an upward trend (a rising trend)

a downward trend (a falling trend)

to skyrocket

to surge

to soar

to jump

to peak/reach a peak

to drop

to plummet

to crash

to tumble

CHANGING DIRECTION - to bottom out

to recover

to rebound

to hit a record low

to hit a record high

to remain stable to remain stable

to remain constant

to stabilise

a dramatic fall

a substantial increase

The amount of INCREASE can also be indicated using these verbs: to halve (1/2) – a decrease to double (x2) to triple/to treble (x3) quadruple (x4) to increase tenfold (x10) to increase twelve times (x12)

Boom and bust boomA boom is when there is rising demand, and other indicators are strong. StagnationStagnation is when the economy is growing slowly, or not at all. StagflationStagflation is when slow growth is combined with prices that are increasing fast. Recessionnegative growth slump depressionRecession is a period when there is negative growth, a period when the economy is producing less. A slump is a very bad recession. A depression is a very bad slump.

Look at the following graph and put one of the numbers next to the given words: (a) trough (b) erratic movements (c) a gradual rise (d) to level off (e) a dramatic fall (f) fluctuations (g) to reach a peak (h) a sharp recovery (i) a gradual fall (j) a plateau (k) to take a plunge (l) a steady increase (m) to leap downwards (n) a decline (o) to soar

Look at these headlines and say whether the statements about them are true or false. F T T F T F T T

Complete the paragraph with these prepositions: OF, TO, BY, AT, UNDER, FROM At the end of April, sales stood ____ $150m, having risen ____ a previous low point ____ just ____ $100m. Over the next couple of months they rose steadily to reach a peak ____ $190m. They then fell sharply ____ $35m towards the end of July, but crept up again in August ____ $160m. AT OF FROM UNDER OF BY TO

No change in Eurozone rates Read the newspaper extract. Fill in the blanks with IN or OF. The European Central Bank has left interest rates unchanged despite worries over the German economy. The last time there was a fall ___ interest rates was on 10 May, when the bank announced a cut ___ 0.25%, bringing the key interest rate for the Eurozone countries to 4.5%. The decision came hours after official figures showed a surprising increase ___ employment in Germany. Analysts had been forecasting a rise ___ 55,000 but the official figures reported an increase ___ 18,000, taking the total to just under four million. The ECB is also facing the problem of a sharp increase ___ Eurozone inflation. The increase ___ 0.3% has pushed the annual rate to 2.9%, compared with a target ___ 2%. IN OF IN OF IN OF

Choose the correct words. 1.There was a slightly/slight rise in profits last month. 2.We rose/increased our profits slightly/slight last month. 3.There was a sharp fall in/of our sales last quarter. 4.Our sales fell by/of 6% last quarter. 5.We fell/recovered our market share last quarter. 6.Our share price hit/beat a low/down last month, but it has since recuperated/recovered and now stands at/in $3.89.

1.Our share price reached/met a top/peak in May, but it’s fallen back since then. 2.Inflation is increasing slow/slowly at the moment, in/by about 1% a year. 3.There is a slow/slowly increase in/of the rate of inflation, of/by about 1% a year. 4.Operating profits went from $2.5m to/until $3.1m. 5.Dividends paid to shareholders raised/rose by 6%. Last year they fell/cut. 6.This year we raised/rose dividends to shareholders. Last year we fell/cut them.

Decide whether the underlined words indicate an upward movement (  ), a downward movement (  ), or no movement at all (  ): 1.Shares have been stagnant recently. 2.There has been a collapse in the number of orders. 3.Imports have plunged recently. 4.Home sales have skyrocketed. 5.Imports have slipped again. 6.Prices soared in the previous quarter.

DRAW GRAPHS USING THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION: After a sharp rise, sales levelled off during the period September-November, when they plunged again at the end of the year. Despite a rise in May the situation worsened again in June and prices slumped once more to another all- time low at the end of July. Prices went up steadily during the period September- November, before plunging yet again at the end of the year. After a three-year period of stability, the level of investment rose suddenly. Since the late 1990s, immigration has been rising in most OECD countries. This followed a sharp downturn from the start of the decade. In 2001 sales in our region reached a peak of 24,000 units after which they slumped suddenly to 9,000 in the following year.

DRAW GRAPHS USING THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION: At the end of June, sales stood at $ 76m, having fallen from a previous all-time high of $136m in May. After a sharp drop in 2000, orders recovered for twelve months and then plummeted again in Prices started to bottom out in March and crept up until the end of April when they plummeted again. Prices remained stable in July and August and even went up steadily during the period September- November before plunging yet again at the end of the year. The share price reached a peak before falling a little and then maintaining the same level. Euro-Disney shares have slipped back to 113p.

Sales crashed last week following a slight rise. After being stagnant for two years, share prices reached a peak in 2003 after which they plummeted quite unexpectedly.