Week of October 9 - October 15

Question 1

More people are commuting for long amounts of time. What is a quality of a happy commute?

Answer 1

Predictable / productive

Question 2

An eMarketer study found 2 connected trends. One is that our time on mobile devices is increasing. What is the other?

Answer 2

Increased multi-tasking

Question 3

Amazon’s Kindle HDX has a new help system, what is it called?

Answer 3

Mayday button

Question 4

What threw financial markets for a loop and undid most of the progress achieved in making the Fed more transparent?

Answer 4

decision not to taper after months of taper talk

Question 5

Manhattan office rent rates are growing at a much lower rate than normal due to decreased demand from which sector?

Answer 5

financial sector

Question 6

J.P. Morgan is conducting a rigorous analysis to ensure it learns as much as possible about its business clients. What is this analysis called?

Answer 6

“Know Your Customer”

Question 7

Banks around the world are figuring out plans in case the U.S. does default. Which bank has a facility in place to provide banks with dollars if U.S. short term funding markets seize up?

Answer 7

Bank of England

Question 8

Companies have been treating their office workers to musical chairs, switching where they sit every few months. This has been shown to do what?

Answer 8

Increase productivity and collaboration

Question 9

Samsung and Apple are battling it out in courts in multiple countries. Mr.Froman overturned a ban on Apple products by the ITC, while leaving in place one against Samsung, leading to talks of favoritism for American products. What is Mr.Froman’s position?

Answer 9

U.S. Trade Representative

Question 10

What has made diesel and other fuels made in the U.S. bargains abroad even after added shipping costs?

Answer 10

use of local oil vs. North Sea crude

Question 11

Brazil’s once-booming economy is now slowing down, partially because of consumption growing at its lowest level since 2004. What is the cause of this low consumption?

Answer 11

increasing household consumer debt

Question 12

Tehran is expected to offer to stop producing medium-enriched uranium to limit sanctions. What purity is this considered to be?

Answer 12

20%

Question 13

Two physicists shared the Nobel Prize for predicting the existence of a particle that confers mass to all other particles. What were their names?

Answer 13

Peter Higgs & Francois Englert

Question 14

Tall belt-lines give cars a sleek profile, however they pose sight-line problems for which group of drivers?

Answer 14

Those below average height

Question 15

Event designers have opted to use what 2 focal items in lieu of more traditional flowers?

Answer 15

creative lighting and artsy installations

Question 16

Switzerland’s main market regulator said Friday that it was investigating several Swiss financial institutions for possible manipulation of exchange rates. What is the name of Switzerland’s main market regulator?

Answer 16

Finma

Question 17

Coffee buyers can receive their orders in small gunny sacks or large lined containers. Why are gunny sacks preferred by some?

Answer 17

better quality control

Question 18

Repos are an obscure but critical source of funding for financial companies. What does repo stand for?

Answer 18

repurchase agreement

Question 19

Jos. A. Bank wants to buy or be bought by Men’s Warehouse. This would allow Jos. A. Bank to move away from what policy they have used since the recession?

Answer 19

Deep discounting

Question 20

Walmart is ending its joint venture in India. Why did Walmart enter into the joint venture initially?

Answer 20

only foreign involvement allowed by the government at that time

Question 21

Two years ago, Nest, a start-up, unveiled a smart home thermostat. They recently released a smoke detector. The group of engineers and designers that founded Nest were originally from what company?

Answer 21

Apple

Question 22

Former Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi will face trial on November 4 as part of the military’s crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood. What is he being charged with?

Answer 22

inciting his followers to kill protestors against his rule

Question 23

There is a class action suit against the U.N. by Haitians alleging that the organization “knowingly disregarded the high risk of transmitting cholera to Haiti” by contaminating which water source?

Answer 23

Artibonite River

Question 24

The Fed said that it would keep short-term interest rates near zero until when?

Answer 24

Unemployment drops to 6.5% and inflation remains less than 2.5%

Question 25

Asia’s biggest refiner is a client of Citigroup, and goes by the nickname Sinopec. What is the company’s full name?

Answer 25

China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation

Question 26

Rising demand for metals used in everything from smartphones to air conditioning units reflects improving economic conditions in the Euro zone. Which 4 metals are expected to have an increased price next year on average?

Answer 26

lead, tin, zinc, aluminium

Question 27

When Warren Buffett retires, three roles will replace his. Name the position that will be shared by Ted Weschler and Todd Combs.

