经济学人:一周商业要闻3

 　　Business this week. 一周商业要闻

　　The American economy grew at an annualised rate of 1.7% in the three months to June, compared with 1.1% in the previous quarter.  今年三至六月，美国经济年增长率达到1.7%，而上一季度增长率仅为1.1%。

　　Companies restocked their inventories¹ faster than expected, offsetting² government spending cuts imposed by the "sequester³".  企业补充库存的速度远比预期要快，抵消了由“自动减赤计划”而造成的政府财政缩水的部分。

　　The Federal Reserve said it expects growth to pick up further despite the fiscal⁴ drag. 美联储表示尽管面临财政障碍，但仍希望经济有进一步增长。

　　The latest numbers reflect a change in how American GDP is calculated.  最新一组数据反映了计算美国GDP的新方法。

　　From now on the figures, revised all the way back to 1929, will include intangibles like R&D spending.  它对从1929年至今的所有数据都进行了修正，将诸如研发费用支出的无形资产纳入其中。

　　The tweaked method, meant to capture the shape of modern economies, swelled⁵ output by 3.6%.  调整后的新方法旨在更好地了解当今经济发展的情况，通过它计算出的GDP增长率比旧方法计算出的增长率增加了3.6%，

　　It also reduced federal spending as a share of GDP. 此外，联邦政府支出也不再作为GDP计算的参考依据。

　　The recovery in American house prices continued apace.  美国房价继续迅速回升。

　　The S&P/Case-Shiller index for the 20 biggest cities rose by 12% year on year in May, the biggest rise since March 2006. 今年五月，国内前二十大城市的标普希勒房价指数同比上涨12%，这是自2006年3月以来出现的最大涨幅。

　　The unemployment rate in the euro zone stood at 12.1% in June, with 24,000 fewer jobless than in May, the first dip since April 2011. Around 19.3m people remain out of work. 今年6月，欧元区国家失业率达到12.1%，失业人口比五月减少约2.4万人，这是自2011年4月以来首次出现减少的情况。但是，目前仍有大约1930万处于失业状态。

　　The IMF warned that Greece may need an additional €10.9 billion ($14.5 billion) in bail-out loans from euro-zone partners by the end of 2015.  国际货币基金组织（IMF）警告称，截至2015年底，希腊可能还需要其他欧元区成员提供109亿欧元（约合145亿美元）的救援贷款。

　　Paulo Nogueira Batista, a Brazilian who represents 11 Latin American countries on the IMF's board, abstained⁶ from approving a new €1.7 billion ($2.3 billion) tranche of rescue loans to the country.  在IMF董事会中代表11个拉美国家的巴西官员保罗·诺盖拉·巴蒂斯塔弃权反对通过向希腊政府提供新一波高达17亿欧元（约合23亿美元）的救援贷款计划。

　　Mr Batista argued that the fund's outlook for Athens is too rosy⁷ and that the debt may not be repaid. 巴蒂斯塔认为人们对提供给希腊的救援贷款的前景过于乐观，而且这笔债务很可能无法偿还。

　　Publicis, a French advertising⁸ giant, and Omnicom, an American one, announced a $35 billion "merger⁹ of equals".  法国广告与传媒剧透阳狮集团(Publicis)与美国奥姆尼康集团(Omnicom)宣布以350亿美元的价格进行“对等合并”。

　　The combined firm, which will pip Britain's WPP to become the industry's biggest, hopes size will give it an edge in the growing market for data-driven digital ads.  这两大传播集团合并后就成为全球第一大传播集团，规模大大超过英国WPP集团。它希望通过在日益发展的市场上扩大规模，从而赢得数据驱动数字广告的优势。

　　Investors¹⁰ were cautious: transatlantic consolidation¹¹ is likely to throw up a host of problems, not least keeping PepsiCo and Coca-Cola sweet under one roof. 对此投资者们都十分谨慎，他们认为跨大西洋兼并很可能会出现一系列问题，尤其是如何在众口难调的情况下保持各自的一贯风格。

　　Perrigo, an American pharmaceutical¹² company, said it would buy Elan, an Irish biotechnology firm, for $8.6 billion.  美国制药公司百利高透露将以86亿美元的价格收购爱尔兰生物技术公司Elan。

　　The deal will allow Perrigo, which makes private-label remedies for Walmart, among others, to lower its tax burden by benefiting from Ireland's low corporate¹³ rate. 百利高公司为包括沃尔玛在内的公司生产自有品牌的药品。通过此次收购，它将从爱尔兰较低的公司税率中获利，从而大大降低其税务负担。

　　Saudi Arabia awarded infrastructure¹⁴ contracts worth $22.5 billion to three Western-led consortiums.  沙特阿拉伯与三个受西方国家领导的财团签署了高达225亿美元的基础设施建设合同。

