澳洲新闻 (ABC新闻快递) 2010-06-19

BP's Chairman says his company is still strong despite the crisis in the Gulf¹ of Mexico. Rating Agency Moody² has downgraded BP's credit rating by three notches³, following similar moves by the other two rating agencies earlier this week. Banking⁴ sources say the oil giant was seeking seven-billion dollars in loans from banks. BP Chairman Carl-Henric Svanberg says the company will survive despite having to shell out billions of dollars in compensation.

US President Barack Obama has warned G20 leaders against cutting national debts too quickly. In a letter to G20 leaders, the president said withdrawing economic stimulus⁵ too early raised the potential for recovery risks and renewed hardship.

To the markets now, and Wall Street has finished the week higher as European debt fear subsided⁶. The Dow Jones and the NASDAQ both finished slightly ahead while the S&P 500 also inch forward. But European markets are down, the FTSE shedding a three points and the DAX losing seven.

At home, the ALL ORDS and ASX 200 both finished higher, mostly unaffected by the resignation of David Jones chief Mark Mclnnes. And the Australian dollar is buying 87.2 US cents.

1 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

2 moody   

adj.心情不稳的，易怒的，喜怒无常的

参考例句：

• He relapsed into a moody silence.他又重新陷于忧郁的沉默中。
• I'd never marry that girl.She's so moody.我决不会和那女孩结婚的。她太易怒了。

3 notches   

n.（边缘或表面上的）V型痕迹( notch的名词复数 )；刻痕；水平；等级

参考例句：

• The Indians cut notches on a stick to keep count of numbers. 印第安人在棒上刻V形凹痕用来计数。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• They cut notches in the handle of their pistol for each man they shot. 他们每杀一个人就在枪托上刻下一个V形记号。 来自辞典例句

4 banking   

n.银行业，银行学，金融业

参考例句：

• John is launching his son on a career in banking.约翰打算让儿子在银行界谋一个新职位。
• He possesses an extensive knowledge of banking.他具有广博的银行业务知识。

5 stimulus   

n.刺激，刺激物，促进因素，引起兴奋的事物

参考例句：

• Regard each failure as a stimulus to further efforts.把每次失利看成对进一步努力的激励。
• Light is a stimulus to growth in plants.光是促进植物生长的一个因素。

6 subsided   

v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的过去式和过去分词 )；减弱；下降至较低或正常水平；一下子坐在椅子等上

参考例句：

• After the heavy rains part of the road subsided. 大雨过后，部分公路塌陷了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• By evening the storm had subsided and all was quiet again. 傍晚， 暴风雨已经过去，四周开始沉寂下来。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》