澳洲新闻 (ABC新闻快递) 2011-07-15

 The Italian Senate has approved a $68 billion austerity budget. The four-year package aims to balance the budget by 2014. It passed by 161 votes to 135. The package now moves to the Lower House where it’s expected to be approved tomorrow. Italy is the eurozone’s third largest economy and it has one of the biggest debts at 120 per cent of GDP. Markets fear it could go the same way as Greece, Portugal and Ireland unless there are immediately(口误，应为immediate) spending cuts and tax rises. 

 

Fair Work Australia will hear a union appeal today against its decision to cut the minimum hours student employees are allowed to work. Last month, it cut the minimum shift from three hours to 90 minutes. Retailers¹ say they will vigorously fight the appeal. They say students support the reduction because it creates more job opportunities. 

 

To the markets now, and US stocks fell Thursday after Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke said the central bank may not be as willing to move on further stimulus² as previously³ thought. The Dow is down 54. The NASDAQ has fallen 34. The S&P500 is down eight points. And in London, the FTSE is down 59. 

 

And checking commodity prices: West Texas crude is trading at 95 US dollars and 77 cents a barrel. Tapis crude is trading at 125 US dollars and 78 cents a barrel. And gold is trading at 1,587 US dollars and 78 cents an ounce. The Australian dollar is buying 107 US cents, 75 euro cents and 66 pence sterling⁴.

1 retailers   

零售商，零售店( retailer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• High street retailers reported a marked increase in sales before Christmas. 商业街的零售商报告说圣诞节前销售量显著提高。
• Retailers have a statutory duty to provide goods suitable for their purpose. 零售商有为他们提供符合要求的货品的法定义务。

2 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。

3 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。

4 sterling   

adj.英币的(纯粹的，货真价实的)；n.英国货币(英镑)

参考例句：

• Could you tell me the current rate for sterling, please?能否请您告诉我现行英国货币的兑换率？
• Sterling has recently been strong,which will help to abate inflationary pressures.英国货币最近非常坚挺，这有助于减轻通胀压力。