UPSC Static Quiz – Economy : 29 May 2025

Solution: c)

What is a share buyback?

A share repurchase or buyback is a decision by a company to purchase its own stock from the market. Such a move reduces the number of outstanding shares of the company and tend to push up their price and is often undertaken when management considers the company’s shares undervalued.

It is also a key way to transfer surplus earnings to shareholders and tends to lead to an increase in share prices.

Solution: b)

An angel investor (also known as a private investor, seed investor or angel funder) is a high-net-worth individual who provides financial backing for small startups or entrepreneurs, typically in exchange for ownership equity in the company.

Often, angel investors are found among an entrepreneur’s family and friends.

The funds that angel investors provide may be a one-time investment to help the business get off the ground or an ongoing injection to support and carry the company through its difficult early stages.

Solution: c)

Hard currency refers to money that is issued by a nation that is seen as politically and economically stable. Hard currencies are widely accepted around the world as a form of payment for goods and services and may be preferred over the domestic currency.

A hard currency is expected to remain relatively stable through a short period of time, and to be highly liquid in the forex or foreign exchange (FX) market. The most tradable currencies in the world are the U.S. dollar (USD), European euro (EUR), Japanese yen (JPY), British pound (GBP), Swiss franc (CHF), Canadian dollar (CAD) and the Australian dollar (AUD). All of these currencies have the confidence of international investors and businesses because they are not generally prone to dramatic depreciation or appreciation.

Solution: b)

Statement 3 is incorrect.

The GDP deflator, also called implicit price deflator, is a measure of inflation. It is the ratio of the value of goods and services an economy produces in a particular year at current prices to that of prices that prevailed during the base year.

This ratio helps show the extent to which the increase in gross domestic product has happened on account of higher prices rather than increase in output.

Since the deflator covers the entire range of goods and services produced in the economy — as against the limited commodity baskets for the wholesale or consumer price indices — it is seen as a more comprehensive measure of inflation.

Changes in consumption patterns or introduction of goods and services are automatically reflected in the GDP deflator. This allows the GDP deflator to absorb changes to an economy’s consumption or investment patterns. Often, the trends of the GDP deflator will be similar to that of the CPI.

Solution: b)

Inflation is basically too much money chasing too few goods, or excess demand chasing limited supply. If income rises faster, demand for goods and services will also rise. On the other hand, if the economy is unable to satisfy the increased demand, for e.g. due to poor infrastructure, lack of production etc, the higher income will spiral the prices upwards and lead to high inflation.

Excess supply is likely to bring prices down.