European shares extend their rally into a third day Thursday.
欧洲股市星期四连续第三天上扬。
Encouraged by the U.S. Federal Reserve half a percentage point interest rate cut, European markets, as in Asia, have picked up some lost ground amid hopes of a round of cuts soon.
受美联储降息半个百分点的消息鼓舞，欧洲股市和亚洲一样，期待各国央行不久将再次降息，市场因此收复了一些失地。
In Britain, the Bank of England is expected to cut rates in the next few days. While the Bank's decision is independent from the government, Treasury Secretary Alastair Darling hinted Thursday that the central bank will likely opt for a cut now to counter growing recessionary pressures.
在英国，英格兰银行预计将在今后几天削减利率。虽然央行在制定货币政策方面独立于政府，但是英国财政大臣达林星期四暗示，央行有可能选择现在降息，以减少不断上升的衰退压力。
"The Bank of England's remit is sufficiently wide to allow it firstly to target inflation. And I think inflation is coming back down now, or will come back down now, but also to help the government in its wider objectives of supporting the economy," said Darling.
“英格兰银行拥有足够大的斡旋余地，能够率先控制住通货膨胀。我认为通胀压力正在回落，或者即将出现回落。这样央行就可以帮助政府实现支撑经济发展的更广泛目标。”
Recession worries here, as in the rest of Europe, center on mortgage difficulties, rising unemployment and the difficulties small businesses face. Darling says the government is freeing up four billion pounds, or around $6.5 billion, specifically for banks to loan to those small companies feeling the squeeze right now.
如同在欧洲其他地区一样，英国对衰退的担忧也主要集中在房屋贷款中出现的问题、失业率上升和小型企业面临的困境。达林说，政府正在解冻40亿英镑，相当于65亿美元的资金，专门供银行向那些目前感到资金短缺的小公司提供贷款。
"I want to make sure that we do everything we possibly can to help them. And today's step of making that extra four billion pounds available I believe will be a significant step forward and I want the banks to get on with doing the job that they do and that is making sure that where you have got perfectly good prospects, that you help those businesses. They need that help," he said.
“我要明确表示，我们正在竭尽全力帮助它们。现在我们额外拨出40亿英镑的资金将是这方面的一个重大举措。我希望银行将开始着手这项工作。这项措施将确保银行具有良好的前景，确保银行帮助这些小企业。”
Elsewhere on the European markets Thursday, strong third quarter results by Deutsche Bank, Germany's largest bank, boosted the Dax index. Commerzbank and UBS were also up.
星期四，欧洲其他股市也纷纷上扬。德国最大银行德意志银行公布的第三季度的强劲财报推动法兰克福DAX指数上涨。德国商业银行和瑞银集团的股价也在攀升。
Royal Dutch Shell fell two percent, despite recording a quarterly net profit increase of just over 70 percent.
尽管皇家荷兰壳牌石油公司第三季度的净赢利增长了创纪录的百分之70以上，但是这家公司的股票却下跌了百分之2。
Among others reporting results, consumer giant Unilever was up two percent after posting a rise in third quarter sales.
其他方面，消费品制造业巨头联合利华公司第三季度的销售量上升，股票上涨了百分之2。
While the mood is more upbeat Thursday, analysts' stress that the European economy remains in a slump and that inevitably means there will be more bad days ahead.
星期四欧洲市场情绪较为乐观，但分析人士强调，欧洲经济仍然疲弱，这种形势将不可避免地意味著，更糟糕的日子还在前面。 |