VOA标准英语2013--美国债务违约将会对全球的影响（在线收听）

US Debt Default Would Have Global Impact, Experts Say 美国债务违约将会对全球的影响

LONDON — With the U.S. government shutdown in its second week and the  possibility of an American debt default next week, the global economy  is beginning to feel the effects.

伦敦——伴随着美国政府关闭的第二周美国可能在下星期债务违约,全球经济正开 始感受到影响。

The action, or lack of action, on the U.S. government’s funding crisis  is in Washington, but concern about it spans the globe.  One financial  market indicator known as the "fear index" jumped 15% on Monday alone.

But while the headlines look ominous, London-based Wall Street Journal  reporter Charles Forelle noted that global markets have so far not had  the strong negative reaction some had expected.

“If there’s an apocalypse on the horizon, the financial markets don’ t see it coming,” he said.

Global markets have been drifting lower, but have not fallen  dramatically.  Still, Forelle warned the enthusiasm over investing will  change dramatically if the shutdown continues, and especially if the  U.S. government defaults on its debt.

“The other longer, bigger scale issue is the destruction of confidence  in the U.S. government and in U.S. treasuries [securities].  And that’ s a much more difficult thing both to measure and to fix,” Forelle  said.

Such concerns are keenly felt in places like this, the hub of  operations at the London investment firm Charles Stanley and Company.   Its chief investment commentator, Garry White, said the room will look  very different next week if there is a default.

“Phones would be ringing off the hook," White predicted.  "There would  be panic selling as investors tried to minimize their losses.  And it  would be mass panic in the investment community.”

Experts say if Congress does not raise the debt ceiling and allow the  government to continue routine payments, there would be a cascade of  defaults worldwide, and financial institutions would not know how to  set some of their key interest rates.  They say the financial collapse  of five years ago that hurt people around the world would be repeated,  and could possibly be worse.

White said that prospect could just be enough to motivate the  politicians in Washington to settle their differences.

“One would hope that the consequences are so serious that they will  sort it out before the deadline arrives. And we think it’s in the  interest of people on both sides to resolve this issue before there is  some sort of financial Armageddon,” he said.

No one in Washington wants that.  But concern is growing about whether  the officials involved will do what is necessary to avoid it.