英语听力：澳洲新闻 (ABC新闻快递) 2013-09-15

 Twitter has announced, via a tweet, of course, it's planning to list on the US stock market. It's filed paper work with US regulators for an initial public offering, but the details are confidential¹. Twitter has well over 200 million active users. It's the most anticipated tech stock to be listed since Facebook listed on the Nasdaq last May.

 

The Australian share market fell on concerns the US Federal Reserve will start to scale back its stimulus² program next week. By the close, the All Ords was down half of a per cent, as was the ASX 200 index. The Australian share market is trading near a five-year high. However, it's still well shy of the almost 7,000 it hit back in July, 2007.

 

To the movers today. And Myer built on yesterday's losses to close down 4 per cent. Mining stocks were among the worse performance after falls in commodity price overnight. The major banks also weaker but defensive³ stocks like Telstra ended flat. 

 

Across the region. Japan's Nikkei managed to reverse earlier losses. And the Australian dollar is still down against the greenback. It's worth 92.44 US cents. 

 

The casino owner James Parker has been given permission to expand his global gaming interest into Sri Lanka. Mr. Parker's Crown Group will be a major investor⁴, one of two casinos to be built in the country's largest city Colombo.

1 confidential   

adj.秘（机）密的，表示信任的，担任机密工作的

参考例句：

• He refused to allow his secretary to handle confidential letters.他不让秘书处理机密文件。
• We have a confidential exchange of views.我们推心置腹地交换意见。

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 defensive   

adj.防御的；防卫的；防守的

参考例句：

• Their questions about the money put her on the defensive.他们问到钱的问题，使她警觉起来。
• The Government hastily organized defensive measures against the raids.政府急忙布置了防卫措施抵御空袭。

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。