澳洲新闻 (ABC新闻快递) 2015-01-21

 The share market ended the day flat while traders struggled to decide whether China's latest economic numbers were positive or negative.The All Ords closed two points lower and the ASX 200 ended down just one point lower.Materials and energy stocks lost ground today,Rio Tinto lost 0.9 of a percent. BHP Billiton fell roughly the same amount.amount. Woodside Petroleum¹ finished 5.6 percent lower.But the big four banks made solid gains.

 

Checking elsewhere in the region.Markets have gained in the wake of that Chinese data,the Nikke has added 304 points.The Hang Seng is also gaining ground.

 

And taking a quick check,the Australian dollar is currently lower at 81.8 US cents.

 

Official figures out of China show 2014 was the worst year for Chinese economic growth in more than two decades.Gross domestic product in the world's second largest economy grew by 7.4 percent over 2014.While that would be good growth for most countries.In the Chinese economy,it's the worst result since 1990.Today's GDP number also fell short of the Chinese government's growth target.As officials seek to put the nation's economy on the more sustainable Footing.

 

Meanwhile the International Monetary² Fund has become the latest major organization to downgrade its expectations of global economical growth this year.The IMF has downgraded its global growth forecast for both this year and next.It now expects growth of 3.5 percent in 2015 with benefits of cheaper oil offset³ by other factors, including volatile⁴ financial markets.

1 petroleum   

n.原油，石油

参考例句：

• The Government of Iran advanced the price of petroleum last week.上星期伊朗政府提高了石油价格。
• The purpose of oil refinery is to refine crude petroleum.炼油厂的主要工作是提炼原油。

2 monetary   

adj.货币的，钱的；通货的；金融的；财政的

参考例句：

• The monetary system of some countries used to be based on gold.过去有些国家的货币制度是金本位制的。
• Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。

3 offset   

n.分支，补偿；v.抵消，补偿

参考例句：

• Their wage increases would be offset by higher prices.他们增加的工资会被物价上涨所抵消。
• He put up his prices to offset the increased cost of materials.他提高了售价以补偿材料成本的增加。

4 volatile   

adj.反复无常的，挥发性的，稍纵即逝的，脾气火爆的；n.挥发性物质

参考例句：

• With the markets being so volatile,investments are at great risk.由于市场那么变化不定，投资冒着很大的风险。
• His character was weak and volatile.他这个人意志薄弱，喜怒无常。