The Hindu Editorial Vocabulary 18th April 2020

1. lend a hand (phrase) – support, assist, help.
2. lockdown (noun) – an emergency protocol implemented by the authorities that prevents people from leaving from a place; An extended state of confinement/encirclement/isolation of a person by the authority.
3. stimulus (noun) – impetus, boost, incentive, fillip.
4. cue (noun) – sign, indication, signal.
5. fiscal (adjective) – financial, monetary, budgetary.
6. infuse (verb) – add, impart, introduce.
7. infuse oxygen (phrase) – oxygenate; it figuratively means adding an important ingredient to the system to help it function normally & efficiently.
8. liquidity (noun) – the availability of liquid assets; liquidity means liquid assets; cash; (liquid asset is an asset which can be easily sold/converted into cash without losing its value); a measure of activity (i.e. the ability to buy or sell easily) in a market.
9. lifeblood (noun) – essential component/part, driving force, essence.
10. regulatory (adjective) – organizational, governmental.
11. non-banking financial company (NBFC) (noun) – a company incorporated under the Companies Act 2013 or 1956 which is engaged in the business of loans and advances, acquisition of stocks, equities, debt etc issued by the government or any local authority. The main objective of this type of a company is to accept deposits under any scheme or manner.
12. calibrate (verb) – carefully assess, regulate, adjust.
13. ground (noun) – a place where activities are taking place.
14. categorical (adjective) – explicit, unambiguous, definite, unconditional/conclusive.
15. evolve (verb) – develop, progress, advance.
16. indeed (adverb) – in fact, actually, undeniably.
17. generous (adjective) – liberal, free-handed, unstinting; kind, big-hearted.
18. consequence (noun) – outcome, ramification, repercussion.
19. overarching (adjective) – all-inclusive, complete, all-embracing, comprehensive.
20. objective (noun) – aim, intention, purpose.
21. keep something afloat (phrase) – to keep something going that may not be working out/performing well; sustain, endure, remain/withstand.
22. deploy (verb) – employ (resources into effective action).
23. instrument (noun) – mechanism, apparatus, system, means (to achieve/attain something).
24. at someone’s command/disposal (phrase) – ready to assist the person concerned in any way they wish.
25. Targeted Long Term Repo Operation (TLTRO) (noun) – a tool introduced by the RBI on March 27th, to enhance liquidity in the system, particularly the corporate bond market, in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis. The central bank (RBI) wants banks opting for funds under this option to be specifically invested in investment-grade corporate debt.
26. Long Term Repo Operation (LTRO) (noun) – a tool that lets banks borrow one to three-year funds from the central bank (RBI) at the repo rate, by providing government securities with similar or higher tenure as collateral.
27. call out (phrasal verb) – to speak/say loudly, crticize, draw attention to (someone’s bad actions).
28. risk-on attitude (noun) – it is a global market sentiment. When investors are optimistic about the outlook for the economy, they will bid up the price of riskier assets. That’s “risk on”.
29. risk-off attitude (noun) – when uncertainty or negativity hits the market, investors tend to sell risky assets in a hurry and buy assets seen as safe havens, ones that are usually less vulnerable. That’s “risk off”.
30. microfinance (noun) – microcredit, microbanking;  the extension of very small loans (microloans) with no collateral, to impoverished borrowers in rural or undeveloped areas.
31. repo rate (noun) – it is the rate at which the central bank of a country (RBI in case of India) lends money to commercial banks in the event of any shortfall of funds.
32. reverse repo rate (noun) – it is the rate at which the central bank of a country (RBI in case of India) borrows money from commercial banks within the country.
33. basis point (BPS) (noun) – a unit of measure used in finance to describe the percentage change in the value or rate of a financial instrument. One basis point is equivalent to 0.01% (1/100th of a percent) or 0.0001 in decimal form.
34. furthermore (adverb) – moreover, also, additionally, besides.
35. indulge in (verb) – become involved in (usually an undesirable activity).
36. lazy banking (noun) – a method of banking where banks avoid lending or taking any risk and put their money in risk free investments is called lazy banking.
37. park (verb) – deposit, put, save.
38. working capital (noun) – the difference between current assets and current liabilities. A business’s working capital is equivalent to the amount of cash it can deploy very rapidly, otherwise known as its operating liquidity.
39. overdraft (noun) – credit, advance.
40. asset classification standstill (noun) – The RBI would provide a standstill on asset classification for standard bank accounts, implying these couldn’t be classified as bad assets after stipulated 90-day period. However, the banks will have to maintain an additional provisioning of 10 per cent on such accounts.
41. moratorium (noun) – a temporary suspension of an activity; embargo, ban, prohibition.
42. non-performing assets (NPAs) (noun) – bad loans, troubled accounts, stressed loans; an account where principal and/or interest remains overdue for a period of time.
43. breathing space (noun) – interval, break/respite, stoppage.
44. ways and means advances (WMA) (noun) – a facility for both the Centre and states to borrow from the RBI. These borrowings are meant purely to help them to tide over (sustain) temporary mismatches in cash flows of their receipts and expenditures.
45. prop up (phrasal verb) – support, assist, fund/finance.
46. constituent (noun) – component, segment, element, ingredient.

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