VOA标准英语10月-Major European Markets Follow Asian Lead, Move Hi

Major European markets opened moderately higher, following the lead of Asian markets that posted solid gains. For VOA, Tom Rivers in London has details.
　

German stock trader makes phone call in Frankfurt

European markets posted modest increases as investors¹ took some comfort in the global efforts to prop² up the international banking³ system.

Analysts⁴ say that as financial institutions grow less wary⁵ of lending to each other it will free up credit for consumers to purchase essential things like mortgages and small business loans.

The biggest gainers in European trading were in the financial sector⁶. Deutsche Bank in Germany and Lloyds TSB in Britain are recovering some of the losses incurred⁷ during the past few weeks.

Energy stocks are up as well.

But amid this moderate, short-term optimism is the realization⁸ that the world economy is slowing.

Here in Britain, the economy shrank by two-tenths of one percent in the last quarter and people like professor Peter Spencer from Ernst and Young's Item Club say for all intents and purposes, Britain is in a recession.

"It is a recession," he said. "But it is relatively⁹ shallow and short compared to the bad old days of the 1970s and 1980s, and that is for one simple reason and that is that the Bank of England is in a position to cut interest rates as inflation is coming off its peak."

Spencer says the next year will be financially rocky with growth slowing further and unemployment increasing.

"It will be apparent to everybody, if it is not already, that the good times are over and that belts have to be tightened," he said. "OK, inflation may be coming down a bit, but we will be finding our incomes squeezed in our pay packet. Those people who hold on to their jobs, hopefully the majority of us, will see that their pay really is not increasing."

But as he sees it, by the end of 2009, an economic recovery should be starting here.

The British government's strategy is to borrow its way through these tough times. The latest six-month total of public sector borrowing stands at a level not seen for 60 years.

1 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

2 prop   

vt.支撑；n.支柱，支撑物；支持者，靠山

参考例句：

• A worker put a prop against the wall of the tunnel to keep it from falling.一名工人用东西支撑住隧道壁好使它不会倒塌。
• The government does not intend to prop up declining industries.政府无意扶持不景气的企业。

3 banking   

n.银行业，银行学，金融业

参考例句：

• John is launching his son on a career in banking.约翰打算让儿子在银行界谋一个新职位。
• He possesses an extensive knowledge of banking.他具有广博的银行业务知识。

4 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。

5 wary   

adj.谨慎的，机警的，小心的

参考例句：

• He is wary of telling secrets to others.他谨防向他人泄露秘密。
• Paula frowned,suddenly wary.宝拉皱了皱眉头，突然警惕起来。

6 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。

7 incurred   

[医]招致的，遭受的； incur的过去式

参考例句：

• She had incurred the wrath of her father by marrying without his consent 她未经父亲同意就结婚，使父亲震怒。
• We will reimburse any expenses incurred. 我们将付还所有相关费用。

8 realization   

n.实现；认识到，深刻了解

参考例句：

• We shall gladly lend every effort in our power toward its realization.我们将乐意为它的实现而竭尽全力。
• He came to the realization that he would never make a good teacher.他逐渐认识到自己永远不会成为好老师。

9 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。