Hong Kong stocks up 0.44% led by property companies

    Hong Kong stocks closed 0.44 percent higher on Monday, led by the Chinese mainland banks and property companies, ahead of a slew¹ of economic data out of the U. S. and China this week as well as the start of the U.S. earnings² season.
    The benchmark（基准） Hang Seng Index rose 88.77 points, or 0.44 percent, to 20,467.43 after trading between 20,368.62 and 20,539. 61. Market volume totaled 54.30 billion HK dollars (6.99 billion U. S. dollars).
    Financial institutions（金融机构） in the mainland extended 603.4 billion yuan worth of new loans in June, central bank data showed Sunday, bringing the first-half total to 62 percent of the government's annual target.
    China Construction Bank rose 2.4 percent to 6.48 HK dollars Monday and ICBC gained 1.9 percent to 5.83 HK dollars.
    Property prices in 70 of the mainland's large and medium-sized cities rose 11.4 percent in June from a year earlier, slowing from May's 12.4 percent rise, the National Bureau of Statistics said today.
    The Chinese mainland developer China Overseas Land was Monday's biggest blue-chip gainer, rising 4.4 percent to 16.08 HK dollars, and China Resources Land added 2.2 percent to 15.86 HK dollars.
    China insurers, however, fell sharply, weighed by concerns about intensifying³ competition after China's insurance regulator said Sunday it planned to remove the guaranteed annual return limit of 2.5 percent on traditional life insurance products, with the aim of improving investor⁴ protection and the sector's development.
    China Life tumbled 3.7 percent to 33.95 HK dollars, China Pacific Insurance plunged⁵ 5.2 percent to 29.85 HK dollars and China Taiping Insurance slid 5.6 percent to 25.40 HK dollars.
    Telecom services provider China Unicom rose 1.8 percent to 10. 38 HK dollars, after a new version of Apple's iPhone with Wi-Fi capability⁶ received a Chinese network access license⁷ last week.
    New listing Chiho-Tiande ended at 2.39 HK dollars, 1.6 percent below its 2.43 HK dollars offer price following a weak response to its initial public offering. The retail⁸ tranche of the mixed metal scrap⁹ recycler's IPO was oversubscribed 0.19 times, and the offer price was set at the bottom of the indicative price range of 2.43 HK dollars to 3.13 HK dollars. (1 U.S. dollar equals 7.785 HK dollars)(本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑)

1 slew   

v.（使）旋转；n.大量，许多

参考例句：

• He slewed the car against the side of the building.他的车滑到了大楼的一侧，抵住了。
• They dealt with a slew of other issues.他们处理了大量的其他问题。

2 earnings   

n.工资收人；利润，利益，所得

参考例句：

• That old man lives on the earnings of his daughter.那个老人靠他女儿的收入维持生活。
• Last year there was a 20% decrease in his earnings.去年他的收入减少了20%。

3 intensifying   

v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的现在分词 )；增辉

参考例句：

• The allies are intensifying their air campaign. 联军部队正加大他们的空战强度。 来自辞典例句
• The rest of the European powers were in a state of intensifying congestion. 其余的欧洲强国则处于越来越拥挤的状态。 来自英汉非文学 - 历史

4 investor   

n.投资者，投资人

参考例句：

• My nephew is a cautious investor.我侄子是个小心谨慎的投资者。
• The investor believes that his investment will pay off handsomely soon.这个投资者相信他的投资不久会有相当大的收益。

5 plunged   

v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降

参考例句：

• The train derailed and plunged into the river. 火车脱轨栽进了河里。
• She lost her balance and plunged 100 feet to her death. 她没有站稳，从100英尺的高处跌下摔死了。

6 capability   

n.能力；才能；(pl)可发展的能力或特性等

参考例句：

• She has the capability to become a very fine actress.她有潜力成为杰出演员。
• Organizing a whole department is beyond his capability.组织整个部门是他能力以外的事。

7 license   

n.执照，许可证，特许；v.许可，特许

参考例句：

• The foreign guest has a license on the person.这个外国客人随身携带执照。
• The driver was arrested for having false license plates on his car.司机由于使用假车牌而被捕。

8 retail   

v./n.零售；adv.以零售价格

参考例句：

• In this shop they retail tobacco and sweets.这家铺子零售香烟和糖果。
• These shoes retail at 10 yuan a pair.这些鞋子零卖10元一双。

9 scrap   

n.碎片；废料；v.废弃，报废

参考例句：

• A man comes round regularly collecting scrap.有个男人定时来收废品。
• Sell that car for scrap.把那辆汽车当残品卖了吧。