2019年经济学人 一周要闻 美国“松绑”华为 美国股市飙升 美联储或下调利率

 

America began an investigation¹ into France’s planned digital-services tax. The Trump² administration says the 3% levy³ on the French revenues of big internet firms unfairly targets American companies like Google and Amazon. Its probe could result in America imposing⁴ tariffs⁵ or other trade restrictions⁶. Several European countries are mulling digital taxes, though all say they would prefer a global deal—which the oecd, a club of rich countries, is trying to broker⁷.

美国开始调查法国计划征收的数字服务税。特朗普政府表示，法国对大型互联网公司征收3%的税收不公平地针对谷歌和亚马逊等美国公司。它的调查可能导致美国征收关税或施加其他贸易限制。一些欧洲国家正在考虑征收数字税，尽管他们都表示更愿意达成一项全球性的协议——由富裕国家组成的经合组织正试图从中斡旋。

The Trump administration said it would issue licences allowing American companies to sell their products to Huawei, a Chinese technology firm, provided that the sales do not threaten national security. In May, after trade talks with China collapsed⁸, America had blacklisted the Chinese telecoms firm over security concerns related to its links to the Communist Party of China. President Trump agreed to allow Huawei to resume sales to American firms last month.

特朗普政府表示，将发放许可证，允许美国公司向中国科技公司华为销售产品，前提是这些销售不威胁国家安全。今年5月，在与中国的贸易谈判破裂后，美国将这家中国电信公司列入了黑名单，原因是担心其与中国共产党的关系存在安全隐患。上个月，特朗普总统同意允许华为恢复对美国公司的销售。

America’s stockmarkets soared after Jerome Powell, the chairman of the Federal Reserve, hinted that the central bank is looking to cut interest rates this month. Investors⁹ piled into shares after Mr Powell cited concerns that the trade war with China and a global slowdown could hurt growth in America. The s&p 500 index of shares touched 3,000 for the first time.

美联储主席杰罗姆·鲍威尔暗示将在本月下调利率后，美国股市飙升。在鲍威尔提到担心与中国的贸易战和全球经济放缓可能损害美国经济增长后，投资者纷纷涌入股市。标准普尔500指数首次触及3000点。

Mr Powell also warned that plans by Facebook to build a digital currency called Libra raise “serious concerns”. The central banker told America’s House of Representatives that Facebook should address fears about privacy, money laundering¹⁰, consumer protection and financial stability before moving forward with the project. Several executives at the social network are scheduled to be questioned by Congress later this month.

鲍威尔还警告称，Facebook建立一种名为Libra的数字货币的计划引发了“严重担忧”。这位美联储主席告诉美国众议院，在推进该项目之前，Facebook应该先解决外界对隐私、洗钱、消费者保护和金融稳定的担忧。这家社交网络公司的几名高管将于本月晚些时候接受国会质询。

A profit warning from BASF, the world’s largest maker¹¹ of chemicals, weighed heavily on the German stockmarket. The company slashed¹² its forecast for full-year earnings¹³ by 30%. In response its share price slid by 5%. The company blamed a global economic slowdown, caused by the trade war between America and China, as well as a “particularly strong” downturn in car manufacturing, for the downgrade.

全球最大的化学品制造商巴斯夫发布的盈利预警给德国股市带来沉重压力。该公司将全年盈利预期下调了30%。作为回应，其股价下跌了5%。该公司将降级归咎于中美贸易战导致的全球经济放缓，以及汽车制造业“特别强劲”的低迷。

A Brazilian judge ordered Vale, a mining giant, to pay full compensation for damage caused when one of its dams in the north of the country broke in January, killing¹⁴ at least 248 people. Vale must stump¹⁵ up for all the effects of the disaster, including the cost of the economic hit to the region. The judge said it was still not possible to calculate a final figure for the total amount Vale will have to pay.

巴西一名法官命令矿业巨头淡水河谷公司全额赔偿其1月份在巴西北部的一座水坝决堤所造成的损失，该事故造成至少248人死亡。淡水河谷必须为这场灾难的所有影响负责，包括对该地区经济造成的损失。法官表示，淡水河谷必须支付的总金额仍无法计算出最终数字。

1 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

2 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

3 levy   

n.征收税或其他款项，征收额

参考例句：

• They levy a tax on him.他们向他征税。
• A direct food levy was imposed by the local government.地方政府征收了食品税。

4 imposing   

adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的

参考例句：

• The fortress is an imposing building.这座城堡是一座宏伟的建筑。
• He has lost his imposing appearance.他已失去堂堂仪表。

5 tariffs   

关税制度； 关税( tariff的名词复数 )； 关税表； （旅馆或饭店等的）收费表； 量刑标准

参考例句：

• British industry was sheltered from foreign competition by protective tariffs. 保护性关税使英国工业免受国际竞争影响。
• The new tariffs have put a stranglehold on trade. 新的关税制对开展贸易极为不利。

6 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

7 broker   

n.中间人，经纪人；v.作为中间人来安排

参考例句：

• He baited the broker by promises of higher commissions.他答应给更高的佣金来引诱那位经纪人。
• I'm a real estate broker.我是不动产经纪人。

8 collapsed   

adj.倒塌的

参考例句：

• Jack collapsed in agony on the floor. 杰克十分痛苦地瘫倒在地板上。
• The roof collapsed under the weight of snow. 房顶在雪的重压下突然坍塌下来。

9 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

10 laundering   

n.洗涤（衣等），洗烫（衣等）；洗（钱）v.洗（衣服等），洗烫（衣服等）( launder的现在分词 )；洗（黑钱）（把非法收入改头换面，变为貌似合法的收入）

参考例句：

• Separate the white clothes from the dark clothes before laundering. 洗衣前应当把浅色衣服和深色衣服分开。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He was charged with laundering money. 他被指控洗钱。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 maker   

n.制造者，制造商

参考例句：

• He is a trouble maker，You must be distant with him.他是个捣蛋鬼，你不要跟他在一起。
• A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。

12 slashed   

v.挥砍( slash的过去式和过去分词 )；鞭打；割破；削减

参考例句：

• Someone had slashed the tyres on my car. 有人把我的汽车轮胎割破了。
• He slashed the bark off the tree with his knife. 他用刀把树皮从树上砍下。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 earnings   

n.工资收人；利润，利益，所得

参考例句：

• That old man lives on the earnings of his daughter.那个老人靠他女儿的收入维持生活。
• Last year there was a 20% decrease in his earnings.去年他的收入减少了20%。

14 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

15 stump   

n.残株，烟蒂，讲演台；v.砍断，蹒跚而走

参考例句：

• He went on the stump in his home state.他到故乡所在的州去发表演说。
• He used the stump as a table.他把树桩用作桌子。