澳洲新闻 (ABC新闻快递) 2010-02-20

Fortescue Metals Group has postponed¹ plans for a key expansion of its iron ore operations in the Pilbara. The miner had planned to double output in the region by 2012. But it says a tough six-month has forced it to delay that plan by over a year. The company reported a half-yearly net profit of 48 million dollars down 94% on the year before. Meanwhile, rival miner Xstrata may also scale back production of its Mount Isa operations after excessive lead levels were recorded in the area.

 

The Indian government has proved an injection of almost 200 million dollars for the ailing² national carrier Air India. The installment³ is part of an expected 480-million-dollar financial aid package for the company, which has reported huge losses in recent years.

 

Let’s take a look at how the overseas markets performed. Wall Street ended slightly higher on Friday after the Federal Reserve announced a rise in the emergency lending rate. The Dow Jones inched up nine points. And European markets also did well. Britain’s FTSE climbed for the fifth straight session, boosted by firmer finance and energy stocks. The Euro Stock 50 rose over 0.5%.

 

Let’s take a look at the currencies. And the Australian dollar is buying just under 90 US cents and 58 British pence.

 

And that’s the latest ABC Business News.

1 postponed   

vt.& vi.延期，缓办，（使）延迟vt.把…放在次要地位；[语]把…放在后面（或句尾）vi.（疟疾等）延缓发作（或复发）

参考例句：

• The trial was postponed indefinitely. 审讯无限期延迟。
• The game has already been postponed three times. 这场比赛已经三度延期了。

2 ailing   

v.生病

参考例句：

• They discussed the problems ailing the steel industry. 他们讨论了困扰钢铁工业的问题。
• She looked after her ailing father. 她照顾有病的父亲。

3 installment   

n.(instalment)分期付款；(连载的)一期

参考例句：

• I shall soon pay the last installment of my debt.不久我将偿付我的最后一期债款。
• He likes to buy things on the installment plan.他喜欢用分期付款法购买货物。