　　They will build a metro¹⁵ system in the capital, Riyadh. 他们将在沙特首都利雅得建造地铁系统。

　　Peter L?scher resigned as boss of Siemens after the German engineering giant had to issue a surprise profit warning in late July.  7月底，德国电子产品巨头西门子集团发布了令人震惊的盈利预警。随后，其首席执行官彼得·罗旭德辞职。

　　Joe Kaeser, hitherto the chief financial officer, takes the helm.  现任首席财务官乔伊·凯撒接任该职位。

　　The firm's second-quarter revenues fell year on year, though by less than analysts¹⁶ had feared. 该公司第二季度的收益同比有所下降，但是并没有糟糕到分析家们所担心的程度。

　　The EU and China averted¹⁷ a trade war by settling an antidumping spat¹⁸ over solar panels.  中国与欧盟妥善解决了太阳能电池板的反倾销争端，成功避免了一场贸易战。

　　The European Commission put a floor on the price of Chinese panels that was much lower than expected. 欧盟委员会给出了中国向欧洲出口的太阳能电池板的最低限价，远远低于预期价格。

　　In return, the Chinese withdrew their threat to retaliate¹⁹ against wine and polysilicon imports from Europe. 作为回报，中国取消了针对从欧洲进口的酒类和多晶硅而采取的相应的报复性措施。

　　JPMorgan Chase agreed to pay $410m to settle allegations by America's Federal Energy Regulatory Commission that the bank had manipulated power markets in parts of the United States.  摩根大通公司同意支付4.1亿美元就美国联邦能源委员会指控其在美国某些州操纵电力市场一事达成和解。

　　Days earlier the bank said it would leave the business of trading physical commodities altogether. 几天前，摩根大通表示将全面退出实物商品交易市场。

　　American authorities brought criminal charges against SAC Capital, a hedge fund at the centre of an insider-trading probe.  美国当局对赛克资本管理公司提出刑事指控，因为该公司管理的对冲基金是一起内幕交易调查的关键。

　　The move came days after its boss, Steven Cohen, was charged in a civil case for failing to supervise employees, some of whom already await criminal trials.  此前，赛克资本管理公司的董事长史蒂文·科恩因未能监管好员工而在一民事案件中遭到指控，而其中一些员工也面临刑事审判。

　　Mr Cohen has not been named in the indictment²⁰, which makes references only to SAC's "owner".  起诉书中暂未定性科恩目前的身份，只是称其为赛克资本管理公司的拥有人。

　　Both Mr Cohen and SAC deny the charges against them. 科恩和赛克资本管理公司都否认这些指控。

　　Barclays, a bank, announced a ?5.8 billion ($8.9 billion) rights issue to help plug a ?12.8 billion capital hole and meet a 3% leverage²¹ ratio set by its British regulator.  巴克莱银行日前宣布发行58亿英镑（约合89亿美元）的配股以帮助填补128亿英镑的资金空缺，进而达到英国监管当局设定的3%的杠杆比率。

　　Deutsche Bank said it plans to reduce leverage by shedding assets worth €250 billion ($330 billion). 德意志银行表示计划通过剥离2500亿欧元（约合3300亿美元）的资产以降低经济中的杠杆率。

　　In America a judge ruled that the Federal Reserve's cap on "interchange fees" that retailers²² pay on debit-card transactions is too high and must be lowered.  美国一名法官裁决美联储给使用借记卡交易的零售商设定的手续费上限过高，须适当降低。

　　The American Bankers Association said the decision would have "disastrous²³ consequences" for banks, for which the fees are an important source of revenue. 美国银行间协会表示此决定会给银行带来“毁灭性后果”，因为手续费是各大银行收入的重要来源。

　　Uralkali, a Russian producer of potash, pulled out of the Belarus Potash Corporation, one of two cartels that control exports of the stuff, which is used to make fertiliser.  俄罗斯碳酸钾出产商乌拉尔撤出两大碳酸钾联盟之一的白俄罗斯钾肥公司，该公司控制着这一用于肥料生产的原料的出口。

　　Uralkali suggests that the unravelling²⁴ of the arrangement could send potash prices tumbling by 25%. 乌拉尔公司负责人表示它的退出将使钾肥价格下降25%。

1 inventories   

n.总结( inventory的名词复数 )；细账；存货清单（或财产目录）的编制

参考例句：

• In other cases, such as inventories, inputs and outputs are both continuous. 在另一些情况下，比如存货，其投入和产出都是持续不断的。
• The store must clear its winter inventories by April 1st. 该店必须在4月1日前售清冬季存货。

2 offsetting   

n.偏置法v.抵消( offset的现在分词 )；补偿；（为了比较的目的而）把…并列（或并置）；为（管道等）装支管

参考例句：

• Dealers, having concluded a forward contract, should always hedge with an offsetting contract. 外汇经营商在签订了一项远期合同之后总是应进行套头交易签订一项相抵合同。 来自辞典例句
• Where does Germany think offsetting shifts into greater external deficits might occur? 在德国看来，这么大的外部赤字应该转移到哪里？ 来自互联网

