澳洲新闻 (ABC新闻快递) 2011-10-30

 The survey by the National Australia Bank has found trading additions for small and medium-sized companies fell sharply in the September quarter. Confidence was down for those companies involved in transport, business services and healthcare. However, optimism was a little stronger in retail¹ and construction.

 

A quarry² group has blamed uncertainty³ in global financial markets for a drop in first-half profit. Australia's biggest investment bank posted a 24 per cent fall in profit to $305 million. That's below analysts⁴' expectations. The company has also announced a share buyback plan worth almost $900 million.

 

And new doubts suggest the US economy could be morally picking up steam. Economic growth in the country nearly doubled to 2.5 per cent between July and September. The improvement was roughly in line with expectations and was fuelled by stronger consumer and business spending as well as international trade.

 

Let's check out the figures now, and the US market closed mixed with the Dow up slightly. There have been falls in Europe but also somewhat mixed in Europe there. And back home, both the All Ords and the ASX 200 up slightly.

 

Checking commodities, and gold was down just slightly as you can see. And on the currency market, the Australian dollar is buying 107 US cents.

1 retail   

v./n.零售；adv.以零售价格

参考例句：

• In this shop they retail tobacco and sweets.这家铺子零售香烟和糖果。
• These shoes retail at 10 yuan a pair.这些鞋子零卖10元一双。

2 quarry   

n.采石场；v.采石；费力地找

参考例句：

• Michelangelo obtained his marble from a quarry.米开朗基罗从采石场获得他的大理石。
• This mountain was the site for a quarry.这座山曾经有一个采石场。

3 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。

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。