澳洲新闻 (ABC新闻快递) 2015-09-30

 Good morning, everyone.

Mining firm Glencore has said it's operationally and financially robust¹ after questions were raised about its financial future. On Monday, its shares dived 30% after a note from analysts² said its share value could be eliminated. Those comments led a major selloff from the global markets. Glencore has been hit by a slowdown in the wider commodities markets, with copper³, aluminum⁴ and nickel all down more than 25% compared with the year ago.

Unemployment among Australia's professional mining workforce⁵ has surged over the last year and is now three times the national average. A survey from the Minerals Institute found around 16% of Australia's mining professionals are now jobless. The iron ore sector⁶ is the hardest hit, with an unemployment rate of almost 25% for professionals in that sector.

Let's go to the global markets now. And there was a bit of recovery overseas with the Wall Street ending mixed. Now the Dows lost 47 points or 0.3%. The Nasdaq finished 0.6% lower. While the S&P 500 also lost about 6%. And in London, the FTSE fell 0.8%.

Checking commodity prices, West Texas Crude is trading at 45 U.S dollars a barrel, Tapis Crude is at 50 U.S dollars a barrel and Gold is trading at 1,127 U.S dollars an ounce. The Australian dollar is currently buying at 70 U.S cents, 62 Euro cents and 46 pence sterling⁷.

1 robust   

adj.强壮的，强健的，粗野的，需要体力的，浓的

参考例句：

• She is too tall and robust.她个子太高，身体太壮。
• China wants to keep growth robust to reduce poverty and avoid job losses,AP commented.美联社评论道，中国希望保持经济强势增长，以减少贫困和失业状况。

2 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。

3 copper   

n.铜；铜币；铜器；adj.铜(制)的；(紫)铜色的

参考例句：

• The students are asked to prove the purity of copper.要求学生们检验铜的纯度。
• Copper is a good medium for the conduction of heat and electricity.铜是热和电的良导体。

4 aluminum   

n.(aluminium)铝

参考例句：

• The aluminum sheets cannot be too much thicker than 0.04 inches.铝板厚度不能超过0.04英寸。
• During the launch phase,it would ride in a protective aluminum shell.在发射阶段，它盛在一只保护的铝壳里。

5 workforce   

n.劳动大军，劳动力

参考例句：

• A large part of the workforce is employed in agriculture.劳动人口中一大部分受雇于农业。
• A quarter of the local workforce is unemployed.本地劳动力中有四分之一失业。

6 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。

7 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。