澳洲新闻 (ABC新闻快递) 2011-01-22

 In business, Westpac has indicated interest rates will continue to rise this year. Westpac boss Gail Kelly says the bank's funding costs are continuing to increase. And she has told a federal parliamentary inquiry¹ it's likely to be a while until they peak. The Federal Government last year announced plans to boost competition in the sector², including abolishing mortgage exit fees. Ms Kelly says it's unnecessary move and may in fact hurt the small players. 

 

Rio Tinto's 3.9 billion dollar takeover bid for Riversdale Mining has been given the tick of approval by the Foreign Investment Review Board. Rio has made a cash offer of 16 dollars a share for Riversdale which has coal mining operations in Africa. Riversdale has recommended its shareholders³ accept the offer which could see Rio take full ownership of the company. 

 

And taking a check of the market numbers now: In the US, at the end of the week's trade, the Dow is up. Australian shares ended the session yesterday lower. The All Ords lost about a third of a percent. And the ASX 200 lost slightly less. Elsewhere in the region, Asian stocks were down, the Nikkei and the Hang Seng both lost more than 100 points. 

 

And let's check the currencies now, the Australian dollar is buying almost 99 US cents.

1 inquiry   

n.打听，询问，调查，查问

参考例句：

• Many parents have been pressing for an inquiry into the problem.许多家长迫切要求调查这个问题。
• The field of inquiry has narrowed down to five persons.调查的范围已经缩小到只剩5个人了。

2 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。

3 shareholders   

n.股东( shareholder的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The meeting was attended by 90% of shareholders. 90%的股东出席了会议。
• the company's fiduciary duty to its shareholders 公司对股东负有的受托责任