Answer 27

chief stock picker

Question 28

To win EU support for state aid to Alitalia, Rome needed private investors. What was Mr. Berlusconi’s nickname for these investors?

Answer 28

Captains Courageous

Question 29

There were large new car sales increases posted in China for September. Why is this?

Answer 29

seasonality (national holiday) and decreased tensions with Japan

Question 30

There has been inadequate funding and deferred maintenance on infrastructure due, in part, to the failure to raise more money in this manner.

Answer 30

increased fuel taxes or vehicle registration fees

Question 31

The murder of a young man sparked anti-Caucasus riots in Russia. Russia’s main investigative agency, called what, is looking into the matter.

Answer 31

Investigative Committee

Question 32

Activists plan to disrupt operations at the Phoenix office of the ICE until legislation is passed regarding their issue of concern. What does ICE stand for?

Answer 32

Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Question 33

A Detroit-based group challenged Michigan’s Proposal 2, a 2006 voter initiative barring Michigan’s public education institutions from giving preference to anyone on the basis of race. This group is named after a phrase popularized by a famous civil rights leader, to “fight for equality by any means necessary”. Who was this leader?

Answer 33

Malcolm X

Question 34

Clean-coal plants turn low-grade coal into gas before burning it, a process called gasification that captures 65% of CO2. What is the low-grade coal known as?

Answer 34

lignite

Question 35

The saying that “the best offense is a good defense” is being proven false by which team in the MLB?

Answer 35

Detroit Tigers

Question 36

A study found that bariatric patients who have surgery to remove excess skin are more likely to keep weight off after procedures. What is a possible medical reason for this?

Answer 36

removes fatty tissues, which secrete appetite-affecting hormones

Question 37

Pregnancy often causes the separation of the external abdominal muscles. What is the name of this condition?

Answer 37

Diastasis recti

Question 38

China may soon follow foreign companies registered where to raise capital by selling shares.

Answer 38

China (Shanghai) Free Trade Zone

Question 39

Former executives of MF Global are trying to use an additional $10 million in insurance money for what?

Answer 39

legal representation / legal fees / damages

Question 40

Many fixed-income managers have shortened their “duration” to mitigate damage from potential rate increases. What does “duration” mean in this sense?

Answer 40

measure of how sensitive a bond portfolio is to interest rates

Question 41

What is one of the key challenges that IKEA’s new CEO, Peter Agnefjall, will have to face in order to retain IKEA’s competitive edge?

Answer 41

protect long lead times built into product design

Question 42

Roche Holding is the leader in the world biologic drug market, which is increasingly making up a larger part of the world’s pharmaceutical market. Where is Roche opening a new production facility it hopes will help keep up with growth?

Answer 42

Basel, Switzerland

Question 43

Tata Motors is reeling from the flop of the Nano. What other brands does Tata own that help keep it stable despite such a failure?

Answer 43

Jaguar & Land Rover

Question 44

Robert Shiller, Lars Peter Hansen, and Eugene Fama received the Nobel Prize in Economics for their work in “empirical analysis of asset prices”. Who awards this honor?

Answer 44

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences

Question 45

Muslim pilgrims were in Saudi Arabis for the climax of the annual hajj. Many gathered at a place east of Mecca where Prophet Muhammed delivered a farewell sermon to pray for peace. What is this place?

Answer 45

Mount Arafat

Question 46

Amazon is setting up shop inside the warehouses of important suppliers as it works to open the next big frontier for internet sales, which is what?

Answer 46

everyday products

Question 47

When it comes to IPOs, what characteristic can be seen as negative as it can suggest maturity?

Answer 47

profitablility

Question 48

Tower Group International, Ltd. illustrates the pitfalls of building an insurer through deals, as a consulting firm is predicting an increase in mergers-and-acquisitions in the insurance sector. What is the name of the consulting firm?

Answer 48

Deloitte

Question 49

Chinese companies are becoming major developers throughout the U.S. What is the name of the largest Chinese developer that is co-developing two condominium towers in San Francisco?

Answer 49

China Vanke, Co.

Question 50

Alibaba invested in Amazon rival ShopRunner. What company also recently invested in ShopRunner and now gives U.S. customers free membership?

Answer 50

American Express

Question 51

Sotheby’s and Christie’s International are the world’s chief auction houses, yet they have different approaches with regards to items with value below $5,000. What is the rationale behind Sotheby’s approach to these items?

Answer 51

2% of overall turnover, research showed that $5,000 clients weren’t going to move upstream