VOA常速英语2014--美联储降低增长预期但称经济在复苏（在线收听）

US Central Bank Lowers Growth Forecast But Says Economy Rebounding 美联储降低增长预期但称经济在复苏

WASHINGTON — The U.S. central bank says economic growth is rebounding after stalling in the first few months of the year. But as expected, the U.S. Federal Reserve lowered its growth forecast for 2014 from three percent to only slightly more than two percent. Despite the weaker outlook, Fed Chair Janet Yellen expressed confidence in the U.S. recovery.

The U.S. Federal Open Market Committee concluded its two-day policy meeting in Washington with assurances that the economy remains on solid footing. Despite a one-percent contraction in the first quarter, Fed Chair Janet Yellen said consumer spending and factory output picked up in the second quarter.

美国联邦公开市场委员会在为期两天的华盛顿政策会议上有把握地总结称，该国经济仍有着扎实的基础。尽管第一季度缩水1%，美联储主席珍妮特·耶伦称消费开支和工厂生产在第二季度有所提振。

“The Committee thus believes that economic activity is rebounding in the current quarter and will continue to expand at a moderate pace thereafter,” said Yellen.

“委员会因此认为当前季度经济活动在重振，随后将继续以温和的速度扩张。”

In addition, unemployment has fallen more rapidly than the Fed expected, while inflation is still below the Fed’s target rate of two percent.  That means the economy is healthy enough for the Fed to keep reducing monthly bond purchases that help stimulate the economy and keep interest rates near record lows.

另外，失业率开始下降，其下降速度之快超过美联储预料，而通胀率仍低于美联储2%的目标。这意味着经济足够健康，足以让美联储保持每月减少对刺激经济的债券的购买，并保持利率在创纪录的低点。

“Starting next month, we will be purchasing $35 billion of securities per month, down $10 billion per month from our current rate,” said Yellen.

“从下月起，我们将每月购买350亿美元的债券，每月比现在减少100亿美元。”

U.S. stocks rose sharply after the Fed announcement -- partly because there were few surprises and partly because the central bank vowed to keep interest rates near record lows until at least the middle of next year. That’s welcome news for businesses and consumers, according Bankrate.com’s Greg McBride who spoke via Skype.

美联储做出声明后美国股市快速上涨，这部分因为股市对此毫不吃惊，也部分因为央行承诺将利率一直保持到创纪录的低点，至少要到明年年中。Bankrate.com的格列格·麦克布莱德通过Skype说，这对商界和消费者来说是个好消息。

“In all likelihood, those interest rates are going to start to move up and at this point, it looks like that’ll be next year. So use this opportunity while you can, that tailwind of low interest rates, to accelerate your debt repayment so that you’re not having to do so in a less favorable interest rate environment next year or the year after.”

“利率很有可能会上升，可能就在明年。所以要利用这个低利率的机会来尽快偿还债务，这样在明年或后年利率高时就不用这么做了。”

One drawback, say economists, is that low interest rates could spur inflation. Even though this hasn't happened yet, many worry that rising prices and stagnant wage growth could slow consumer spending and further hamper an already lackluster recovery.

经济学家称一个缺点就是低利率能导致通胀，尽管通胀尚未发生，但很多人担心价格上涨和工资停滞不涨会让消费者减少开支，这将进一步阻碍已经乏力的复苏。