This is the 639th most frequent Finnish word.
hintojen
"Hintojen" is the possessive form of "hinnat," meaning "of the prices" in English.
Here, 'hintojen' is the genitive plural form of 'hinta' (price) indicating possession or association, in this case, the 'rise in prices'.
Hintojen nousu vaikuttaa moniin ihmisiin.
The increase in prices affects many people.
In this sentence, 'hintojen' denotes possession or association, referring to the 'lowering of prices' as the subject of competition.
Kauppiaat kilpailivat hintojen alenemisella.
The merchants competed with the lowering of prices.
Here, 'hintojen' is part of a phrase indicating comparison or reference, 'according to the prices'.