VOA标准英语10月-Stock Markets Across Middle East Fall Again

Stock markets in the Gulf¹ and across much of the Middle East experienced another day of dramatic drops Sunday, amid a backdrop of falling oil prices, despite OPEC's decision to cut production. Edward Yeranian reports for VOA from Cairo.
　

A Bahraini trader watches share prices at the Bahrain Stock Exchange in Manama, Bahrain (File)

Stock markets in Abu Dhabi and Dubai lost between four and five percent, Oman and Qatar lost between eight and nine percent, and the Egyptian stock exchange dropped more than six percent.

Mohammed Burhan, the executive editor of CNBC al Arabiya network, based in Dubai, said in a telephone interview, he thinks that Gulf markets are reflecting the global economic crisis.

He says, whatever affects global markets affects Gulf Arab markets, as well. He says, "the crisis in the Gulf began a bit ahead of the global crisis, when foreign investment funds began to pull out of the local market," and this affected² stock prices.

The Arab daily Asharqalawsat reports that Gulf Finance Ministers and Central Bank chiefs held a closed door meeting Saturday in the wake of investor³ fears.
　

An investor follows the downturn of share prices at Kuwait Stock Exchange in Kuwait City, 26 Oct 2008

In Kuwait, the Central Bank intervened Sunday to halt trading in one of the country's largest banks, after it incurred⁴ major losses in currency and stock trades.

A top Gulf economic expert, Wadah el Taha, told Al Arabiya Television that he thinks much of the crisis is the result of widespread investor panic, and that some steps have already been taken, like the insuring of bank deposits in the United Arab Emirates, and the pumping of more liquidity⁵ into the system:

He says it is critically important to restore confidence and take steps to support the banking⁶ system.

　

1 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

2 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

3 investor   

n.投资者，投资人

参考例句：

• My nephew is a cautious investor.我侄子是个小心谨慎的投资者。
• The investor believes that his investment will pay off handsomely soon.这个投资者相信他的投资不久会有相当大的收益。

4 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。

5 liquidity   

n.流动性，偿债能力，流动资产

参考例句：

• The bank has progressively increased its liquidity.银行逐渐地增加其流动资产。
• The demand for and the supply of credit is closely linked to changes in liquidity.信用的供求和流动资金的变化有密切关系。

6 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。