澳洲新闻 (ABC新闻快递) 2016-01-20

 Rio Tinto says its iron ore production rose in the last quarter of 2015. The big miner says output increased by 10% to just over 87 million tonnes in the December quarter. Shipments of iron ore rose 11% to around 340 million tonnes. Rio expects to increase output in 2016 to about 350 million tonnes. The price of iron ore has fallen by 2/3 since it's high in 2011 because of global oversupply¹.

 

Now China is expected to post its slowest economic growth in 25 years when the latest figures are released shortly. Economists² predict that China will have expanded by 6.9% over 2015. Growth in the December quarter is expected to have increased by 6.8% over an annual basis. That would be the weakest quarterly growth since the global financial crisis.

 

 

And the Australian market opened flat but was volatile³ in early trade. At mid-day the All Ordinaries Index is up about 1/3 of percent. The ASX 200 has increased 15 points to 4,874.

 

 

Looking at moves being. Banks are higher. Oil and gas producer Santos has fallen on the lower oil price. Rio Tinto has gained even though its production results feel short of expectations. Checking commodities. West Texas Crude Oil just under 29 US dollars a barrel. Spot gold has steadied at around 1,089 US dollars an ounce. And the Australian dollar fell back ahead of today's economic growth figures from China. It's now trading about 68.9 US cents.

 

1 oversupply   

n.供应过量；v.过度供给

参考例句：

• The market softened because of oversupply.市场因供过于求而疲软。
• Overexpansion of tea fields has led to oversupply.茶园过度扩张，使得市场上逐渐供过于求。

2 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》

3 volatile   

adj.反复无常的，挥发性的，稍纵即逝的，脾气火爆的；n.挥发性物质

参考例句：

• With the markets being so volatile,investments are at great risk.由于市场那么变化不定，投资冒着很大的风险。
• His character was weak and volatile.他这个人意志薄弱，喜怒无常。