澳洲新闻 (ABC新闻快递) 2011-01-29

 The US economy continues to show encouraging signs of recovery with growth picking up to 3.2 per cent in the final quarter of 2010. The result takes the annual growth rate for the last year to 2.9 per cent, the biggest increase since 2005. US Treasury¹ Secretary Timothy Geithner says the mid- to long-term outlook is positive.

 

"There's much more confidence now that we've got a sustainable expansion. You know, it's not a boom. It's not an expansion that's going to offer the possibility of a rapid decline in the unemployment rate. But I think there's much more confidence now that it's sustainable, much more confidence that we're able to avoid the risk of slipping back into recession."

 

In other news from the US, carmaker Ford² has announced its highest earnings³ in more than a decade. Ford reported a net income of $6.6 billion for 2010, up 135 per cent on the previous year.

 

And to the market numbers: in the US, the Dow has closed down by more than 150 points. Australian shares ended yesterday on a sour note - the All Ords and the ASX 200 closed just over two thirds of a per cent lower. Elsewhere, Asian stocks were down - the Nikkei and Hang Seng both lost more than 100 points. And the Australian dollar is buying around 99 US cents and 62 British pence.

1 treasury   

n.宝库；国库，金库；文库

参考例句：

• The Treasury was opposed in principle to the proposals.财政部原则上反对这些提案。
• This book is a treasury of useful information.这本书是有价值的信息宝库。

2 Ford   

n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过

参考例句：

• They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。
• If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。

3 earnings   

n.工资收人；利润，利益，所得

参考例句：

• That old man lives on the earnings of his daughter.那个老人靠他女儿的收入维持生活。
• Last year there was a 20% decrease in his earnings.去年他的收入减少了20%。