Continued economic weakness has led to another round of interest rate cuts in Europe, while the number of Americans receiving unemployment benefits has reached a 26-year high.
经济持续疲软引发欧洲新一轮利率削减，与此同时，美国申请失业救济的人数达到了26年的新高。
For the third time in as many months, the European Central Bank has slashed interest rates - this time by three-quarters of a percent, the largest cut in the currency bloc's 10-year history. Central banks in Britain and Sweden cut interest rates even more aggressively.
欧洲中央银行在3个月里第三次降息，幅度为0.75个百分点，是欧元区成立10年来最大的降幅。英国和瑞典中央银行降息幅度更加大胆。
ECB President Jean-Claude Trichet says Europe's anemic economic performance has greatly reduced any risk that lower interest rates will kindle inflation.
欧洲央行行长特里谢说，欧洲萧条的经济现状使得低利率引发通货膨胀的风险大为降低。
"There is increased evidence that inflationary pressures are diminishing further," he said. "The decline in inflation rates is due mainly to the fall in commodity prices and the significant slowdown in economic activity largely related to the global effects of the financial turmoil."
特里谢说：“越来越多的证据表明，通货膨胀的压力在进一步减小。通胀率降下来主要是由于农产品和矿产品价格下降以及经济活动的明显减少，主要是跟全球金融动荡的影响有关。”
In the United States, new claims for unemployment benefits moderated slightly last week, but still remain at levels indicative of a contracting labor market. Overall, more than four million Americans are receiving unemployment benefits, the largest number since 1982.
在美国，上星期首次申请失业救济的人数稍微减少，但是仍然维持在能够显示就业市场在萎缩的水平。总体看，美国共有400多万人在领取失业补助，是1982年以来的历史新高。
Massive job cuts are no longer limited to America's battered financial sector, according to Deutsche Bank's chief U.S. economist, Joseph Lavorgna.
德意志银行首席美国经济学家约瑟夫.拉沃格纳认为，大量裁员已经不再局限于美国陷入困境的金融业。
"The U.S. economy and, to a larger extent, the global economy just completely shut down," he said. "And companies are freezing all of their hiring, and in many cases laying workers off because demand [for their products] has completely collapsed."
拉沃格纳说：“美国经济，或者从更大范围看，全球经济已经完全停止运行。企业冻结所有的人员招聘，而且在许多情况下，正在裁减员工，因为产品需求完全崩溃了。”
The Commerce Department provided further evidence of reduced demand for goods, reporting a 5.1 percent decline in U.S. factory orders for October, the biggest drop in eight years.
美国商务部报告说，美国10月份的工厂订单减少了5.1%，是8年来的最大降幅，从而进一步证明需求下降这个事实。
In addition, with the exception of bargain outlets, U.S. retailers are reporting weak sales figures for November.
此外，来自美国零售业的数据表示，除廉价商店之外，11月的销售疲软。
"Rising food prices and the fear about losing your savings, losing your job, has all kicked in [intensified], and people are learning how to just say 'no' [to non-essential purchases]. December sales will be miserable," said retail analyst Candace Corlett.
零售分析师科利特说：“食品价格上涨以及担心失去积蓄、失去工作，这些都是零售业绩不好的原因，而且人们现在学会对不必要的物品说‘不’。12月的零售额会非常惨。”
Many economists trace the economic slowdown to a credit crunch sparked by a wave of home foreclosures and mortgage defaults in the United States. To help spur lending, resuscitate America's moribund housing sector, and boost the economy as a whole, the Federal Reserve has aggressively cut interest rates during the past year.
许多经济学家认为经济下滑是美国房主丧失房屋赎回权和拖欠银行抵押贷款引发的信贷紧缩所致。为了帮助人们借贷、重新振兴美国奄奄一息的住房业，进而推动整体经济，美国联邦储备委员会在过去一年已经几次大幅度削减利率。
Yet, with interest rates already at historically-low levels and no evidence of a pick-up in the housing market, the Treasury Department is reportedly crafting new, creative means to force mortgage rates even lower. Under one option, the federal government would invest in securities that finance loans for home purchases, stipulating a significantly reduced interest rate.
The plan appeals to financial analyst Greg McBride.
"Lower mortgage rates are designed to put more buying power in the pockets of prospective home buyers," he said. "That helps anybody who is trying to buy a house, but it also helps people who are trying to sell them."
But analysts point out the idea would do nothing to lower mortgage payments for existing homeowners who are in danger of default. |