VOA标准英语2008年-US Financial Crisis Expected to Affect Foreign

A United Nations survey on global investment prospects¹ shows the U.S. financial crisis and economic downturn are making corporations more cautious about future foreign investment. VOA Correspondent Steve Herman reports from New Delhi.
　
Official release in India of UNCTAD's annual report on global investment

A United Nations report, released globally on Wednesday, shows foreign direct investment in developed countries likely peaked last year, when it surged 33 percent to a record $1.25 trillion. The outlook for this year is less optimistic because of the sub-prime mortgage crisis in the United States and the related upheaval² in the banking³ sector⁴.

One of the contributors to this year's World Investment Report of the U.N. Conference on Trade and Development, consultant⁵ Premila Nazareth, says a 10 percent drop is forecast for 2008.
　
Premila Nazareth, economic consultant & policy analyst⁶ who contributed to the 2008 World Investment Report

"So far, the sub-prime [crisis] has not affected⁷ FDI (foreign direct investment) flows over this last year, but will start to do so over the next year - not dramatically but there will be a slowdown," said Nazareth.

The report's survey of corporate⁸ chief executive officers finds a majority of companies still plan to increase international investment expenditures⁹ in the next three years, but at more moderate levels.

Economist¹⁰ Partha Mukhopadhyay of India's Center for Policy Research says the unfolding financial crisis means highly-leveraged massive multi-billion-dollar investment deals in developing countries are likely over, but more rational overseas investments are apt to replace them.
　
Partha Mukhopadhyay of the Centre for Policy Research at news conference for release of the World Investment Report

"It's quite possible that you might see a resurgence¹¹ of much more healthy levels of activity, rather than the current, quote, unquote 'irrational¹² exuberance,'" said Mukhopadhyay.

The report notes that the most important factors for investment locations by large corporations are market growth and size and access to international and regional markets.

The annual U.N. survey finds that China, India, the United States, the Russian Federation¹³ and Brazil are the most attractive targets for future foreign investment. New entrants in the top-15 investment destinations are South Africa, Canada and Turkey.

The United States remains¹⁴ the largest recipient¹⁵ of foreign direct investment, helped by a weaker dollar. It is also the largest outward investor¹⁶, followed by the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Spain. Among developing and transitioning economies, the report finds that the largest sources of foreign direct investment are China and the Russian Federation.

 

1 prospects   

n.希望，前途(恒为复数)

参考例句：

• There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。
• They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。

2 upheaval   

n.胀起，(地壳)的隆起；剧变，动乱

参考例句：

• It was faced with the greatest social upheaval since World War Ⅱ.它面临第二次世界大战以来最大的社会动乱。
• The country has been thrown into an upheaval.这个国家已经陷入动乱之中。

3 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。

4 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

5 consultant   

n.顾问；会诊医师，专科医生

参考例句：

• He is a consultant on law affairs to the mayor.他是市长的一个法律顾问。
• Originally,Gar had agreed to come up as a consultant.原来，加尔只答应来充当我们的顾问。

6 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

7 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。

8 corporate   

adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的

参考例句：

• This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。
• His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。

9 expenditures   

n.花费( expenditure的名词复数 )；使用；（尤指金钱的）支出额；（精力、时间、材料等的）耗费

参考例句：

• We have overspent.We'll have to let up our expenditures next month. 我们已经超支了，下个月一定得节约开支。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The pension includes an allowance of fifty pounds for traffic expenditures. 年金中包括50镑交通费补贴。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 economist   

n.经济学家，经济专家，节俭的人

参考例句：

• He cast a professional economist's eyes on the problem.他以经济学行家的眼光审视这个问题。
• He's an economist who thinks he knows all the answers.他是个经济学家，自以为什么都懂。

11 resurgence   

n.再起，复活，再现

参考例句：

• A resurgence of his grief swept over Nim.悲痛又涌上了尼姆的心头。
• Police say drugs traffickers are behind the resurgence of violence.警方说毒贩是暴力活动重新抬头的罪魁祸首。

12 irrational   

adj.无理性的，失去理性的

参考例句：

• After taking the drug she became completely irrational.她在吸毒后变得完全失去了理性。
• There are also signs of irrational exuberance among some investors.在某些投资者中是存在非理性繁荣的征象的。

13 federation   

n.同盟，联邦，联合，联盟，联合会

参考例句：

• It is a federation of 10 regional unions.它是由十个地方工会结合成的联合会。
• Mr.Putin was inaugurated as the President of the Russian Federation.普京正式就任俄罗斯联邦总统。

14 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

15 recipient   

a.接受的,感受性强的 n.接受者,感受者,容器

参考例句：

• Please check that you have a valid email certificate for each recipient. 请检查是否对每个接收者都有有效的电子邮件证书。
• Colombia is the biggest U . S aid recipient in Latin America. 哥伦比亚是美国在拉丁美洲最大的援助对象。

16 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。