3 sequester   

vt.使退隐，使隔绝

参考例句：

• Everything he owned was sequestered.他的所有财产都被扣押了。
• This jury is expected to be sequestered for at least two months.预计这个陪审团将至少被隔离两个月。

4 fiscal   

adj.财政的，会计的，国库的，国库岁入的

参考例句：

• The increase of taxation is an important fiscal policy.增税是一项重要的财政政策。
• The government has two basic strategies of fiscal policy available.政府有两个可行的财政政策基本战略。

5 swelled   

增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 )； 肿胀； （使）凸出； 充满（激情）

参考例句：

• The infection swelled his hand. 由于感染，他的手肿了起来。
• After the heavy rain the river swelled. 大雨过后，河水猛涨。

6 abstained   

v.戒（尤指酒），戒除( abstain的过去式和过去分词 )；弃权（不投票）

参考例句：

• Ten people voted in favour, five against and two abstained. 十人投票赞成，五人反对，两人弃权。
• They collectively abstained (from voting) in the elections for local councilors. 他们在地方议会议员选举中集体弃权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 rosy   

adj.美好的，乐观的，玫瑰色的

参考例句：

• She got a new job and her life looks rosy.她找到一份新工作，生活看上去很美好。
• She always takes a rosy view of life.她总是对生活持乐观态度。

8 advertising   

n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的

参考例句：

• Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
• The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。

9 merger   

n.企业合并，并吞

参考例句：

• Acceptance of the offer is the first step to a merger.对这项提议的赞同是合并的第一步。
• Shareholders will be voting on the merger of the companies.股东们将投票表决公司合并问题。

10 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

11 consolidation   

n.合并,巩固

参考例句：

• The denser population necessitates closer consolidation both for internal and external action. 住得日益稠密的居民，对内和对外都不得不更紧密地团结起来。 来自英汉非文学 - 家庭、私有制和国家的起源
• The state ensures the consolidation and growth of the state economy. 国家保障国营经济的巩固和发展。 来自汉英非文学 - 中国宪法

12 pharmaceutical   

adj.药学的，药物的；药用的，药剂师的

参考例句：

• She has donated money to establish a pharmaceutical laboratory.她捐款成立了一个药剂实验室。
• We are engaged in a legal tussle with a large pharmaceutical company.我们正同一家大制药公司闹法律纠纷。

13 corporate   

adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的

参考例句：

• This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。
• His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。

14 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

15 metro   

n.地铁；adj.大都市的；(METRO)麦德隆(财富500强公司之一总部所在地德国，主要经营零售)

参考例句：

• Can you reach the park by metro?你可以乘地铁到达那个公园吗？
• The metro flood gate system is a disaster prevention equipment.地铁防淹门系统是一种防灾设备。

16 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。

17 averted   

防止，避免( avert的过去式和过去分词 )； 转移

参考例句：

• A disaster was narrowly averted. 及时防止了一场灾难。
• Thanks to her skilful handling of the affair, the problem was averted. 多亏她对事情处理得巧妙，才避免了麻烦。

18 spat   

n.口角，掌击；v.发出呼噜呼噜声

参考例句：

• Her parents always have spats.她的父母经常有些小的口角。
• There is only a spat between the brother and sister.那只是兄妹间的小吵小闹。

19 retaliate   

v.报复，反击

参考例句：

• He sought every opportunity to retaliate against his enemy.他找机会向他的敌人反击。
• It is strictly forbidden to retaliate against the quality inspectors.严禁对质量检验人员进行打击报复。

20 indictment   

n.起诉；诉状

参考例句：

• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。
• They issued an indictment against them.他们起诉了他们。

21 leverage   

n.力量，影响；杠杆作用，杠杆的力量

参考例句：

• We'll have to use leverage to move this huge rock.我们不得不借助杠杆之力来移动这块巨石。
• He failed in the project because he could gain no leverage. 因为他没有影响力，他的计划失败了。

22 retailers   

零售商，零售店( retailer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• High street retailers reported a marked increase in sales before Christmas. 商业街的零售商报告说圣诞节前销售量显著提高。
• Retailers have a statutory duty to provide goods suitable for their purpose. 零售商有为他们提供符合要求的货品的法定义务。

23 disastrous   

adj.灾难性的，造成灾害的；极坏的，很糟的

参考例句：

• The heavy rainstorm caused a disastrous flood.暴雨成灾。
• Her investment had disastrous consequences.She lost everything she owned.她的投资结果很惨，血本无归。

24 unravelling   

解开，拆散，散开( unravel的现在分词 )； 阐明； 澄清； 弄清楚

参考例句：

• Nail head clamp the unravelling of nail exteriorize broken nails and clean. 钉头卡钉，拆开钉头取出碎钉并清洁。
• The ends of ropes are in good condition and secured without unravelling. 缆绳端部状况良好及牢固，并无松散脱线。