澳洲新闻 (ABC新闻快递) 2013-05-08

 The offial interest rate is now at a record low of 2.75%. It's the Reserve Bank's first cut to interest rate since December last year. The RBA board says the domestic economy continues to struggle with the high Australian dollar. The bank has also left the door open for more rate cuts if the economy needs them. Th Commonwealth¹ Bank is the latest lender to announce it will pass on the RBA's 25-basis-point cut in full. National Australia Bank was the first of the blocs² to pass the Reserve Bank's full cut onto its customers. Westpac, Bank of Queensland and ING Direct willl do the same. ANZ's decision is due on Friday.

 

To the market reaction and the Australian dollar slipped close to atwo-month low against the Greenback after the RBA's decision. The dollar is currently buying 101.91 US cents. The broader share market recovered some losses after the rates move, but the All Ordinaries index still closed down a fifth of a percent. The miners moved higher. BHP Billiton jumped 2.5%. Gold producer Newcrest was one of the day's best performers. Going the other way, Coca Cola Amatil slumped³ 10% after warning profits will be lower than previously⁴ thought. Telstra lost 1%.

1 commonwealth   

n.共和国，联邦，共同体

参考例句：

• He is the chairman of the commonwealth of artists.他是艺术家协会的主席。
• Most of the members of the Commonwealth are nonwhite.英联邦的许多成员国不是白人国家。

2 blocs   

n.集团，联盟( bloc的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The division of Europe into warring blocs produces ever-increasing centrifugal stress. 把欧洲分为作战集团产生了越来越大的离心效果。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The policy of the two blocs was played out. 把世界分为两个集团的政策已经过时了。 来自辞典例句

3 slumped   

大幅度下降，暴跌( slump的过去式和过去分词 )； 沉重或突然地落下[倒下]

参考例句：

• Sales have slumped this year. 今年销售量锐减。
• The driver was slumped exhausted over the wheel. 司机伏在方向盘上，疲惫得睡着了。

4 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。