A great concern was raised by one of my steemit friends whose posts have been of great quality and her payouts have been good. Since I started following her, she motivates me on a daily basis: 
Well it sounded weird to me because I haven't really paid detailed attention to payouts, but then I was triggered to make my findings in that regards.
I went to her wall and sampled two of her payouts. This is what I found: payouts actually reduced.
FIRST INSTANCE
1)See Images Below: her immediate payout before this post.
Post
Reward
Observe:
$7.1 (25%) was paid out to curators.
$25.36 (75%) was her author reward.
The 75% which is $25.36 was supposed to be divided into two: $12.68 SBD and $12.68 SP,
but instead she was rewarded: $12.679 SBD (which is appropriate) and $4.090 SP (which seems inappropriate).
Question is where did the difference of $8.59 SP, that is, ($12.68 - $4.090 = $8.59) go to?
SECOND INSTANCE
2)See Images Below: her second past payout before this post.
Post
Reward
Observe:
$1.48 (25%) was paid out to curators.
$6.67 (75%) was her author reward.
The 75% which is $6.67 was supposed to be divided into two: $3.335 SBD and $3.335 SP,
but instead she was rewarded: $3.335 SBD (which is appropriate) and $1.066 SP (which seems inappropriate).
Question is where did the difference of $2.269 SP, that is, ($3.335 - $1.066 = $8.59) go to?
THE ANSWER
From the observations, SBD payout was never affected, only SP (Steem Power = Steem) was. The Steem Power payout was based on the price of Steem to US dollars as at the time of payout.
Considering the FIRST INSTANCE for example:
The SP payout was supposed to be $12.68, but instead, the payout was $4.090.
At the time of this payout, Steem (SP) was worth 1Steem = $3+ (USD) therefore the $12.68 was divided by 3 thus amounting to about $4.090.
If the price of Steem to USD was say 1Steem = $1+ (USD), the SP payout would have been divided by 1 thus amounting to the same $12.68.
Considering the SECOND INSTANCE for example:
The SP payout was supposed to be $3.335, but instead, the payout was $1.066.
At the time of this payout, Steem (SP) was worth 1Steem = $3+ (USD) therefore the $3.335 was divided by 3 thus amounting to about $1.066.
If the price of Steem to USD was say 1Steem = $1+ (USD), the SP payout would have been divided by 1 thus amounting to the same $3.335.
To know the value of Steem = Steem Power = SP I use:
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