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　　美国中央银行的负责人、美联储主席伯南克表示，美国经济表现的前景恶化，美联储可能不得不重新评估目前的利率。伯南克是在全球各地的股市继续动荡的情况下说这番话的。一天之前，一些股市出现大规模的抛售，导致世界好几个证券交易所的股价下滑到多年来的最低水平。

　　Chairman Bernanke says severe upheaval² in America's financial sector³ has further strained an already weak U.S. economy. Addressing a business association in Washington, the Fed chief gave a gloomy assessment⁴ of economic prospects⁵.

　　美联储主席伯南克说，美国金融行业出现的严重动荡使已经疲软的美国经济进一步受到压力。在华盛顿对一个商业协会发表讲话时，伯南克对美国经济的前景做出了相当悲观的评估。

　　"The housing market continues to be a primary source of weakness in the real economy as well as the financial markets," he said. "However the slowdown in economic activity has spread outside the housing sector. Private payrolls⁷ have continued to contract, and the declines in employment, together with earlier increases in food and energy prices, have eroded⁸ the purchasing power of households. Overall, the outlook for economic growth has worsened."

　　他说：“房屋市场继续是导致实体经济以及金融市场出现问题的一个主要原因。不过，经济活动的减缓已经扩展到房市以外的行业。私营部门的就业 人数继续减少，而且就业机会的减少以及食品和能源价格早些时候出现的上涨侵蚀了家庭的购买力。在总体上，经济增长的前景已经恶化。”

　　Bernanke did not say the United States has entered a recession or predict that a recession is looming⁹. Rather he said that inflation worries have moderated somewhat and that "the downside risk to growth has increased."

　　伯南克没有说美国已经进入了经济衰退或预计即将进入衰退，而是表示，有关通货膨胀的担忧在一定程度上有所缓解，增长下行的风险增加了。

　　"In light of these developments, the Federal Reserve will need to consider whether the current stance on policy remains¹⁰ appropriate," he said.

　　他说：“考虑到这些发展，美联储将需要考虑目前的政策立场是否仍然是合适的。”

　　The "current stance on policy" is widely viewed by economists¹¹ and Fed-watchers as current U.S. interest rates - an indication that the Fed will at least consider further cuts to stimulate¹² economic growth and promote lending.

　　他所说的“目前的政策立场”被经济学家和美联储的观察人士普遍看作是美国目前的利率。这表明，美联储至少会考虑削减利率来刺激经济增长和促进借贷活动。

　　Earlier in the day, the Federal Reserve unveiled an aggressive plan to make it easier for American companies to finance short-term needs like payroll⁶ obligations and purchasing supplies.

　　今天早些时候，美联储推出了一个大胆的计划，使美国公司更容易为支付工资以及购买原料等短期需求进行融资。

　　The initiative follows another major government effort to end a credit crunch¹³ that could further stifle¹⁴ economic growth. Last week, President Bush signed into law a massive financial rescue package that empowers the federal government to buy bad debt from struggling U.S. financial institutions.

　　在采取这项举动之前，政府做出重大努力试图结束可能会进一步窒息经济增长的信贷紧缩。上个星期，布什总统将一个大规模的金融救助方案签署成法律，这个方案使联邦政府有权从正在挣扎之中的美国金融机构那里购买坏帐。

　　Speaking outside Washington, Mr. Bush urged patience when it comes to addressing America's financial ills.

　　在解决美国的金融问题上，布什总统敦促人们要有耐心。

　　"Thawing¹⁵ the freeze in the financial system is not going to happen overnight," he said. "It will be a process that unfolds over several stages, and obviously the first stage began last Friday when I signed the rescue package into law. And so the Treasury¹⁶ Department is moving aggressively to implement¹⁷ the new authorities."

　　他说：“解除美国金融体系中出现的冻结不会在一夜之间发生。它将是一个分好几个阶段展开的过程。显然，第一阶段是从上星期五我把救助方案签署成法律的时候开始的。财政部也正在积极行动来实施它们的新权力。”

　　The president said the United States will coordinate¹⁸ its efforts to contain the financial crisis with those of other major industrialized nations, noting an upcoming meeting of G-7 finance ministers later this week in Washington.

　　布什总统说，美国将同其他工业化大国进行协调一致的努力，来遏制这场金融危机。他指出，7国集团的财政部长这个星期晚些时候将在华盛顿举行会议。

　　Meanwhile, world markets were mixed. One day after sinking to its lowest level in four years, Wall Street's Dow Jones Industrial Average opened higher before retreating to triple-digit losses in afternoon trading. Major European markets were mixed, with London and Paris recording¹⁹ slight gains while shares in Frankfort closed moderately lower.

　　Earlier, Tokyo's market finished with a three-percent loss.

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