Dow, S&P 500 jump to 5-year highs

 　　NEW YORK, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- U.S. stocks closed mixed on Tuesday, with Dow Jones Industrial Average and Standard & Poor's 500-stock Index climbing to five-year highs amid mixed economic data.

　　The Dow and S&P 500 climbed steadily¹ despite mixed economic data. As of Tuesday, the Dow was just one-and-half percent below its historic high.

　　The S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices, a broadly watched housing indicator², showed that home prices rose 5.5 percent in 20 major U.S. metropolitan³ areas in November from the same period of last year.

　　Meanwhile, consumer confidence index in the United States dropped to 58.6 in January, the lowest since November 2011, as higher payroll⁴ taxes took a bigger bite out of Americans' paychecks, according to data released by the Conference Board Tuesday.

　　The Dow was boosted by the index component⁵ Pfizer. The world largest drug company shares jumped 3.20 percent to 27.70 U.S. dollars after the company posted on Tuesday its fourth-quarter revenues which were 6.3 billion U.S. dollars, or 85 cents a share, compared with 1.4 billion dollars, or 19 cents, in the year-ago period.

　　However,the Nasdaq traded in red territory in most of the session as several index components⁶ dipped after reporting earnings⁷. VMware shares plunged⁸ 21.54 percent to 77.14 dollars after the software producer forecast its full-year 2013 revenue, short of market expectations.

　　Apple, which makes up nearly 10 percent of the Nasdaq, failed to retake control of the index. Apple shares added 1.88 percent to 458.27 dollars after the tech giant announced a 128GB version of its fourth generation iPad device.

　　Valero Energy shares leapt 12.78 percent to 43.77 dollars, pushing the energy sector⁹ higher. The world's largest independent refiner by processing capacity said Tuesday its fourth- quarter profit rose 20-fold as the company boosted its use of discounted U. S. crude.

　　Ford¹⁰ shares sank 4.64 percent to 13.14 dollars though the giant auto¹¹ maker¹² reported earnings before the opening bell that beat analysts¹³' estimates. The company said that its losses in Europe would be bigger than it had previously¹⁴ expected.

　　Shares of Amazon went up about 10 percent in after-hours trading shortly after the closing bell after the world's largest online retailer¹⁵ reported quarterly profit that beat market expectations.

　　The Dow rallied 72.49 points, or 0.52 percent, to 13,954.42. The S&P 500 jumped 7.66 points, or 0.51 percent, to 1,507.84. The Nasdaq edged down 0.64 points, or 0.02 percent, to 3,153.66.

　　The Federal Reserve began a two-day meeting Tuesday, with investors¹⁶ awaiting the release of their statement Wednesday for clues about the outlook for monetary¹⁷ policies.

　　Light, sweet crude for March delivery gained 1.17 percent to settle at 97.57 dollars a barrel on Tuesday, the highest since Sept. 17, on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

　　Brent crude for March delivery rose 0.78 percent to close at 114.36 dollars a barrel, the highest since Oct. 15.

　　The U.S. dollar retreated against major currencies on Tuesday as there were signs that euro-zone economic situation was improving and data showed U.S. consumer confidence slipped again in January.

　　Gold for February delivery on the COMEX gained 0.48 percent to settle at 1,660.8 dollars per ounce.

1 steadily   

adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地

参考例句：

• The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。
• Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。

2 indicator   

n.指标；指示物，指示者；指示器

参考例句：

• Gold prices are often seen as an indicator of inflation.黃金价格常常被看作是通货膨胀的指标。
• His left-hand indicator is flashing.他左手边的转向灯正在闪亮。

3 metropolitan   

adj.大城市的，大都会的

参考例句：

• Metropolitan buildings become taller than ever.大城市的建筑变得比以前更高。
• Metropolitan residents are used to fast rhythm.大都市的居民习惯于快节奏。

4 payroll   

n.工资表，在职人员名单，工薪总额

参考例句：

• His yearly payroll is $1.2 million.他的年薪是120万美元。
• I can't wait to get my payroll check.我真等不及拿到我的工资单了。

5 component   

n.组成部分，成分，元件；adj.组成的，合成的

参考例句：

• Each component is carefully checked before assembly.每个零件在装配前都经过仔细检查。
• Blade and handle are the component parts of a knife.刀身和刀柄是一把刀的组成部分。

6 components   

（机器、设备等的）构成要素，零件，成分； 成分( component的名词复数 )； [物理化学]组分； [数学]分量； （混合物的）组成部分

参考例句：

• the components of a machine 机器部件
• Our chemistry teacher often reduces a compound to its components in lab. 在实验室中化学老师常把化合物分解为各种成分。

7 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%。

8 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。

9 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

10 Ford   

n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过

参考例句：

• They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。
• If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。

11 auto   

n.(=automobile)(口语)汽车

参考例句：

• Don't park your auto here.别把你的汽车停在这儿。
• The auto industry has brought many people to Detroit.汽车工业把许多人吸引到了底特律。

12 maker   

n.制造者，制造商

参考例句：

• He is a trouble maker，You must be distant with him.他是个捣蛋鬼，你不要跟他在一起。
• A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。

13 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

14 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

15 retailer   

n.零售商(人)

参考例句：

• What are the retailer requirements?零售商会有哪些要求呢？
• The retailer has assembled a team in Shanghai to examine the question.这家零售商在上海组建了一支团队研究这个问题。

16 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

17 monetary   

adj.货币的，钱的；通货的；金融的；财政的

参考例句：

• The monetary system of some countries used to be based on gold.过去有些国家的货币制度是金本位制的。
• Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。