High international oil prices remain a boon for Venezuela, underpinning its economy.

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The strong currency has helped to boost purchasing power, especially that of poorer Brazilians for whom lower food prices are a particular boon (as is a government anti-poverty programme that reaches 11m families).

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The AMR example is cute, but is it possible that a tremendous drop in oil prices (always a boon to airline shares) might have been the proximate cause of the rally, the positive social sentiments merely coinciding with that?

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Nevermind that low energy prices would be an incredible boon to the world economy.

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This means that people who talk more quickly tend to remember longer prices -- a particular boon to Hungarians, who tend to be faster speakers.

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That would certainly boost prices, which would be a boon for corn farmers and a menace to everyone else.

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The boon of skyrocketing oil prices is easier to spot and predict.

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Indeed, the spread between the decline in corporate prices and the basically stable consumer prices in the 1995-2005 period was a boon for corporate profits.

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That's been a boon during the recent rise in commodity prices.

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And the recent fall in commodity prices, although partly sparked by economic fears, should be a boon.

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