Quiz of the week, 25-31 July 2020

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1. Why has US President Donald Trump raised the prospect of delaying the November election?

a. He doesn’t want to leave the Oval Office

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b. He doesn’t like Joe Biden

c. Because of coronavirus safety concerns

d. He thinks the vote would be marred by fraud due to increased mail-in ballots

2. The IMF this week approved a $4.3bn coronavirus emergency funding package, the largest pandemic disbursement yet, for which hard-hit country?

a. Brazil

b. South Africa

c. India

d. Mexico

3. Which country slipped into deflation this week after its consumer price index took its biggest hit in the history of its measurement?

a. New Zealand

b. Japan

c. Australia

d. Brazil

4. On the opposite end of the spectrum, which country toppled over into hyperinflation after its central bank’s money-printing failed to finance its deficits?

a. Lebanon

b. Syria

c. Kuwait

d. Oman

5. British, Canadian and now US governments are warning people receiving mystery packages of unidentified what?

a. Powder

b. Seeds

c. Plants

d. Dog treats

6. The coronavirus pandemic plunged some of Europe’s leading economies into historic recessions. Which countries were the hardest hit?

a. France, Italy and Portugal

b. Germany, Italy and Portugal

c. France, Italy and Spain

d. France, Italy and Germany

7. Gold finally surpassed its 2011 peak this week. How many dollars per ounce is it currently worth?

a. $1,875

b. $2,037

c. $1764

d. $1923

8. The fourth richest woman in the world this week announced this week she donated $1.7bn between 116 charities. According to Forbes, who is the fourth richest woman in the world?

a. Walmart heir Alice Walton

B. L’Oreal heir Francoise Bettencourt Meyers

c. Real estate developer Yang Huiyan

d. Novelist (and Jeff Bezos’s ex-wife) MacKenzie Scott

9. Sales at which high street retailer have recovered much better than expected, prompting predictions of sizeable profits this year?

a. M&S

b. Next

c. H&M

d. Debenhams

10. Which banking group revealed this week it fell to a £770m loss for the first six months of the year?

a. Natwest Group

b. Lloyds Banking Group

c. Barclays

d. Santander

Answers

1. d. He thinks the vote would be marred by fraud due to increased mail-in ballots. Trump said in a tweet universal mail-in voting would make 2020 “the most INACCURATE & FRAUDULENT Election in history”. Congress immediately rejected the notion.

2. b. South Africa. With over 450,000 confirmed cases, South Africa is the worst hit country in Africa.

3. c. Australia.

4. a. Lebanon. Lebanon became the first country in North Africa and the Middle East to fall into hyperinflation, with prices for food and clothing surging 190% and 172% respectively.

5. b. Seeds. British and Canadian government agencies are reporting people in their countries receiving mystery packages of seeds. Residents have been urged not to plant them or ingest them.

6. c. France, Italy and Spain. Spain’s GDP declined 18.5%, France’s GDP was down 13.8%, and Italy’s GDP fell by 12.4% in the first and second quarters of the year.

7. d. $1923.

8. d. Novelist (and Jeff Bezos’s ex-wife) MacKenzie Scott

9. b. Next. Next said trading greatly improved after its shops reopened, expecting a £195m profit rather than breaking even or a feared £150m loss.

10. b. Lloyds Banking Group.