Inflation erodes fixed-income assets like government securities most.

Steps:

• A store of value preserves purchasing power over time.
• Rapid inflation increases prices, reducing the real value of assets with fixed returns.
• Evaluate options: fixed-income securities lose value; real assets and equities often appreciate with inflation.
• Select the asset least able to maintain value.

Why B is correct:

• Government securities, such as bonds, offer fixed nominal interest payments that fail to match rising prices, eroding real returns per the Fisher equation (real rate = nominal rate - inflation).

Why the others are wrong:

• A. Antique furniture: Tangible asset whose value can rise with inflation as collectors seek alternatives to cash.
• C. Houses: Real estate typically appreciates during inflation, hedging against currency devaluation.
• D. Shares of industrial companies: Equities often increase in nominal value as companies pass on higher costs to consumers.

Final answer: B