2020年经济学人 一周要闻 蚂蚁集团IPO被叫停 宝马第三季度销量回暖

The world this week

本周国际要闻

Business

经济

In a stunning¹ turn of events, Chinese regulators suspended the initial public offering in Shanghai of Ant Group, just days before the fintech firm was due to float its shares in a dual² listing both there and in Hong Kong. It was expected to be the world’s most valuable IPO ever, potentially raising $34bn. Ant had been given the green light for the sale, but China’s foreign ministry³ said the decision had been taken “to better safeguard capital market stability and protect investor⁴ rights”. Ant’s online-lending business was said to be a concern; new rules were published forcing such lenders to back their loans with more of their own capital. The shelving of Ant’s IPO is a blow to Jack⁵ Ma, its founder⁶.

在一系列令人震惊的事件中，中国监管机构叫停了蚂蚁集团在上海的首次公开募股，而就在几天前，这家金融科技公司计划在上海和香港两地同时上市。预计这将成为有史以来全球市值最高的IPO，或将筹资340亿美元。蚂蚁集团已获准出售股票，但中国外交部表示，这一（叫停）决定是“为了更好地维护资本市场稳定和保护投资者权益”。据说蚂蚁集团的在线借贷业务令人担忧；新出台的规定迫使这类贷款机构用更多的自有资金来支持其贷款。搁置蚂蚁集团的上市计划，对其创始人马云来说是一次打击。

Uber, Lyft and other companies that work in the gig economy won a big victory in California when voters approved a measure that will allow them to avoid reclassifying their drivers as employees. The companies will not now have to comply with a state law compelling them to provide benefits like sick pay to drivers, although some have pledged to offer more protections. Uber and its allies spent $200m supporting the measure, the most expensive-ever campaign for a ballot⁷ initiative in the state.

优步(Uber)、Lyft和其他从事零工经济的公司在加州赢得了一场重大胜利。投票者通过了一项措施，避免将司机重新归类为雇员。尽管一些公司承诺提供更多的保护措施，但如今这些公司将不必遵守州法律的强制要求，为司机提供带薪病假等福利。优步和它的盟友花费了2亿美元来支持这项措施，这是该州有史以来代价最高的投票活动。

BMW had a bumper⁸ third quarter, driven by a surge in sales in China, which were up by 31% year on year. Sales in Europe also rose, but the carmaker warned that its business remains⁹ volatile¹⁰ because of COVID-19. Its global deliveries were still 12.5% lower in the first nine months than in the same period last year.

由于在华销量同比增长31%，宝马第三季度销量大幅增长。在欧洲的销量也有所上升，但这家汽车制造商警告称，由于新冠疫情的影响，其业务仍不稳定。今年前九个月，该公司的全球交付量仍比去年同期下降了12.5%。

The euro area’s GDP expanded by 12.7% in the third quarter by comparison with the previous three months, bouncing back from recession. Year on year, however, the currency bloc’s economy shrank by 4.3%. America’s economy also pulled out of recession, growing by 7.4% in the third quarter, though year on year it was down by 2.9%.

与前三个月相比，欧元区第三季度的国内生产总值（GDP）增长了12.7%，从衰退中反弹。然而，欧元区的经济同比萎缩了4.3%。美国经济也走出了衰退，第三季度增长了7.4%，尽管同比下降了2.9%。

Turkey’s annual inflation rate ticked up to 11.9% in October. The lira, which has lost around a third of its value against the dollar this year, fell to another new low.

土耳其的年通胀率在10月份上升到了11.9%。里拉兑美元汇率今年已下跌约三分之一，跌至又一个新低。

1 stunning   

adj.极好的；使人晕倒的

参考例句：

• His plays are distinguished only by their stunning mediocrity.他的戏剧与众不同之处就是平凡得出奇。
• The finished effect was absolutely stunning.完工后的效果非常美。

2 dual   

adj.双的；二重的，二元的

参考例句：

• The people's Republic of China does not recognize dual nationality for any Chinese national.中华人民共和国不承认中国公民具有双重国籍。
• He has dual role as composer and conductor.他兼作曲家及指挥的双重身分。

3 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

4 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。

5 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

6 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

7 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

8 bumper   

n.(汽车上的)保险杠；adj.特大的，丰盛的

参考例句：

• The painting represents the scene of a bumper harvest.这幅画描绘了丰收的景象。
• This year we have a bumper harvest in grain.今年我们谷物丰收。

9 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。

10 volatile   

adj.反复无常的，挥发性的，稍纵即逝的，脾气火爆的；n.挥发性物质

参考例句：

• With the markets being so volatile,investments are at great risk.由于市场那么变化不定，投资冒着很大的风险。
• His character was weak and volatile.他这个人意志薄弱，喜怒无常。