2007年VOA标准英语-Job Losses, Housing Slump Point to Weaker US Ec

By Mil Arcega
Washington
12 September 2007
 

The U.S. stock market held onto gains Tuesday (September 11th). The New York composite index rose 139 points and the Dow Jones gained 180 points, buoyed¹ in part by a narrowing U.S. trade deficit² and renewed hopes that the Federal Reserve will step in to lower its key interest rate.

Despite the rally, disappointing job figures and the continuing slump³ in the housing market have some analysts⁴ forecasting the slowest economic growth in the U.S. in five years. VOA's Mil Arcega reports.    

Veterans at a job fair, hoping for secure employment

The U.S. markets reacted predictably last Friday (September 7th) after the August job report showed a net loss of 4,000 jobs.  The Dow index tumbled and economists⁶ revised their forecasts. Financial experts say the report, marking the first monthly decline in four years, is an important economic indicator⁷. 

Bill Cheney is chief economist⁵ at the financial services firm, John Hancock. "This is a big deal and it definitely tells us that, overall, the performance of the economy over the last few months is quite a bit weaker than we thought it was."

Bill Cheney

Workers in businesses directly tied to housing have taken the hardest hit.  Home construction lost 22,000 jobs.  And government payrolls⁸ shrank as revenue from property taxes dried up. 

Mortgage broker⁹ Jim Dell'Anno was laid off last week after 25 years in real estate. "It doesn't shock us at all when things like this happen. It's just, you're always [shocked], when it's yourself."

Analysts say the job losses, including 12,000 at Countrywide, one of the largest mortgage lenders in the U.S., aggravates¹⁰ the risk of a recession.  A recession is traditionally defined as a decline in the gross domestic product (GDP) for six months or more.

Economist Bill Cheney of John Hancock believes the Fed will try to bolster¹¹ the economy by shaving at least one quarter of a percentage point from its key interest rate when it meets next week. "I'm looking for the Fed to administer a stronger dose than I would have expected yesterday."

Investors¹² nervous about the U.S. economy received some relief this week after a government report showed the country's trade deficit decreased slightly in July.

1 buoyed   

v.使浮起( buoy的过去式和过去分词 )；支持；为…设浮标；振奋…的精神

参考例句：

• Buoyed by their win yesterday the team feel confident of further success. 在昨天胜利的鼓舞下，该队有信心再次获胜。
• His encouragement buoyed her up during that difficult period. 他的鼓励使她在那段困难时期恢复了乐观的情绪。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。

3 slump   

n.暴跌，意气消沉，（土地）下沉；vi.猛然掉落，坍塌，大幅度下跌

参考例句：

• She is in a slump in her career.她处在事业的低谷。
• Economists are forecasting a slump.经济学家们预言将发生经济衰退。

4 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。

5 economist   

n.经济学家，经济专家，节俭的人

参考例句：

• He cast a professional economist's eyes on the problem.他以经济学行家的眼光审视这个问题。
• He's an economist who thinks he knows all the answers.他是个经济学家，自以为什么都懂。

6 economists   

n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
• Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 indicator   

n.指标；指示物，指示者；指示器

参考例句：

• Gold prices are often seen as an indicator of inflation.黃金价格常常被看作是通货膨胀的指标。
• His left-hand indicator is flashing.他左手边的转向灯正在闪亮。

8 payrolls   

n.（公司员工的）工资名单( payroll的名词复数 )；（公司的）工资总支出，工薪总额

参考例句：

• Indices of employment, payrolls, and production steadied in February 1931931年2月，就业、工资额和生产指数稳定。 来自辞典例句
• Wall Street responded to the payrolls figures with gusto. 华尔街对就业数据作出了积极的反应。 来自互联网

9 broker   

n.中间人，经纪人；v.作为中间人来安排

参考例句：

• He baited the broker by promises of higher commissions.他答应给更高的佣金来引诱那位经纪人。
• I'm a real estate broker.我是不动产经纪人。

10 aggravates   

使恶化( aggravate的第三人称单数 )； 使更严重； 激怒； 使恼火

参考例句：

• If he aggravates me any more I shall punish him. 如果他再惹我生气，我就要惩罚他。
• Now nothing aggravates me more than when people torment each pther. 没有什么东西比人们的互相折磨更使我愤怒。

11 bolster   

n.枕垫；v.支持，鼓励

参考例句：

• The high interest rates helped to bolster up the economy.高利率使经济更稳健。
• He tried to bolster up their morale.他尽力鼓舞他们的士气。

12 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会