Original editorial explainer / comment. The same number can tell different stories depending on its baseline.
The context
Economic headlines often compress a complex series into a single percentage or quarterly comparison. That brevity is useful, but it can obscure whether a change is nominal or real, seasonal or structural.
Our analysis
Readers should ask for the time period, relevant base rate and the groups most affected. A fall in inflation is not necessarily a fall in prices; an increase in employment does not explain wages or working conditions by itself.
What to watch
We will favour original sources, definitions and comparison periods in our reporting rather than isolated numerical drama.
Editorial note: This is an original explainer, not a report of a newly investigated incident. It should not be read as a finding about any particular person or company.
We assess factual corrections and substantive responses. Verified changes are reflected in our reporting.
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