VOA标准英语10月-Nervous European Markets Follow US Congressional

European shares extended gains by midday on Tuesday with banks rebounding² from lows ahead of U.S. President George Bush's speech on the financial sector³ rescue package. Britain's benchmark stock index, the FTSE 100, fell by as much as 3 percent in early trading, with particularly sharp declines in the banking⁴ sector. But it gained some ground a few hours after the market opened. For VOA, Tom Rivers reports from London.
　

A large screen graph shows the performance of Britain's FTSE 100 share index in London, Monday 29 Sept. 2008

After seeing the U.S. House of Representatives reject the $700 billion rescue deal, European markets tried with difficulty to find a meaningful direction.

Sharp declines were seen at the opening, but by midday some of that lost ground had been clawed back.

Despite the midday comeback, however, the battered⁵ financial sector in Europe took steps to stem losses.

Belgian-French financial services group Dexia got a much-needed boost of $9.18 billion from public shareholders⁶ to help it fight the global credit crisis. Ireland also offered to guarantee all bank deposits for two years to improve banks' access to funds on international markets.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown says the failure to pass the U.S. bail⁷ out plan is being felt far beyond American shores.
　

Britain's Prime Minister Gordon Brown

"We have obviously sent a message to the White House about the importance that we attach to taking decisive action in America," Mr. Brown said. "I think it is true to say however that in recent times we in Britain have taken decisive steps to ensure the stability of our system."

And following Monday's partial nationalization of the British mortgage lender Bradford and Bingley, many are concerned that other financial institutions might be tottering⁸ as well on the edge. Given this uncertainty⁹, Brown gave this assurance.

"The Governor of the Bank of England and the Chancellor¹⁰ and I are making it absolutely clear that we will do whatever is necessary to ensure the stability of our system to the benefit of families and businesses across the country," he said.

Markets in Europe are now trying to focus on what the next step will be for rescue-related legislation.

Meanwhile, U.S. stock index futures¹¹ rose Tuesday, pointing to a partial rebound¹, as investors¹² bet that Washington will work to revive a plan to stabilize¹³ the U.S. financial system.

In Asia, markets were mixed on Tuesday. In Tokyo, the Nikkei ended the day just over four percent down, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index gained nearly one percent.

1 rebound   

v.弹回；n.弹回，跳回

参考例句：

• The vibrations accompanying the rebound are the earth quake.伴随这种回弹的振动就是地震。
• Our evil example will rebound upon ourselves.我们的坏榜样会回到我们自己头上的。

2 rebounding   

蹦跳运动

参考例句：

• The strength of negative temperature concrete is tested with supersonic-rebounding method. 本文将超声回弹综合法用于负温混凝土强度检测。
• The fundamental of basketball includes shooting, passing and catching, rebounding, etc. 篮球运动中最基本的东西包括投篮，传接球，篮板球等。

3 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。

4 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。

5 battered   

adj.磨损的；v.连续猛击；磨损

参考例句：

• He drove up in a battered old car.他开着一辆又老又破的旧车。
• The world was brutally battered but it survived.这个世界遭受了惨重的创伤,但它还是生存下来了。

6 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

7 bail   

v.舀（水），保释；n.保证金，保释，保释人

参考例句：

• One of the prisoner's friends offered to bail him out.犯人的一个朋友答应保释他出来。
• She has been granted conditional bail.她被准予有条件保释。

8 tottering   

adj.蹒跚的，动摇的v.走得或动得不稳( totter的现在分词 )；踉跄；蹒跚；摇摇欲坠

参考例句：

• the tottering walls of the castle 古城堡摇摇欲坠的墙壁
• With power and to spare we must pursue the tottering foe. 宜将剩勇追穷寇。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

9 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。

10 chancellor   

n.(英)大臣；法官；(德、奥)总理；大学校长

参考例句：

• They submitted their reports to the Chancellor yesterday.他们昨天向财政大臣递交了报告。
• He was regarded as the most successful Chancellor of modern times.他被认为是现代最成功的财政大臣。

11 futures   

n.期货，期货交易

参考例句：

• He continued his operations in cotton futures.他继续进行棉花期货交易。
• Cotton futures are selling at high prices.棉花期货交易的卖价是很高的。

12 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

13 stabilize   

vt.（使）稳定，使稳固，使稳定平衡；vi.稳定

参考例句：

• They are eager to stabilize currencies.他们急于稳定货币。
• His blood pressure tended to stabilize.他的血压趋向稳定。