VOA标准英语2009年-Foreign Direct Investment Expected to Rebo

A new U.N. report says foreign direct investment by transnational corporations will start to recover in 2010 and rebound¹ substantially in 2011. The U.N. Conference on Trade and Development has published the results of this year's World Investment Prospects² Survey.

More than 240 transnational corporations were surveyed for this report. The results show a drastic 54 percent decline in foreign direct investment inflows for the first quarter of 2009.

The UNCTAD survey finds cross border mergers³ and acquisitions dropped by an even more dramatic 77 percent, compared to the same period last year.

Although this gloomy situation is expected to persist throughout the year, the transnational corporations surveyed indicate they expect foreign direct investment will progressively recover in 2010 and gain momentum⁴ in 2011.

But, UNCTAD Director of Division on Investment and Enterprise James Zhan warns of several risks related to the recovery of FDI.

"One is the further global economic downturn," he said. "A second is an increase in financial instability and a third, which is very interesting, is the rise of protectionism involving a change in foreign investment regime."

Zhan says protectionism is not a big deal at the moment. But, he says the TNC's concerns about the risk of protectionism in foreign investments is not ungrounded.

"The economic stimulus⁵ packages could give rise to what can be labeled as smart protectionism," said Zhan. "Furthermore, a new wave of economic nationalism could occur in the aftermath of the crisis when the exit of the public investment from the bailout flagship industries might lead to the protectionism of the national 'champions' from the foreign takeovers."

The survey finds FDI prospects remain bright in the agriculture and services industries, while the situation is less optimistic for the manufacturing sector⁶.

It says developed countries from North America and the European Union are the regions most affected⁷ by the crisis. Sub-Saharan Africa and North Africa are least affected.

The survey shows developing countries in East and Southeast Asia are particularly attractive destinations for foreign investment. And, it notes the top five spots favored by TNC's are China, the United States, India, Brazil, and Russia.

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 prospects   

n.希望，前途(恒为复数)

参考例句：

• There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。
• They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。

3 mergers   

n.（两个公司的）合并( merger的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Mergers fall into three categories: horizontal, vertical, and conglomerate. 合并分为以下三种：横向合并，纵向合并和混合合并。 来自辞典例句
• Many recent mergers are concentrated within specific industries, particularly in retailing, airlines and communications. 现代许多合并企业集中进行某些特定业务，在零售业、民航和通讯业中更是如此。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件

4 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。

5 stimulus   

n.刺激，刺激物，促进因素，引起兴奋的事物

参考例句：

• Regard each failure as a stimulus to further efforts.把每次失利看成对进一步努力的激励。
• Light is a stimulus to growth in plants.光是促进植物生长的一个因素。

6 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。

7 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。