather phenomenon hampers rice production. Now, rice prices are soaring — Vietnam’s rice export prices, for instance, have reached a 15-year high — putting the most vulnerable people in some of the poorest nations at risk. The world is at an “inflection point," said Beau Damen, a natural resources officer with the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization based in Bangkok. Even before India’s restrictions, countries already were frantically buying rice in anticipation of scarcity later when the El Nino hit, creating a supply crunch and spiking prices. What could make the situation worse is if India’s ban on non-basmati rice creates a domino effect, with other countries following suit. Already, the United Arab Emirates has suspended rice exports to maintain its domestic stocks. Another threat is if extreme weather damages rice crops in other countries. An El Nino is a natural, temporary and occasional warming of part of the Pacific Ocean that shifts global weather patterns, and climate change is making them stronger. Scientists expect the one underway to expand to supersized levels, and, in the past, they have resulted in extreme weather ranging from drought to flooding. The impact would be felt worldwide. Rice consumption in Africa has been growing steadily, and most countries are heavily dependent on imports. While nations with growing populations like Senegal have been trying to grow more of their own rice — many are struggling. Amadou Khan, a 52-year-old unemployed father of five in Dakar, says his children eat rice with every meal except breakfast, which they often have to skip when he's out of work. “I am just getting by — sometimes, I’ve trouble taking care of my kids,” he said. Imported rice — 70% of which comes from India — has become prohibitively expensive in Senegal, so he's eating homegrown rice that costs two-thirds as much. Senegal will turn to other trading partners like Thailand or Cambodia for imports, though the West African country is not “far from being self-sufficient" on rice, with over half of its demand grown locally, Agriculture Ministry spokesperson Mamadou Aïcha Ndiaye said. Asian countries, where 90% of the world’s rice is grown and eaten, are struggling with production. The Philippines was carefully managing water in anticipation of less rain amid the El Nino when Typhoon Doksuri battered its northern rice-producing region, damaging $32 million worth of rice crops — an estimated 22% of its annual production. The archipelago nation is the second-largest importer of rice after China, and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has underscored the need to ensure adequate buffers. India’s rice restrictions also were motivated by erratic weather: An uneven monsoon along with a looming El Nino meant that the partial ban was needed to stop food prices from rising, Indian food policy expert Devinder Sharma said. The restrictions will take offline nearly half the country's usual rice exports this year, said Ashok Gulati of the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relation. Repeated restrictions make India an unreliable exporter, he added. “That’s not good for the export business because it takes years to develop these markets,” Gulati said. Vietnam, another major rice exporter, is hoping to capitalize. With rice export prices at a 15-year high and expectations that annual production to be marginally higher than last year, the Southeast Asian nation is trying to keep domestic prices stable while boosting exports. The Agriculture Ministry says it's working to increase how much land in the Mekong Delta is dedicated to growing rice by around 500 square kilometers — an area larger than 90,000 football fields. Already the Philippines is in talks with Vietnam to try to get the grain at lower prices, while Vietnam also looks to target the United Kingdom, which receives much of its rice from India. But exporters like Charoen Laothamatas in neighboring Thailand are wary. The Thai government expects to ship more rice than it did last year, with its exports in the first six months of the year 15% higher than the same period of 2022. But the lack of clarity about what India will do next and concerns about the El Nino means Thai exporters are reluctant to take orders, mill operators are unwilling to sell and farmers have increased the prices of unmilled rice, said Laothamatas, president of the Thai Rice Exporters Association. With prices fluctuating, exporters don't know what prices to quote — because prices may spike again the next day. “And no one wants to take the risk,” Laothamatas said.

[Nyasa Times] Malawians across the country are feeling the weight of soaring cooking oil prices, with many struggling to make ends meet as the cost of living continues to rise. Over the past month, the price of cooking oil has surged by an average of 12%, forcing consumers to dig deeper into their pockets to purchase essential household items.

Title: Patent Monopolies Driving High U.S. Drug Prices: Study
Category: Health News
Created: 8/23/2016 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/24/2016 12:00:00 AM

Title: California Will Produce Its Own Insulin to Bring Down Prices
Category: Health News
Created: 7/8/2022 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 7/8/2022 12:00:00 AM

Canadian rental prices fell 1.2 per cent in October compared to the same time last year. It's the first time that annual rents have declined since July 2021, according to a new report.

This week, I’m rerunning some popular posts while we put the finishing touches on DCI’s new 2024-25 Economic Report on Pharmaceutical Wholesalers and Specialty Distributors.

Last week, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) released the redacted version of administrative complaint against the three largest pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). The FTC rightly calls out how the gross-to-net bubble can raise patients’ out-of-pocket costs, while also acknowledging how rebates can reduce a plan's (but not the patient’s) costs. Apparently, the FTC believes that PBMs’ customers are pretty dumb, because PBMs are able to prevent plans from “appreciating” such healthcare financing dynamics.

Section V.E. of the complaint (starting on page 23) focuses on the PBMs’ alleged unlawful conduct related to preferring high-list/high-rebate insulin products over versions with lower list prices. I thought it would therefore be fun to take the Wayback Machine to November 2021, when I wrote about this specific topic.

Below, you can review my commentary about the warped incentives behind Viatris’ dual-pricing strategy for its interchangeable biosimilar of Lantus. Much of the FTC’s description of the drug channel aligns with my commentary. But before you fist pump too hard for Ms. Khan’s FTC, you should pause to reflect on the agency’s legal theories in light of plans’ revealed preferences.

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The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved the first interchangeable biosimilar insulin product: the insulin glargine-yfgn injection from Viatris. Read the FDA’s press release.

Alas, I’m sad to report that the warped incentives baked into the U.S. drug channel will limit the impact of this impressive breakthrough.

Viatris is being forced to launch both a high-priced and a low-priced version of the biosimilar. However, only the high-list/high-rebate, branded version will be available on Express Scripts’ largest commercial formulary. Express Scripts will block both the branded reference product and the lower-priced, unbranded—but also interchangeable—version. Meanwhile, Prime Therapeutics will place both versions on its formularies, leaving the choice up to its plan sponsor clients.

Consequently, many commercial payers will adopt the more expensive product instead of the identical—but cheaper—version. As usual, patients will be the ultimate victims of our current drug pricing system.

Below, I explain the weird economics behind this decision, highlight the negative impact on patients, and speculate on what this all could mean for biosimilars’ future. Until plan sponsors break their addiction to rebates, today’s U.S. drug channel problems will remain.
Read more »

Discover how IWMI researchers are using climate-smart agriculture to combat low crop yields in the Global South.

The post Severe summer weather ruins crops in Asia and Africa causing vegetable prices to skyrocket first appeared on International Water Management Institute (IWMI).

Weak global cues, lower crude oil prices and political bickering over the government's demonetisation move pulled the Indian equity markets lower on Thursday.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) expects the benchmark Henry Hub spot price to average about $2.25 per million British thermal units (MMBtu) in 2024, a 10% decrease from 2023 and a 65% decrease from 2022. In its March Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO), EIA forecasts that U.S. natural gas inventories will be more than 30% higher than average at the end of the winter season following relatively low winter demand.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) expects that the United States will generate more electricity from renewables and coal in the second half of this year, as electricity demand and natural gas prices increase.