VOA标准英语2009年-Europe Markets Flat in Absence of Turnaround Si

Hopes were dashed Tuesday as European stocks were flat following Monday's heavy losses on Wall Street.

The losses in the U.S. Monday that pushed the Dow index below the 7,000 level for the first time in a dozen years spilled over Tuesday onto the overseas markets.
　
A pedestrian passes before a share prices board in Tokyo, Japan, 03 Mar¹ 2009

In Asia, most markets lost ground with Tokyo's Nikkei index finishing just shy of a 26-year low, down seven-tenths of a percent on the day.

The Japanese carmaker Toyota is reportedly seeking a government loan to help its financing unit. The world's largest auto² producer is expected to report its first annual loss in 60 years.

In Europe, market worries remain and the major markets were mixed.

In the British auto sector³, the president of GM Europe says two of its Vauxhall car factories could be forced to close if it cannot secure bail-out funds from the British government.

Interviewed on Sky News, Carl-Peter Forster says the plants in Ellesmere Port and in Luton are both highly efficient but like elsewhere, car sales are down.

"The next step would be a complete closure and that is obviously what we try to avoid," he said. "If we do not get support, ultimately we will have to close down but that is currently our primary effort. We want to avoid plant closures."

Vauxhall year-on-year sales to November were down nearly 40 percent.

On the markets, the overwhelming sentiment remains⁴ that of a global sell-down and analysts⁵ expect new lows will be probed in the near term.

Traders in Britain will be looking closely at comments Tuesday by U.S. Treasury⁶ Secretary Geithner for any signs that could change the current market sentiment.

1 mar   

vt.破坏，毁坏，弄糟

参考例句：

• It was not the custom for elderly people to mar the picnics with their presence.大人们照例不参加这样的野餐以免扫兴。
• Such a marriage might mar your career.这样的婚姻说不定会毁了你的一生。

2 auto   

n.(=automobile)(口语)汽车

参考例句：

• Don't park your auto here.别把你的汽车停在这儿。
• The auto industry has brought many people to Detroit.汽车工业把许多人吸引到了底特律。

3 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。

4 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

5 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。

6 treasury   

n.宝库；国库，金库；文库

参考例句：

• The Treasury was opposed in principle to the proposals.财政部原则上反对这些提案。
• This book is a treasury of useful information.这本书是有价值的信息宝库。